ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1): Apple iOS 3.1.3 or later (HD: iOS 3.2 or later)
ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1) logo ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1): Apple iOS promo image #1 ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1): Apple iOS promo image #2 ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1): iDaptive Controls ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1): initial 6 bundled games ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1) HD promo image #1 ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (Vol. 1) HD promo image #2

Release Factoids

Format: Apple iOS 3.1.3 or later (HD: iOS 3.2 or later)
Author: Elite Systems (ZX:EC emulator)
               Nigel Alderton (Spectrum CE)
Released: 03/10/2010, HD: 14/11/2010
Publishing Label: Elite Systems
Default Keys: touchscreen iDaptive Controls
Joystick Supported: No
Cheats or POKEs: None known
Emulator: Not required! Buy it online from the iTunes App Store (HD version for iPad)!

Play the free Java applet ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection Online, including Chuckie Egg!
Notes:
Price : currently - £1.99/HD:£2.99, first release - £0.59 (€0.79, US$0.99)/HD:£2.99 (€3.99, US$4.99)
Category : Games
Updated : 06 July 2011/HD: 18 August 2011
Version : v2.3/HD: v2.4
Size : 74.6 MB/HD: 108 MB
Language : English
Developer : Elite Systems Ltd
Downloads : ?
© 2011 Elite Systems Group Ltd

iTunes App Store Customer Rating (All Versions) : 3.5/5 stars (427 Ratings)
iTunes App Store Customer Rating (All HD Versions) : 4/5 stars (50 Ratings)
Rated 12+ for the following:
Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humour (HD only)
Infrequent/Mild Horror/Fear Themes (HD only)
Frequent/Intense Realistic Violence
Frequent/Intense Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1.3 or later.
HD Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 3.2 or later.
Review: In June 2010, many Spectrum fans were delighted to read that ZX Nostalgia a Spectrum emulator was being released for the iPhone for the cost of less than a US dollar. Very soon after though, the app was removed from the App Store as it appeared that the developers had not licensed the popular games it was bundled with, including the original Spectrum Chuckie Egg. Fortunately for Apple fans who had a soft spot for our favourite platformer, Elite Systems announced in September that Apple had approved the first version of their own Spectrum emulator which was to ship with six officially licensed titles, including Nigel Alderton's original Spectrum Chuckie Egg!

Initial reports highlighted some issues with the app's initial control mechanism. Elite released updates to the app, adding new features and titles to the emulator's line-up. Listening to the user feedback, Elite released an update in November which included a brand new control system called iDaptive, which was designed to overcome the original release's flaws, allowing the user to configure their own virtual key layout for each individual game.

Not having any iOS devices to hand here at Chuckie Egg Towers, we haven't been able to review this app but the big question is whether this constitutes an official new port. After some heated debate, we've elected to include a page for it here because although the app is a 100% emulated version of the Spectrum original and not a new port in the traditional sense, Elite have officially licensed the Chuckie Egg property which we reckon is close enough to count. This also means it's unlikely there'll be an official native iOS port of Chuckie Egg anytime soon.
 
29/09/2010 YouTube preview: ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection




17/11/2010 YouTube video: ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection - iDaptive Controls

 
Original 27/09/2010 Press Release:

Elite® Announce Apple’s Approval of ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection(Vol. 1)

September 2010

Elite Systems, the long established UK based developer and electronic publisher of games for portable, mobile and other devices is proud to announce that it's bringing "ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection™ (Vol. #1)" – a collection of hit games for the 80's home computer - to iPhone & iPod Touch.

Features of "ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection™ (Vol. #1)" include:
- 100% original and "officially licenced" ZX Spectrum games
- game-specific play controls
- extensive playing instructions
- option of portrait or (full-screen) landscape play / display modes
- authentic 'Spectrum' sound
- wikipedia.org link to 'ZX Spectrum'

Speaking about the App, which was approved by Apple earlier today, Elite® MD Steve Wilcox said, "We have long range plans for ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection. Starting with the games bundled with this inaugural volume, our goal is to offer access - via mobile and wireless devices - to many of the thousands of fantastic ZX Spectrum games. Simultaneously, we're offering the developers and publishers of those games the opportunity to monetise their work by bundling them with future volumes, offering them as In-App purchases or by commissioning us to create bespoke bundles which they can then publish themselves."

The release date of the English-language versions of "ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection™ (Vol. #1) will be announced later this week, when a preview video will be posted on YouTube.

Mobile specialists or press wishing to receive a review copy of ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection™ (Vol. #1) for iPhone & iPod Touch (or to receive further background information and assets) should contact Elite® directly.

Steve Wilcox, Elite®
Tel. + 44 (0) 154 326 8826
E-mail paperboy@elite-systems.co.uk
Web www.elite-systems.co.uk

Amstrad Rom Permission: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/permits/amstrad-roms.txt

About Elite®: Elite Systems Ltd was incorporated in England in 1984 and is one of Europe’s most long established developers and publishers of entertainment software. Elite® has a catalogue of more than 50 games for the ZX Spectrum, including more than half a dozen UK and European #1 chart successes. Terms for access to another 50+ games have been reached.

 
Original 02/10/2010 Press Release:

Elite® Seeks to Manage Expectations on Release of 'ZX Spectrum: Elite Coll.

October 2010

Elite Systems, the long established UK based developer and electronic publisher of games for portable, mobile and other devices has announced the launch of "ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection™ (Vol. #1)" - a collection of hit games for the 80's home computer - for iPhone & iPod Touch and has outlined its long range plans for the App.

Available on the iTunes App Store from Sunday 3rd October 2010, initially the App includes:

- Turbo Esprit #3 on top 100 best games, voted for by visitors to World of Spectrum
- Saboteur #10 on top 100 best games
- Chuckie Egg the classic, developed by Nigel Alderton
- Harrier Attack inspired by the conflict in the South Atlantic
- Frank Bruno’s Boxing the UK #1 Best-Seller
- Buggy Boy the arcade original driving game

Speaking about the App, Elite® MD Steve Wilcox said, "The media and consumer reaction to the announcement, in late September, of Apple's approval of ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection has been extensive and enthusiastic. Our concerns now are to ensure that both groups understand that Vol. #1 of the App is a work-in-progress, a rough diamond if you like and that we're committed to developing the App (eliminating some of its more obvious shortcomings and adding new features) over the weeks and months ahead. Our commitments include:

- the App will always be priced at £0.59 (Euro0.79, US$0.99)
- 6 more games in a free update (Vol. #2), within a month, taking number included to 12
- a further free update (Vol. #3), within a further month, including an in-App 'shop'

Wilcox continued, "If we're to achieve our goal of offering (and enabling others to offer) access - via mobile and wireless devices - to many of the thousands of fantastic ZX Spectrum games, we need to restore some order to the market and adjust expectations amongst developers, publishers and players. Commercial agreements have already been reached with two more publishers (including one of the 80s biggest) taking to more than 200 the number of games available for inclusion in the forthcoming updates or volumes of ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection. (This will keep us busy through to Vol. #6 and beyond). Also, we're in discussion with the owners of 100s more, including some of the most well known."

A preview video of Vol. #1 is available - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOnUmO7oLgA
Steve Wilcox, Elite® Tel. + 44 (0) 154 326 8826 Mail paperboy@elite-systems.co.uk Web www.elite-systems.co.uk

About Elite ® : Elite Systems Ltd was incorporated in England in 1984 and is one of Europe’s most long established developers and publishers of entertainment software. Elite ® has a catalogue of more than 50 games for the ZX Spectrum, including more than half a dozen UK and European #1 chart successes.

About ZX Spectrum: The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the UK in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. The Spectrum was released in eight different models, ranging from the entry level model with 16 KB RAM released in 1982 to the ZX Spectrum +3 with 128 KB RAM and built in floppy disk drive in 1987, together they sold in excess of 5 million units worldwide. The ZX Spectrum software library currently consists of more than 21,000 titles including some 10,000 games. Despite the fact that the Spectrum hardware was limited by most standards, its software library was very diverse, including programming language implementations, assemblers, BASIC compilers, word processors, spread sheets, drawing and painting tools, even 3D modeling tools and, of course, many, many games.
 
Original 13/11/2010 Press Release:

Elite® Releases 'ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection HDTM (Vol. #1 & #2)' for iPad.
Declares ZX Spectrum Games worth £1K+ each.
November 2010

Elite Systems, the long established UK based developer and electronic publisher of games for portable, mobile and other devices has released "ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection HD™ (Vol. #1 & #2)" – a collection of hit games for the 80's home computer - for iPad and has declared ZX Spectrum games are worth £1K+ (US$1.5K+) each.

Available on the iTunes App Store from Sunday 14th November 2010, initially the App contains 12 games, including:
- Turbo Esprit #3 on top 100 best games, voted for by visitors to World of Spectrum
- Saboteur #10 on top 100 best games
- Chuckie Egg the classic, developed by Nigel Alderton
- Harrier Attack inspired by the conflict in the South Atlantic
- Frank Bruno's Boxing the UK #1 Best-Seller
- Buggy Boy the arcade original driving game

Speaking about the App, Elite® MD Steve Wilcox said, "The media and consumer reaction to the announcement, in late September, of Apple's approval of ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (for iPhone / iPod Touch) has been extensive and enthusiastic. The six games included in the inaugural volume have each generated a revenue significantly in excess £1K+ (US$1.5K+)."

Wilcox continued, "We've taken the first steps toward our goal of restoring some order to the market for ZX Spectrum games. Some developers have a catalogue of in excess of 100 ZX Spectrum games; a not insignificant asset and the launch of the HD App for iPad is our next step in enabling developers to players to benefit. Our concerns continue to be to ensure that both groups understand that Vol. #1 of the HD App is a work-in-progress and that we're committed to developing the App over the weeks and months ahead. Our commitments include:

- the HD App will initially be priced at £2.99 (Euro3.99, US$4.99), since initially download numbers are anticipated to be modest
- a free update, within a month, including an in-App 'shop' and at least 4 more volumes (#3 through to #6 - priced at £1.19/€1.59/US$1.99 per volume), each containing 6 ZX Spectrum games, bringing the total available (including those available as an in-app purchase) to 36.

The App is available for download, from here: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/zx-spectrum-elite-collection-hd/id401767708?mt=8

Steve Wilcox, Elite®

Tel. + 44 (0) 154 326 8826 Mail paperboy@elite-systems.co.uk Web www.elite-systems.co.uk

About Elite®: Elite Systems Ltd was incorporated in England in 1984 and is one of Europe's most long established developers and publishers of entertainment software. Elite® has a catalogue of more than 50 games for the ZX Spectrum, including more than half a dozen UK and European #1 chart successes. Terms for access to another 200+ games have been reached.
 
Original 17/11/2010 Press Release:

Elite® Announce 'ZX Spectrum: Elite CollectionTM (Vol. #2)' - for iPhone/Pod with iDaptive Controls

November 2010

Elite Systems, the long established UK based developer and electronic publisher of games for portable, mobile and other devices has announced the launch (also available as a free update for Vol. #1) of "ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection™ (Vol. #2)" – a collection of hit games for the 80's home computer - for iPhone & iPod Touch.

The major feature of the update (which is expected to go live on the App Store w/c 22nd November) is the inclusion of iDaptive (i.e. user-definable, game-specific joystick, keypad & canvass) Controls; an instructional video for which can be found by Googling "Tiny URL 22qh8hl" and here: http://tinyurl.com/22qh8hl

Other features of Vol. #2 include:

- 6 new games, taking the number included to 12
- 'auto save' on exiting any game
- 'speed boost' option and 'AY Stereo' sound, (for the 128K games, 'Beyond the Ice Palace' and 'Saboteur 2')

Speaking about the App, Elite® MD Steve Wilcox said,

- the App will always be priced at £0.59 (Euro0.79, US$0.99)
- there'll be a further free update, within a month, including an in-App 'shop' and at least 4 more volumes (#3 through to #6 - priced at £0.59/€0.79/US$0.99 per volume), each containing 6 ZX Spectrum games, bringing the total available (including those available as an in-app purchase) to at least 36
- if the iDaptive Controls are as well received as we hope, we'll include them in the first update of the recently released ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection HD for iPad.

A preview video of Vol. #1 is still available - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOnUmO7oLgA

Steve Wilcox, Elite®

Tel. + 44 (0) 154 326 8826 Mail paperboy@elite-systems.co.uk Web www.elite-systems.co.uk

About Elite®: Elite Systems Ltd was incorporated in England in 1984 and is one of Europe's most long established developers and publishers of entertainment software.

About ZX Spectrum: The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the UK in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. It sold in excess of 5 million units worldwide. The ZX Spectrum software library currently consists of some 10,000 games.