Software for the Sinclair ZX80 Home Computer

 ZX80

Overview

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Emulators

We have received authority from the relevant software authors to make the following Sinclair ZX80 software available for download.  Much of this software has been developed over the past couple of years as a direct response to the renewed enthusiasm for the humble ZX80 expressed through our ZX80/ZX81 forums.

This is currently supplied in .o format which is suitable for use with emulators or can be converted to get it onto a real ZX80.  The software shows how far programming techniques have advanced since the early 1980s and proves that a lot can still be squeezed into this early computer.

If you want an emulator - see the links on the left hand side.

The Software:

Kong by Paul Farrow - updated May 2011 For those of you who have never played Kong, this is a platform game, where you have to move up a series of platforms and ladders to save the beautiful maiden being held by King Kong. You are hampered by the barrels which Kong rolls down the screen at you to try and knock you off the platforms.. It is something we never thought would be implemented on the humble Sinclair ZX80. This is an implementation of this classic game, programmed in 2010 and incorporating flicker free technology to provide a great game.  It requires 16K memory. Download Sinclair ZX80 Kong Visit Paul Farrow's website for latest version and details of the flicker free mechanism.

Mastermind by Andy Rea This is a puzzle game based on the traditional board game. You have to guess the secret code placed by the opposing player - you have ten guesses and 4 digits, each of which can be any one of 6 letters.  As you place a guess, you are told how many letters you have put down which appear in the code, and how many are the right letters, but in the wrong order. Download Mastermind

Space Invaders by Macronics Space Invaders is one of the all time classic arcade games, where you control a gun at the base of the screen shooting down hoardes of invading aliens before they manage to land. This is an amazing implementation for the humble Sinclair ZX80 home computer, and was written in only 3K !  A smaller version was also released in only 1K. It is the flicker free mechanism used in this game which has inspired Kong and Pacman for the ZX80. Download Sinclair ZX80 Space Invaders Visit Paul Farrow's website for details of the flicker free mechanism and a disassembly of the code, as well as details of how to run this on US (60Hz) versions of the ZX80.

Pacman by Paul Farrow - updated May 2011 For those of you who have never played Pacman, this is a series of mazes where you have to move your pacman and eat all of the food on the screen (represented by dots). You are chased by four ghosts, but if you eat one of the four items of super food (the O towards the four corners of the screen, then you can munch the ghosts!). It is something we never thought would be implemented on the humble Sinclair ZX80. This is an implementation of this classic game, programmed in 2010 and incorporating flicker free technology to provide a great game.  It requires 16K memory. Download Sinclair ZX80 Pacman Visit Paul Farrow's website for latest version and details of the flicker free mechanism.