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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

By 'the good old days', of course, you mean 2026 at BreakSpace.itch.io

BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Aha, but what if you could get brand new, free BASIC type-ins and try your hand at them now? Maybe you missed your calling. breakspace.itch.io/break-space-...

2 magazine pages from Break Space, featuring some BASIC code to type into your ZX Spectrum, and an illustrative cartoon basketballer executing a frankly absurd dunk. The game's about free-throws, so the illustration is a bit misleading, honestly. Sorry about that.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Our issue 6 cover was incredibly topical on Friday, but less so now. But unlike the World Cup Final, BreakSpace 6 is entertaining all the way through, not just for the last bit. And we promise not to punch you after you finish reading. breakspace.itch.io/break-space-... #retro #spectrum #gaming

The cover of BreakSpace Issue 6, which features Lionel Messi of Argentina and Lamine Yamal of Spain delaying kick-off of the World Cup Final because they are playing ZX Spectrum games, using Competition Pro joysticks, as was the fashion in the 80s. The ZX Spectrum was a big deal in Spain, but we're not sure whether it had much presence in Argentina. Let us know!

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

One of our favourite ZX Spectrum games in issue 6 was Wacky Robot, a tough arcade platformer available from cronosoft.itch.io/wacky-robot-... or physically on cassette tape from Cronosoft cronosoft.fwscart.com Here's what Phil South had to say. Full review at breakspace.itch.io/break-space-...

Part of Phil South's review of Wacky Robot from Break Space Issue 6

Ever have one of those jobs where it’s
all go? No sooner do you jump up a
few levels in the building to collect
some electricity, you suddenly have to
hover or fling yourself down an elevator
shaft to escape a marauding robot. I
mean, we’ve all been there. Such is life
in the world of Wacky Robot.

Now lookit, it’s pretty rare I see something I’ve never seen
before. It’s obvious really. When you’ve seen as many
damn games as I have, kid, they all start to blur together.
But every once in a while someone does something
unexpected and remarkable, something which looks like a
classic instantly. It’s like they finished the game and
painted a thick coat of patina of age all over it. It looks like
it’s always been here, part of the woodwork.

So it is with Wacky Robot. It looks like something produced
by a leading boutique game developer of the late 80s, part
of a franchise perhaps, with the polish and panache of a
game with a fair amount of clout behind it. This is a game
which has gotten a lot of love for every aspect. No stone
has been left wanting for a turning. Technically smooth,
creatively detailed and the playability is off the map at a
45° angle leaving a smoking hole in the ceiling.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Sick of the World Cup yet? Or maybe you need something to fill the hours until the final. Either way, what you need is a brand new ZX Spectrum review magazine, covering a massive 58 new games for your favorite rubber-keyed 8-bit retro platform. All free at breakspace.itch.io/break-space-...

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

A momentous day for the ZX Spectrum, as today marks the one month anniversary of Break Space Issue 5. Even if you missed it, you can still pick it up free of charge at breakspace.itch.io/break-space-... And you're not too late to enter our Cronosoft game giveaway. Details on pg35, beside the poem.

Page 30 of BreakSpace Issue 5, starting a feature about Cronosoft, a company that publishes new games for the Speccy, and other, less funky, computers. I'm not going to type the whole thing in here, and you can get the Issue for free and the text is now selectable and hopefully accessible.
Anyway, you can win some Spectrum games on actual physical tapes, like in the olden days. You can even rewind or fast forward them with a pencil, if you're feeling whimsical.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

It's been 2 weeks since Issue 5 of the world's finest ZX Spectrum magazine came out, but we're already hard at work on Issue 6! Here's a sneak preview of the cover! We should probably get a move on. Meanwhile, the very heart of the Speccy scene beats on at breakspace.itch.io/break-space-...

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

It's Sunday morning, the perfect time to check out a ZX Spectrum themed crossword, eh? As featured in breakspace.itch.io/break-space-...

The Across clues from our Crossword.
I'm not going to type them all in here.
You can get the whole lot, AND the Down clues, AND the grid, AND the answers to last month's crossword, in the free pdf at the link. Tidy.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Issue 5 of Break Space magazine comes out in less than 2 weeks, kicking off our second year! In our first 4 issues, we reviewed 186 brand new ZX Spectrum games, and talked to many of the movers and shakers on the scene. All free to download at breakspace.itch.io

The covers of the first 4 Break Space magazines from 2025. They are seasonally themed. Three of them are really good.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

People of the #UK ! Check your rooftops, and your neighbours', if you think you can get away with it. As seen in our latest issue, the ZX Load museum is on the lookout for one of these Cambridge square satellite dishes, as modelled here by the lovely Clive. Have you spotted one? Let us know.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

The map does put our ZX Spectrum magazine at the heart of European intellectualism, as is right and proper. Not a footballer in sight, despite our Kevin Toms obsession.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

This was remade and much improved in 2024 as Gilligan's Mine spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/43959/...

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Issue 4 of Break Space magazine came out last week, but if you missed it, don't worry : It's still out, and still free. What could be better on a chilly Sunday evening than catching up on the latest #zxspectrum news and typing in a cool BASIC game listing? breakspace.itch.io/break-space-... #retro

A cartoon basketball player with terrifying bulging eyes dunks the ball for 2 precious points, from the printable cover for BASIC Ball, a type-in listing presented in Break Space Issue 4. The actual game is more like shooting free throws or Horse or something, with no dunking involved, but there's a long tradition of game illustrations having little to no relation to the game, and who are we to resist the trend?

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

What the world needs now is ZX Spectrum games reviews. And we have got you covered, World. 56 new games reviewed, a ZX Load museum interview, BASIC to type in, and loads more. INCLUDING! The inarguable Game of the Year selection. breakspace.itch.io/break-space-... #retro #zxspectrum #skillo

A cool wizard blasts an off-page foe with his rainbow magic!
It's the cover of BreakSpace issue 4, for all you Spectrum game review needs.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

Issue 4 of BreakSpace is heading your way in Mid-January, but in the meantime, here's a look at our upcoming review of Santa's Lost and Found. Because you won't be so excited to read about a Santa game in January, we imagine. The game itself is available at indigobeetle.itch.io/santas-lost-...

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

I think this means that we're a real magazine now.

A screenshot from a Spectrum game menu screen with text that reads "Review copy for Break-Space Magazine"

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Keyboards have come a long way. If you want some brand new type-ins, we have 2 of 'em in Issue 3 of BreakSpace, including the terrifying Shriek Space. breakspace.itch.io/breakspace-i...

Cartoony illustration for a game called Shriek Space, featuring a nervous guy sweating as a frankly terrifying ghost looms over his shoulder. Well spooky, innit?

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Spanish-language adventure magazine CAAD issue 69 is out, featuring a translation of our Break Space Issue 2 review of Echoes of the Future Check it out : wiki.caad.es/CAAD_69

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Here's the list of the 58 games reviewed this issue : #zxspectrum #retro #magazine

Should I put all the games in the alt text? Seems wild, but what the heck. Here's the alphabetical list of 58 games reviewed in BreakSpace Issue 3 :
Alien
Another Golf
Asymmetry
Attack!
Bombas
Boni 2 - Return to Bat Hell
Boni in Bat Hell
BrainTeaser
Bubbleback
Castle Capers 2
Chuckie Mail
Cindy Block
Crabby Returns
Cubix
Delta Charge
DS. Bodyguard
Ecclesia
Escape From The Twilight Castle
Fate of the Pirate
Frostland
Galacic Nexus
Generals
Gunman Messiah
Hammer Knight
Hit the Fan
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
Kubanoid
La cripta de Elmion
La Piramide De Xaltocan
Little John Can't Jump
Magenta Sky
Maisie Day is not okay
Maze
Mission Odessa
Oh no more Monkeys!
Racetrack Riches
Rebearded Fantasy
REDM : New Orleans
Return to Freakonia
Room 310: Face To Face
Runaway Nose
Sam's Ashes Nightmare
Sanxion : the Spectrum Remix
Scrapyard Skedaddle
Sib City
Soko1000
Stamina
Svellas
The Farmer
The Lost One
The Rubber-Keyed Wonder - The Vinyl Chapter
Tower of Mystery
Travel Unlimited
Trilogia Urkiola
Welcome to Willy's Fun Park
Zak McDrucken Saves The Chickens
ZX Life
ZXnake 2

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

This is a fantastic conversion, which we even snuck onto our issue 2 Frogger cover.

A detail of the BreakSpace issue 2 cover, featuring the Gorf mothership partially hidden behind a cloud. Please don't ruin Frogger's day, Gorfians. He's worked hard for that ice-cream.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 13/07/2025

What are people saying about the new Summer issue of BreakSpace, the ZX Spectrum review magazine available free at breakspace.itch.io/issue-2 ? Things like this, which is pretty terrific.

A screenshot from itch.io from poet laureate ( I assume ) r-lyeh stating "If this is not actually your favourite ZX magazine idk wth you're doing with your life"
Which is about as good a review as we could have hoped for. Succinct and forceful.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Want a clue about what new ZX Spectrum games might feature in Issue 2 of BreakSpace magazine? This Sesame Street video might be on to something... www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfXm... #zxspectrum #breakspace #retro #magazine

A Muppet holding up a t-shirt with the words 'Kermit the GORF' printed on it.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

The final Ace of Issue 1 went to Plyuk retrosouls.itch.io/plyukzx A 'technical tour de force' according to Jamie, this spectacular platform-puzzler left jaws agape with its looks, and backed it up with a fun self-cloning mechanic and some tricky levels. As Mpk summed up, this was 'a treat, frankly.'

Big chunky sprites and bold colours in this screenshot of Plyuk on the ZX Spectrum. Our hero pauses on a ledge while two flying weirdoes approach overhead.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Quadrax, awoken from its 30-year slumber and translated, picked up Ace number 6. Sloany praised the 'really special' animation of the main characters, while Al raved about this 'darn cool unearthed gem'. It's another puzzle game, with a cool tomb-raiding theme. www.zx-spectrum.cz/index.php?ca...

Quadrax on the ZX Spectrum. A side on view of the inside of a tomb carved into a mountain top. The shot is taken just as our 2 heroes have united and are about to pop into the teleport to end the level. It took me ages to get here, it's a tricky level.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

We stayed in puzzle territory for Ace number 5, the immaculate Skill Team. Jamie praised its polish and modern sensibilities, Mpk called it a 'charming brainscratcher' and Sloany declared it 'an extremely satisfying ride'. You can get it from here : spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/44172/...

A screenshot of Skill Team on the ZX Spectrum. An overhead tile-based view of a room with boxes to push, holes to fall down and coloured powers to take advantage of.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Ace number 4 went to Master Piece, a brain-taxing solitaire chess puzzler. Sloany admired its 'outright fiendish' levels, while Dave reckoned it was a 'fascinating riff on the 900-year-old boardgame'. tartessos-games.itch.io/master-piece

Master Piece on the ZX Spectrum. Pieces are laid out on a 4x4 chess board. Doesn't look like much, if we're honest, but it'll melt your brain.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

Throbbing Headache DX picked up Ace number 3. This is a tricky single-screen platformer with a unique jumping mechanic. Sloany noted that the levels were 'well designed, with a fiendish, almost sadistic, edge' while Mpk praised it as 'thoroughly fresh' ktbproductions.itch.io/throbbing-he... #speccy

A screenshot of Throbbin' Headache DX on the ZX spectrum. It's a platformer, with our baseball cap wearing hero Robbie in green with deadly robots all around. There are also a surely fatal dose of 14 headache tablets scattered about, which Robbie must collect. Don't try this one at home, kids. Always read the label.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

The second Ace in Issue 1 went to MoonRn, an double-jumping runner-style platformer with atmospheric visuals and cool music. Al called it a 'fun jaunt', while Dave pronounced it a 'quirky, fun, well-made runner game'. You can grab it from snauts.itch.io/moonrn #retro #magazine #zxspectrum

MoonRn on the ZX Spectrum.
Our 8-pixel-tall hero gives a jolly wave from a pier before setting off to jump across the moonbeams shimmering on the lake ahead. A giant moon shines out from behind the treeline.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

First up was Crazy Burger : our first review and our first Ace. Jamie led the review of this frantic, high-pressure plate-spinner, preferring it to both recycling and Katy Perry, while Dave called it a ‘triumph for the Menyiques team and Boriel Basic’ Download : menyiques.itch.io/crazyburger

Crazy Burger on the ZX Spectrum in play. A tiny chef stands next to a row of cooktops, with burgers a-sizzlin'. Most of the screen is dominated by oversized order tickets, while 3 customers wait impatiently at the top of the screen for their orders. There are just 57 seconds remaining on the clock. No pressure.

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BreakSpace Magazine @breakspace.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Late breaking update, just after we'd gone to press.

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