Plans are afoot to bring back the iconic Spectrum ZX gaming platform in the shape of a smaller, handheld model that plugs into modern televisions.
The Spectrum Vega gamepad revives the spirit of the 1980s machine and will come with 1,000 games pre-installed, according to the project page on crowd-funding site Indiegogo. The developers are promising even more games will arrive following the launch.
The simple handset offers a D-Pad and five buttons on the face (F, S, R, 1 and 2) enabling users to control classic titles like R-Type without requiring an additional joystick or console unit.
A prototype is already in existence and now Retro Computers (which is backed by Sinclair Research itself) is seeking £100,000 in contributions to help put the £100 gaming system into production.
“The Vega is very simple to operate,” the profile page reads. “Just connect it to your TV with the cables provided and off you go. Games are accessed through a menu based system and are easy to access. Games load automatically, taking you directly into the game play mode. When you wish to play another game, simply press the centrally placed reset button and this takes you back to the main menu. Nothing could be simpler.
“The development of the Sinclair Spectrum Vega is complete, and we have a fully working prototype waiting to go into production within the UK. We are making contact with thousands of the original Spectrum game developers in order to secure their permission to use their games on the Vega, for which a combined software royalty will be donated to charity ‒ Great Ormond Street Hospital for children.”
A pledge of £100 will guarantee backers one of the first 1,000 consoles that enter production. Retro Computers look certain to gain funding for the project as it’s already up to £66,000 less than 24 hours after hitting Indiegogo.
You can get a look at the Spectrum Vega in the YouTube clip below.
Read more: The Spectrum at 30: Gone but not forgotten
Via: CVG
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
