A new kind of game for the Spectrum
JetPac was one of the first of the games released for the early 16k Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer, and developer Ultimate managed to fit a lot into the tiny memory. This game didn’t fit into any easily definable retro gaming genre, as it had a number of elements, being part shooter, part action-platformer. What it did do was deliver to early adopter Spectrum owners the arcade experience they had been looking for in their humble home computer.
JetPac Gameplay
Due to the memory constraints of the basic 16k Spectrum model, JetPac did away with multiple screens and stuck to a very simple formula. Use your JetPac to collect space ship parts that fall from the sky, kill the aliens that try to attack you, build a rocket from the parts and take off in it when its complete. Then do it all over again, repeatedly, until you die. And that’s it.
Despite the simple premise, one which would not hold the attention of many 10 year old game veterans today, Ultimate managed to build a sense of achievement into JetPac, as well as a desire to progress further through the game. You were pushed to tackle just one more screen, in order to see a new alien type with a different attack pattern. Every few screens you would get a new rocket, starting with an Apollo 13 style vehicle, then a space shuttle (Tetris on the Gameboy also did this as a reward for completion).
There was also a great sense of colour in the game, from the garish alien designs to the multi coloured laser blast, but again due to memory limitations the only sound was the squeak of your laser and the plop when the aliens were destroyed.
Jetpac Spectrum Levels
In each stage the rocket was broken into 4 pieces, requiring 4 fuel pods to refill it ready for take off. There were 4 rocket ships to be completed, with each one requiring 4 waves of aliens to be destroyed whilst refuelling to progress to the next stage.
- Apollo (U1) – an 60’s style rocket that could have been part of the US/USSR space race
- Space Shuttle (U2) – unmistakably a US space shuttle style rocket
- Transport Rocket (U3) – a larger rocket that looks like it could be used for cargo transportation
- Star Trek (U4) – a futuristic rocket that resembles something out of Star Trek
After 16 waves were completed, and each rocket refuelled for takeoff 4 times, the game would loop back to the beginning.
Jetpac Alien Types
There were 8 different alien types in the game, each with their own movement patterns and behaviours, some trickier than others to defeat. To beat the game you had to learn these patterns, given that the only way to die is being hit by an alien creature (there were no alien bullets).
- Wave 1 – Asteroids attack you travelling horizontally or at a downward angle, exploding on impact with a platform or the ground.
- Wave 2 – The first wave of aliens look a bit like the furry Tribbles from Star Trek, but with eyes. These aliens bounce around the screen at 45 degree angles, so their trajectory is fairly predictable
- Wave 3 – I’m calling these aliens Space Bubbles – float Horizontally, rising and falling at 45 degrees. They also bounce, making them a bit more difficult to predict than the Tribbles
- Wave 4 – The third wave features Fighter jets. They hover at side of screen then launch at you, changing altitude (but not direction) to home in on you like a guided missile. Fortunately they explode if they hit a platform, so you can hide from them
- Wave 5 – These aliens can only be described as Flying Saucers – they swarm all over you and do not explode when they hit a platform, so need to be despatched quickly
- Wave 6 – the next aliens appear as Crosses – with varying degrees of diagonal trajectory, they can also bounce between platforms
- Wave 7 – To me these aliens look like Snow Speeders, but unlikely to take down an AT-AT as they travel in straight line until they hit something then explode
- Wave 8 – these I am calling Bubble Tribbles, as that is what they look like. More dangerous than regular Tribbles from Wave 1 as they swarm towards you
Tips on beating JetPac
There is no traditional “End” to JetPac, just completion of the 16 levels before the game loops back to level 1. The objective however becomes getting to the end of the 16 levels with your 3 lives, and amassing the biggest score possible, This is no mean feat with an onslaught of aliens and some very fast gameplay.
The trick with defeating all of these alien types, other than just avoiding them, is to spend most of the game waiting in the top right platform, firing left and right, and preventing any alien getting near you. When a piece of rocket ship, a fuel tank or a bonus item begin falling, you can then swoop down from your perch and intercept them. Travelling back to you perch automatically deposits the item along the way.
You can clear most of the screen from your safe position and time your dive for when the screen is less populated. in this way you spend most of your time invulnerable, only risking damage when you need to emerge to collect an item.
JetPac Critical Reception
Reviews of Jetpac on the ZX Spectrum were overwhelmingly positive, with several contemporary magazines lauding its graphics, gameplay, and overall design. Crash magazine praised the game for its “colorful and well-defined sprites,” deeming it “one of the best-looking games on the Spectrum.” The gameplay was frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with “Crash” describing it as “immensely playable and addictive,” while “Your Spectrum” echoed these sentiments, calling it “fast-paced and engaging, with responsive controls.”
Jetpac is a real scorcher…fast and frenetic gameplay that will have you coming back for more
Your Sinclair Magazine (1983)
Although the sound was recognized as basic due to the hardware limitations, it was still considered effective and adequate for the gameplay experience. The consensus among critics was that Jetpac was a landmark title for the ZX Spectrum, combining visually appealing graphics with compelling and addictive gameplay.
JetPac on other platforms
The success of JetPac on the ZX Spectrum lead to conversions various home computers of the era, each with their own strengths and limitations.
Commodore VIC-20 Version (1983)
The VIC-20 version of JetPac is much closer to the Spectrum than the BBC version, with almost identical graphics and gameplay. The game relied on an 8k expansion pack being fitted to the VIC-20, although still less memory than the already tiny 16k of the Spectrum.
The VIC-20 version of JetPac was a huge success, like the Spectrum it stretched the boundaries of what was possible on a simple home computer, and a standout title for the Commodore 64’s baby brother.
There was never an official release for the Commodore 64, but unofficial conversions exist online.
BBC Micro Version (1984)
JetPac on the BBC Micro was visually different to the Spectrum version, with more chunky graphics and a quite basic sound effects. Gameplay was marred by annoying aliens which were incredibly difficult to avoid, resulting in a frustrating gaming experience.
JetPac Sequels and Modern Revivals
Ultimate have survived to the present under different brands and owners, and as such have been able to sporadically revive the JetPac franchise.
Lunar Jetman (Ultimate – 1983)
Lunar Jetman was released by Ultimate the same year as JetPac, and is probably the closest thing to a true sequel to the original game.
In Lunar Jetman you had a buggy to ride around the planet surface, with items scattered across a map which was much larger than the side-scrolling screen. You still had to exit the vehicle to collect the items, and return to the buggy to refuel your JetPac. The mission in Lunar Jetman was to destroy 3 enemy bases using bombs that first had to be located and transported.
Development for the 48k Spectrum allowed more depth of gameplay and variety of graphics than the original, and it even featured voice synthesis if you had a Currah Speech Pack. It’s difficult to describe how excited I was to play Lunar Jetman on its release, and I wasn’t disappointed.
a worthy successor to JetPac
Crash Magazine (1983)
Solar Jetman (Zippo/Rare – 1990)
JetPac’s author Ultimate later transitioned to “Rare”, and in 1990 rebranded one of their acquired titles as Solar Jetman. The game was originally developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Zippo games, who were bought by Rare during the game’s development.
The links to JetPac and Lunar Jetman are tenuous, as there is no actual Jet Pack in the game. It’s more a gravity-based game, similar to arcade title Gravitar, where the mission was to use thrusters to safely traverse rocky landscapes. As such it is a sequel in name only, and due to poor sales of the NES cart, never made it to the Spectrum or any other home computer.
Jetpac Refueled (Rare – 2014)
Jetpac Refueled was commissioned after Rare were acquired by Microsoft, the original JetPac game being refreshed as part of the XBOX Arcade series of games.
The original game was enhanced with modern graphics and sound, and a number of new features introduced including weapons upgrades, smart bombs and a speed boost. The game also featured a 2 player mode, both local and online, where players could compete for high scores and places on a global league table.
JetPac refuelled was a remake rather than a sequel, given the almost identical gameplay. Although modern reviews claim it was an improvement over the original, its impact on the gaming landscape of 2014 was nothing like that of JetPac in 1983.
Link to JetPac Refuelled on xbox
Final Thoughts on JetPac
JetPac was a masterstroke of packaging in a time when memory was incredibly expensive. Developers Ultimate had to think about not only the gameplay but how they could most effectively fit it into the space available, and maximise the number of Spectrum owners that could play the game.
JetPac, like many of the early 16k Spectrum games from Ultimate, showed what could be achieved with fairly basic computer hardware. With this title Ultimate set a new standard for gaming on the home computer platform for other developers to follow, and established them as the premier games developer for the platform.
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