Inside, you’ll discover some of the biggest Retro Gamer features of the last year, covering a variety of acclaimed games, revered franchises and fantastic hardware, all in one handy place. What more are you waiting for? Grab yourself the warmest of beverages, slip into a nice, comfy pair of slippers and prepare for an amazing trip back in time. Enjoy.
WELCOME TO THE retro* GAMER ANNUAL
Retro Gamer Annual (2026)
MASTERING THE ZX SPECTRUM • ON 21 APRIL 1982, SINCLAIR RESEARCH UNVEILED ITS LATEST HOME MICRO, THE ZX SPECTRUM. THIS SMALL AND IDIOSYNCRATIC DEVICE WOULD HELP KICKSTART THE UK GAMES INDUSTRY, INSPIRING PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO START PROGRAMMING. IN THIS SPECIAL FEATURE, WE LEARN FROM SOME OF THEM JUST WHAT CREATING GAMES ON THIS MAGICAL YET FLAWED COMPUTER WAS LIKE
THE INTERVIEWEES
TOP TRICKS • WITH LITTLE OR NO HARDWARE SUPPORT, SPECTRUM CODERS RELIED ON THEIR CUNNING AND INGENUITY
IF IT BLEEDS, WE CAN STOP IT • UNSIGHTLY ATTRIBUTE CLASH WAS THE BANE OF SPECTRUM PROGRAMMERS AND ARTISTS – BUT THERE WERE WAYS OF AVOIDING IT…
ESSENTIAL PERIPHERALS • SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR’S DREAM WAS TO HAVE THE SPECTRUM AT THE CENTRE OF A MASS OF TECH. HERE ARE THE MOST ESSENTIAL ADD-ON FOR IT
THIS YEAR’S MODEL • RETRO GAMER LOOKS AT EACH MODEL OF SPECTRUM
HOW DO THEY DO THAT! • RETRO GAMER’S SEVEN FAVOURITE GAMES THAT PUSHED THE SPECTRUM TO ITS LIMITS
THE RETRO GAMER GUIDE TO… PARKER BROS • BY USING ITS CONTACTS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR AND FORMIDABLE MARKETING CLOUT, PARKER BROTHERS BROUGHT TITLES LIKE STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, SPIDER-MAN AND FROGGER TO THE ATARI 2600 AND ITS RIVALS. RETRO GAMER HIGHLIGHTS THE FIRM’S BEST RELEASES
ULTIMATE GUIDE BUBBLE BOBBLE • LET US JOURNEY INTO THE DEADLY CAVE OF MONSTERS ONE MORE TIME AS RETRO GAMER PRESENTS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TAITO’S MARVELLOUS BUBBLE-BLOWING EXTRAVAGANZA. CUE THE MUSIC…
MASTER OF BUBBLES • RETRO GAMER’S TIPS TO HELP THOSE LOVEABLE HEROES AGAINST BUBBLE BOBBLE’S BATTERY OF MONSTERS
PLAY TODAY • LOOKING FOR A BIT OF BUB AND BOB ACTION? HERE’S HOW YOU CAN PLAY BUBBLE BOBBLE TODAY
CONVERSION CAPERS • THE BEST HOME VERSIONS OF TAITO’S CLASSIC BUBBLE-BLOWING PLATFORMER
DEVELOPER Q&A • RETRO GAMER VENTURES INTO THE CAVE OF MONSTERS WITH MIKE FOLLIN OF SOFTWARE CREATIONS, AUTHOR OF THE EXCELLENT ZX SPECTRUM CONVERSION
FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES • RETRO GAMER LOOKS AT SOME OF BUBBLE BOBBLE’S MOST MEMORABLE SEQUELS AND SPIN-OFFS
THE EVOLUTION OF INDIANA JONES GAMES • THE 1982 VIDEOGAME DEBUT OF INDIANA JONES WAS FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF ACCLAIMED RELEASES THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. KEY CREATIVES BEHIND SOME OF THE GREATEST INDY GAMES TELL RETRO GAMER HOW THIS GAMING LEGACY HAS EVOLVED
MEGA DRIVE: ARCADE HITS • IF YOU WANTED ARCADE ACTION IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME IN THE EARLY NINETIES, SEGA’S 16-BIT SYSTEM WAS THE MACHINE TO OWN. WE SPEAK TO THE DEVELOPERS WHO CRAMMED COIN-OPS INTO THE CONSOLE BACK THEN, AS WELL AS THOSE TAKING ON THAT CHALLENGE TODAY
INTERVIEWEES
MASTERPIECES • THE ARCADE CONVERSIONS THAT STILL WOW
BEYOND THE ARCADES • HOW THE MEGA DRIVE IMPROVED ARCADE CLASSICS
SYSTEM SYMBIOSIS • HOW THE MEGA DRIVE GAVE BACK TO THE ARCADE SCENE
EXTENDED PLAY • THE MEGA-CD AND 32X OFFERED CONVERSIONS NOT FOUND ON THE STANDARD MACHINE – HERE ARE FIVE WORTH CHECKING OUT
MODERN MARVELS • FIVE FANTASTIC CONVERSIONS FROM THE 21ST CENTURY
A TRIBUTE TO team17® • FORMED AFTER A MERGER BETWEEN SWEDISH DEVELOPER TEAM 7 AND UK PUBLISHER 17-BIT SOFTWARE, TEAM17 HELPED DEFINE AMIGA GAMING WITH ALIEN BREED, SUPERFROG AND WORMS. FOUNDER ANDREAS TADIĆ REVIEWS THE FIRM’S GREATEST AMIGA RELEASES
CAPCOM’S GREATEST FIGHTING GAMES • IN...