If you’ve managed to stay awake after yesterday’s sleep inducing Computer Scrabble then you’re in for a rather splendid treat today, as landing at number #62 in the Your Sinclair Top 100 is the rather excellent Thrust.
Thrust (originally written by late Jeremy Smith for the BBC Micro) clearly wore its love for the Atari game Gravitar on its sleeve. It was released on the ZX Spectrum from Firebird Software back in 1986, with this version being programmed David Lowe and Simon Clarke.
The gameplay of Thrust – on paper – is simple; you’re a member of the resistance and you need to swoop down to numerous planets and steal the power orbs via tractor beam. However, in practice the game isn’t so easy, as you need to contend with gravity, inertia, pesky Newton and his laws, minimal fuel reserves, limpet turrets (which have a pretty good aim) and a hard planet surface -all for one power orb. This game will have you swearing so loud, your neighbours will consider phoning the Police.
I adore Thrust and have done for decades. This was a game I used to play during “Wet Break” at school, back in the mid-eighties on the BBC Micro. Even thirty years later the gameplay is still so powerful that in frustration you’ll reset your machine and within minutes you’re loading it back up to once again try to pilfer an orb from a cavern below the planet’s surface.
If you haven’t experienced Thrust on the ZX Spectrum you really need to load it up now and become the next addict to this true classic.
Originally published June 27, 2016. Updated June 24, 2023.
