Amtix! CPC Annual 2023 Review (2022)

Score

Summary: While a bit more niche than the other gaming annuals this one is a good one if you want something different than the C64 of Spectrum ones.

4

Bleep bloop

One of the annuals I got from the Fusion Retro Annuals Kickstarter and the one I knew the least about since I had not heard much about the Amstrad apart from the console version that did not really last that long. It was also popular in Europe and new games are still being made for it.

Not knowing anything about this system means there is a lot more interest in this one for me and even the games seem to be different than the ones covered in ZZAP or CRASH. I remember games coming out on about eight different systems at once and the licence holders would farm them out to different developers.

Some of the new games are actually people having the time and care to redo conversions and take some time with them without the pressure of deadlines from the publishers.

There may not be the arcade conversions that were such a big part of the gaming industry back in the day but there are still some new concepts appearing in the retro scene.

I did enjoy reading about the scene from back in the day as I was more of a SEGA fanboy and did not get a computer until I started my degree in 1995. They seem to have started to go to more developers who are not in the UK as this system does have a following in Europe.

I would recommend this one if you are a fan of the 8bit retro gaming scene and want something a bit different from the Commodore 64 or Spectrum.

Book details:

Managing Editor: Colin Bell

Staff Writer: Llyod Mangram

Adventure Editor: Colin Bell

Page Design & Layout: Chris Wilkins, Colin Bell

Contributing Writers: Colin Bell, Gordon King, Chris Weatherley, Al White, Zoe Kirk-Robinson, Graeme Mason, Paul Davies, Beb Honebone, Sean McManus

Publisher: Fusion Retro Books

Format: A5, Hardcover, 120 pages, colour

Contents:

Features –

Interview with Mananuk