Horace Goes Skiing (1982)

Horace (often considered the unofficial mascot of the ZX Spectrum) is an 8-Bit Hero. His first game saw him go hungry, in his third he battled spiders, but 1982’s Horace Goes Skiing saw the instantly recognisable character don his skis and hit the slopes.

Horace Goes Skiing cemented its place in gaming history with its mix of simplicity, arcade-action gameplay and a unique graphical style that many retro fans still hold a candle for to this day.

Gilligan’s Gold (1984)

Gilligan’s Gold saw players dodging bandits in a dangerous mine – trying to grab large bags of precious gold!

Climb ladders to reach new areas. Grab bags of gold and transport them to your wheelbarrow at the top of the screen. Watch out for the deadly bandits. The pickaxe can be used to mine through certain parts of the wall – hiding secret gold caches – or to stun an outlaw. Ride minecarts to zip through the mines.

Mutant Monty (1984)

Mutant Monty is a surreal game from innovative publishers Artic Computing which saw players take on the role of the titular Monty, who wants nothing more than to get rich and be recognized as a hero.

Move through 40 different levels, including such bizarre environments as the Pit of Eternal Slime, the inside of a neutron accelerator, and the desolate wastes of Pithor. Dodge dangerous enemies and collect piles of gold. Once all the gold in a level has been collected, the exit to the next level will unlock.

N.O.M.A.D. (1985)

N.O.M.A.D. an innovative top-down shooter from famed publishers Ocean Software saw players take control of the ‘Nemesis Organisation Mobile Attack Droid’ (N.O.M.A.D.) 471 in an attempt to stop the machinations of the unspeakably vile Cyrus T. Gross, the greatest criminal in the universe.

Pilot the N.O.M.A.D. through TALOS, Gross’s heavily armoured homeworld, solving tricky puzzles, dodging deadly hazards, and shooting fiendish enemies. N.O.M.A.D. is controlled by rotating left and right and providing either forward or backward thrust. This makes every level a challenging gauntlet, thankfully with regular checkpoints for progress.