• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

The Top 100 Your Sinclair ZX Spectrum Games: #25 – Manic Miner

August 3, 2016 by Villordsutch

After the frantic, colourful space shmup that was Light Force our next game in the Your Sinclair Top 100 takes us deep under our own worlds surface.  Number #25 is the classic platformer Manic Miner.

Manic Miner came from the brain of Matthew Smith in 1983, published by Bug-Byte Software and then Software Projects.  It was the winner of the Golden Joystick Award from Computer & Video Games in 1983 and also picked up third place in the “Game of the Year 1983” in the very same competition.  You could say this was a popular game back in then.

You play Miner Willy, the same Willy from Jet Set Willy, and whilst out mining in Surbiton Way you break into an ancient mineshaft.  Here you discover the remains of an long-forgotten civilisation, who lived in peace and harmony for centuries until finally succumbing to war, they then abandoned their subterranean life.  Willy not only discovers twenty caverns filled with rare & valuable metals and minerals but numerous mining robots that have never been told to stop.  With a rapidly depleting air supply Willy must grab the riches and make his escape, without falling foul to the many of the aggressive underground automatons.

Manic Miner is truly a classic and here in the Your Sinclair Top 100 I completely agree with the placing of it above Jet Set Willy (JSW).  Don’t get me wrong as you would have seen in the JSW review I adore that too, but Manic Miner is just that wee bit better than its sequel.  Here in this world you have 20 caves to gather your flashing icons, however unlike JSW these aren’t interconnected so you don’t have any overall stress about messing it all up at the Banyan Tree; it’s compact and feels somewhat better to play.  As with Jet Set Willy, Manic Miner is bright, colourful and has an annoying ditty that earworms into your brain so there’s nothing to complain about there.

Manic Miner ticks all of the boxes in what a classic ZX Spectrum game should look and play like.

@Villordsutch

Filed Under: Articles and Opinions, Video Games, Villordsutch Tagged With: Bug-Byte Software, jet set willy, manic miner, Software Projects Ltd, Your Sinclair, zx spectrum

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The Shining at 45: The Story Behind Stanley Kubrick’s Psychological Horror Masterpiece

Ten Action Sequels The World Needs To See

10 Essential Vampire Movies To Sink Your Teeth Into

Underrated 2000s Cult Classics You Need To See

Coming of Rage: Eight Great Horror Movies About Adolescence

The Essential Modern Conspiracy Thrillers

10 Great Recent Horror Movies You Need To See

Ranking Horror Movies Based On Video Games

Ten Great 80s Movie Stars Who Disappeared

The (00)7 Most Underrated James Bond Movies

Top Stories:

Movie Review – Abraham’s Boys (2025)

Crazy Cult 90s Horror Movies You May Have Missed

Dune 3 gets official title as production begins

Movie Review – Daniela Forever (2025)

Netflix shares Wednesday season 2 trailer and promo images

Movie Review – Superman (2025)

Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

New trailer for Netflix mystery-thriller series Untamed starring Eric Bana

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

The Film Feud of the 90s: Steven Seagal vs Jean-Claude Van Damme

Every Friday the 13th Movie Ranked From Worst to Best

The Essential One Man Army Action Movies

The Best Retro 2000 AD Video Games

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket