Jetpac
Ultimate Play the Game's debut title, a rocket-building platformer.
Jetpac, the debut title from Ultimate Play the Game (later Rare), launched on the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20 in 1983. Players control Jetman, who uses a jetpack to rebuild his rocket and fend off aliens. The game won the Golden Joystick Award for Game of the Year in 1983.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Ultimate Play the Game
- Programmer
- Chris Stamper
- Artist
- Tim Stamper
- Platforms
- ZX Spectrum
- VIC-20
- BBC Micro
- Genre
- Platform
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The game world is presented in a horizontal wraparound with three platforms. Jetman must assemble his rocket from scattered pieces, then fill it with fuel to take off to the next planet. The player defends against aliens and collects valuable resources for bonus points. After the first level, the rocket stays assembled and only needs refuelling, but every four levels the rocket resets and grants an extra life. Enemies change forms each level, cycling back after eight levels, each with a distinct movement pattern.
Development
Ultimate Play the Game was founded by brothers Tim and Chris Stamper, along with Tim's wife Carol, in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in 1982. The company was secretive about its operations and used separate teams for development and other aspects like sound or graphics. While developing Jetpac, the Stamper brothers studied the Japanese gaming market and practiced developing for the Famicom. Jetpac was one of the few Spectrum games available in ROM format for the Interface 2, allowing instantaneous loading, and could run on the 16K version of the Spectrum.
Reception
Jetpac sold over 300,000 copies and generated £1 million in revenue. Crash praised the graphics and presentation as of the highest standard, finding few faults. CVG called the presentation superb and the gameplay addictive. Chris Wilkins of Eurogamer noted the colourful graphics and sound effects were advanced for the time, with simple gameplay making for a faultless experience. ZX Computing praised its playability and replay value. The game was number one in the first Spectrum sales chart published by CVG. The ZX Spectrum version was voted number 73 in the Your Sinclair Readers' Top 100 Games of All Time in 1993 and 14th best by Retro Gamer readers. It won Game of the Year at the 1983 Golden Joystick Awards.
Legacy
Jetpac was parodied in a long-running Crash comic strip named Lunar Jetman, designed by John Richardson, which ran from July 1984 to October 1991. The game had two direct sequels: Lunar Jetman (1983) and Solar Jetman (1990), the latter released for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Nintendo, with a finished Commodore 64 version never released due to disappointing NES sales. Jetpac was included as an unlockable minigame in Donkey Kong 64, obtainable after 15 Banana Medals, and beating Cranky Kong's high score rewards the Rareware Coin. It was retained on the Wii U Virtual Console re-release of Donkey Kong 64 in April 2015 and on the Nintendo Classics re-release in June 2026, despite Microsoft owning Rare since 2002. An enhanced remake, Jetpac Refuelled, was released on Xbox Live Arcade in March 2007. The compilation Rare Replay, unveiled at Microsoft's E3 2015 press conference, includes the original Jetpac, its two sequels, and the remake, making the Jetman series the most represented in the collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Jetpac available on?
Jetpac was released for ZX Spectrum, VIC-20 and BBC Micro.
Is Jetpac single-player or multiplayer?
Jetpac offers single-player play.
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