Cosmic Swarm
A downloadable game
Gameplay
In this Asteroids-type game for the ZX Spectrum, break open the Cosmic Eggs and eliminate the alien threat within. Beware! When the two alien types collide, they combine to form mutants that will hunt you to the death!
Keyboard Controls
1 - Rotate Left
2 - Rotate Right
9 - Thrust
0 - Fire
M - Hyperspace
Installation
You'll need a ZX Spectrum emulator to play.
Click the Cosmic Swarm.tap tape file to download the game, then start your favorite ZX Spectrum emulator and open the file to play.
Depending on your setup, you may need to type LOAD "" followed by the ENTER key to start the game.
History
Cosmic Swarm is a simple little 16K game that I wrote in 1983 alongside Megapede, Robon and Repulsar. The game was submitted for publication, but as far as I know never released and has been considered MIA, though it did appear in a few magazine ads at the time.
Like many of those earlier games it features single screen, character-based movement and was written in compiled BASIC for the 16K Spectrum. Since I have now have the source, I've recompiled it with Colt for the 48K model and added multiple key input rather than the limited single key, INKEY$-based input of the original. Gameplay remains unchanged.
I don't think it ever had a proper loading screen - at least not on the C15 tape I discovered from 1983 - so I knocked one up in ZX-Paintbrush for the occasion.
Download
Comments
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Hi, I’m contacting you because I want to make a homebrew tribute USB. I’m collecting as many content creators as possible. I also want to include a profile for each one, with a few details, such as their logo, avatar, name, work completed, projects, etc., so you can see who’s behind their creations.
That profile, along with any material you allow me to upload, will be placed on a USB drive. This will act as a database of creators and their creations, and will be updated as I connect with new people.
The USB I’m thinking of creating will be one of those rubber-type USBs, shaped like a Spectrum computer, something that looks really nice. The idea is that those who contribute material, and if they want to buy one or more, will get it at cost price, and those who just want to buy one, it will cost a little more.
The idea is that if enough are sold, enough to recover the initial investment, the profits that the rest of the USBs could generate will be distributed among the people who have contributed material to the project, via transfer, PayPal, or however possible, even if possible, that the USB will be free. Obviously, you can buy more than one, but only one of them can be free.
It’s not necessary or mandatory to buy the USB, only if you like it or want it.
If you’re interested in this project, you can contact me at this email, flopping@gmail.com. If you have any questions or concerns, let me know and I’ll answer them. Do you think the idea is a good one? Would you like to participate in the project? Let me know. Best regards.
Juan.
Good little game !
Thanks. Looks like you're running the game on the fastest speed option there, so I'm mighty impressed you scored anything!