.gif)
Spindizzy (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Spindizzy is an isometric
computer game
released for several 8-bit
home computer formats in 1986 by Electric Dreams Software
. It features action
and puzzle game elements. Players must navigate a series of screens to explore a landscape suspended in a dimensional space. Development was headed by Paul Shirley, who drew inspiration from Ultimate Play The Game
games that feature an isometric projection.
The game was successful in the United Kingdom
and was well-received by the video game press. Reviewers praised its visuals and design, but criticized its audio. Similarities were drawn to Marble Madness
, which was released in arcades two years earlier. Spindizzy was followed by a 1990s sequel titled Spindizzy Worlds
.
and puzzle game played from an isometric perspective
. Players can view the playing field from four different angles, and rotate between them. The game takes place in a fictional landscape of interconnected stages suspended in a dimensional space. The player controls a probe called a Gyroscopic Environmental Reconnaissance And Land-Mapping Device (GERALD), via keyboard commands or a joystick. The craft is able to transform—and modify its mobility as a result—between three configurations: a ball, an inverted square pyramid
, and a gyroscope
. Players navigate the probe through the stages to explore the world within a time limit. The time limit can be extended by collecting power jewels scattered through the world and is decreased by falling off a stage. Stages feature ramps, corridors, and other obstacles that hinder the player from quickly traversing them. The game ends when time expires or the world is completely explored.
. He was primarily inspired by Ultimate Play The Game
games that feature an isometric projection
, but was also influenced by the gameplay of the 1984 arcade game Marble Madness
. Shirley created an interpreted
script to generate the game's levels. The script allowed him to design a large number of stages using 11KB
of storage. The game was originally released for the Commodore 64
and Amstrad CPC
. It was later ported
to Atari 8-bit, ZX Spectrum
, and Apple II
computers. Spindizzy cartridges were promoted as prizes in magazine contests upon its release. American video game company Activision
published the game in the United States as part of its "Electric Dreams" series. John Sanderson programmed the Apple II version; Shirley was unaware of the port's existence until the mid-1990s. Spindizzy was later re-released as part of an Activision compilation. The company sold Spindizzys compilation rights not long after obtaining them, which reduced the amount of royalties to Shirley and Electric Dreams. Shirley eventually severed the contract with Activision, citing late royalty payments among other actions he disagreed with.
awarded Spindizzy the magazine's Gold Medal award for June 1986. Tony Hetherington of Computer Gamer
listed it as one of the essential Spectrum titles of 1986.
Praise from reviewers focused on the game's visuals and design, while criticism focused on the audio. Three of Zzap!64s reviewers—Julian Rignall, Gary Liddon, and Gary Penn—called the graphics "amazing", well-executed, and "varied"; but they described the audio as sparse. Rignall and Penn complimented the challenging gameplay and commented that its addictiveness outweighed any frustration experienced while playing. The three summarized by urging readers to purchase the game. Computer Gamer reviewer Mike Roberts praised Spindizzys gameplay, but mentioned that the screen's orientation can require a period of adjustment, particularly when using a joystick. Crashs reviewer called Spindizzy "one of the most addictive" ZX Spectrum games, noting its innovative use of shape changing, multiple view angles, and speed control. The audio was seen as lacking compared to the rest of the game, but was still described as good. Phil South of Your Sinclair gave the game high marks for graphics, playability, value for money, and addictiveness. He praised the ability to change viewpoints and the realistic movements of the character sprite. He also lauded the speed and quality of the graphics.
More than a decade later, reviews still praised the game. Allgame
editor Ryan Glover called Spindizzy an "innovative puzzler" that prompts players to fully explore it. Saying that the game successfully mixed infuriating moments with brilliant design, Darran Jones of Retro Gamer
called Spindizzy a "timeless classic". The magazine rated Spindizzy the second best game with an isometric perspective, citing its presentation and stage designs. Reviewers drew comparisons to Marble Madness, which was ported to home platforms the same year. Roberts called Spindizzy the "best 'marble' game yet". South described Spindizzy as the "closest thing yet to Marble Madness" on the ZX Spectrum, while Liddon said that any similarities to Marble Madness were coincidental. Many publications commented that the game was obviously inspired by Marble Madness.
Spindizzys isometric design partially inspired Glenn Corpes during the development of the 1989 title Populous
. Activision released a sequel titled Spindizzy Worlds
for Amiga
and Atari ST
computers in 1990. The game features similar gameplay, but improved graphics and larger playing fields. It was later ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
by ASCII
, which Shirley disapproved of and considered it a "disaster". He took legal action over the span of several years to obtain royalty information and payments.
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
computer game
Personal computer game
A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
released for several 8-bit
8-bit
The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
home computer formats in 1986 by Electric Dreams Software
Electric Dreams Software
Electric Dreams Software was a video game publisher established in 1985 by ex-managing director of Quicksilva, Rod Cousens and ex Software Manager of Quicksilva, Paul Cooper...
. It features action
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
and puzzle game elements. Players must navigate a series of screens to explore a landscape suspended in a dimensional space. Development was headed by Paul Shirley, who drew inspiration from Ultimate Play The Game
Ultimate Play the Game
Ultimate Play The Game was a critically acclaimed video game developer of the early home computer era. "Ultimate Play The Game" was the trading name of Ashby Computers & Graphics Ltd. , a software company founded in 1982 by two ex-arcade game developers Tim and Chris Stamper...
games that feature an isometric projection.
The game was successful in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and was well-received by the video game press. Reviewers praised its visuals and design, but criticized its audio. Similarities were drawn to Marble Madness
Marble Madness
Marble Madness is an arcade video game designed by Mark Cerny, and published by Atari Games in 1984. It is a platform game in which the player must guide an onscreen marble through six courses, populated with obstacles and enemies, within a time limit. The player controls the marble by using a...
, which was released in arcades two years earlier. Spindizzy was followed by a 1990s sequel titled Spindizzy Worlds
Spindizzy Worlds
Spindizzy Worlds is a puzzle video game published by Activision, released on the Amiga and Atari ST in 1990. It was later released on the Super Famicom in 1992 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993 by Ascii Entertainment. The game is a sequel to the 1986 video game Spindizzy...
.
Gameplay
Spindizzy is an actionAction game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
and puzzle game played from an isometric perspective
Video games with isometric graphics
In video games, "isometric" refers to some form of parallel projection where the viewpoint is rotated slightly to reveal other facets of the game environment than are visible from a top-down perspective or side view, thereby producing a three-dimensional effect...
. Players can view the playing field from four different angles, and rotate between them. The game takes place in a fictional landscape of interconnected stages suspended in a dimensional space. The player controls a probe called a Gyroscopic Environmental Reconnaissance And Land-Mapping Device (GERALD), via keyboard commands or a joystick. The craft is able to transform—and modify its mobility as a result—between three configurations: a ball, an inverted square pyramid
Square pyramid
In geometry, a square pyramid is a pyramid having a square base. If the apex is perpendicularly above the center of the square, it will have C4v symmetry.- Johnson solid :...
, and a gyroscope
Gyroscope
A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
. Players navigate the probe through the stages to explore the world within a time limit. The time limit can be extended by collecting power jewels scattered through the world and is decreased by falling off a stage. Stages feature ramps, corridors, and other obstacles that hinder the player from quickly traversing them. The game ends when time expires or the world is completely explored.
Development and release
Spindizzy was developed by Paul Shirley of British video game developer Electric Dreams SoftwareElectric Dreams Software
Electric Dreams Software was a video game publisher established in 1985 by ex-managing director of Quicksilva, Rod Cousens and ex Software Manager of Quicksilva, Paul Cooper...
. He was primarily inspired by Ultimate Play The Game
Ultimate Play the Game
Ultimate Play The Game was a critically acclaimed video game developer of the early home computer era. "Ultimate Play The Game" was the trading name of Ashby Computers & Graphics Ltd. , a software company founded in 1982 by two ex-arcade game developers Tim and Chris Stamper...
games that feature an isometric projection
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
, but was also influenced by the gameplay of the 1984 arcade game Marble Madness
Marble Madness
Marble Madness is an arcade video game designed by Mark Cerny, and published by Atari Games in 1984. It is a platform game in which the player must guide an onscreen marble through six courses, populated with obstacles and enemies, within a time limit. The player controls the marble by using a...
. Shirley created an interpreted
Interpreter (computing)
In computer science, an interpreter normally means a computer program that executes, i.e. performs, instructions written in a programming language...
script to generate the game's levels. The script allowed him to design a large number of stages using 11KB
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
of storage. The game was originally released for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
. It was later ported
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to Atari 8-bit, ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, and Apple II
Apple II series
The Apple II series is a set of 8-bit home computers, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977 with the original Apple II...
computers. Spindizzy cartridges were promoted as prizes in magazine contests upon its release. American video game company Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
published the game in the United States as part of its "Electric Dreams" series. John Sanderson programmed the Apple II version; Shirley was unaware of the port's existence until the mid-1990s. Spindizzy was later re-released as part of an Activision compilation. The company sold Spindizzys compilation rights not long after obtaining them, which reduced the amount of royalties to Shirley and Electric Dreams. Shirley eventually severed the contract with Activision, citing late royalty payments among other actions he disagreed with.
Reception and legacy
Spindizzy sold well in the United Kingdom. Shirley described the game's marketing life as short and attributed that to Activision's business practices. James Hague of Dadgum Games commented that Spindizzy could have been an "all-time classic" had it received a proper marketing campaign. The game was well received by video game journalists upon its release. Zzap!64Zzap!64
Zzap!64 was a computer games magazine covering games on the Commodore International series of computers, especially the Commodore 64 . It was published in the UK by Newsfield Publications Ltd and later by Europress Impact....
awarded Spindizzy the magazine's Gold Medal award for June 1986. Tony Hetherington of Computer Gamer
Computer Gamer
Computer Gamer was a video game magazine published in the United Kingdom by Argus Specialist Publications, covering home gaming during the late 1980s...
listed it as one of the essential Spectrum titles of 1986.
Praise from reviewers focused on the game's visuals and design, while criticism focused on the audio. Three of Zzap!64s reviewers—Julian Rignall, Gary Liddon, and Gary Penn—called the graphics "amazing", well-executed, and "varied"; but they described the audio as sparse. Rignall and Penn complimented the challenging gameplay and commented that its addictiveness outweighed any frustration experienced while playing. The three summarized by urging readers to purchase the game. Computer Gamer reviewer Mike Roberts praised Spindizzys gameplay, but mentioned that the screen's orientation can require a period of adjustment, particularly when using a joystick. Crashs reviewer called Spindizzy "one of the most addictive" ZX Spectrum games, noting its innovative use of shape changing, multiple view angles, and speed control. The audio was seen as lacking compared to the rest of the game, but was still described as good. Phil South of Your Sinclair gave the game high marks for graphics, playability, value for money, and addictiveness. He praised the ability to change viewpoints and the realistic movements of the character sprite. He also lauded the speed and quality of the graphics.
More than a decade later, reviews still praised the game. Allgame
Allgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
editor Ryan Glover called Spindizzy an "innovative puzzler" that prompts players to fully explore it. Saying that the game successfully mixed infuriating moments with brilliant design, Darran Jones of Retro Gamer
Retro Gamer
Retro Gamer is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Although launched as a quarterly publication, Retro Gamers soon became a monthly...
called Spindizzy a "timeless classic". The magazine rated Spindizzy the second best game with an isometric perspective, citing its presentation and stage designs. Reviewers drew comparisons to Marble Madness, which was ported to home platforms the same year. Roberts called Spindizzy the "best 'marble' game yet". South described Spindizzy as the "closest thing yet to Marble Madness" on the ZX Spectrum, while Liddon said that any similarities to Marble Madness were coincidental. Many publications commented that the game was obviously inspired by Marble Madness.
Spindizzys isometric design partially inspired Glenn Corpes during the development of the 1989 title Populous
Populous
-External links:*...
. Activision released a sequel titled Spindizzy Worlds
Spindizzy Worlds
Spindizzy Worlds is a puzzle video game published by Activision, released on the Amiga and Atari ST in 1990. It was later released on the Super Famicom in 1992 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993 by Ascii Entertainment. The game is a sequel to the 1986 video game Spindizzy...
for Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
and Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
computers in 1990. The game features similar gameplay, but improved graphics and larger playing fields. It was later ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
by ASCII
ASCII (company)
was a publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. It became a subsidiary of Kadokawa Group Holdings in 2004, and merged with another Kadokawa subsidiary MediaWorks on April 1, 2008, and became ASCII Media Works. The company published Monthly ASCII as the main publication...
, which Shirley disapproved of and considered it a "disaster". He took legal action over the span of several years to obtain royalty information and payments.
See also
- GyroscopeGyroscope (video game)Gyroscope is an action video game published by Melbourne House in 1985 for a number of home computers. It is based on the Atari arcade game Marble Madness.-Gameplay:...
: A 1985 video game with similar design and gameplay - Bobby BearingBobby BearingBobby Bearing is an isometric 3D arcade adventure game released by The Edge in for the Sinclair Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64.- Plot :...
: A 1986 video game with similar design and gameplay