Corrections for games
incompatible with the ZX Spectrum +2A/+3

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Latest update: 15.07.2023

Modifications to the ULA circuitry of the +3 and later +2A (and +2B) Spectrums carried out by Amstrad in 1987 caused incompatibility problems with a wide range of pre-existing games. Here follows a list of corrections for them, divided into three parts.

Links on the games' names point to the corresponding entries in the World Of Spectrum archive except where otherwise stated.

Official discussion on the World Of Spectrum forum

Official discussion on the Spectrum Computing forum

1. Alternative official versions compatible with the +2A/+3, available from the WOS/SC archives

Arkanoid Hit Squad
Batman Erbe
Battle Of Britain Classic Conflicts
Bedlam IBSA/Sinclair User Six Of The Best 4
Blasteroids MCM
Bomb Jack MCM
Bubble Bobble Hit Squad (without music)/Musical 1 (with music)
Cobra Hit Squad (*)
Cyclone Sinclair User Megatape 14
Frightmare 128K Zafiro
Geoff Capes Strong Man Sinclair Game Compilation P15G (*)
Hysteria A Year After Mix
Knight Tyme 48K Sinclair User Megatape 10
Mikie Hit Squad
Paperboy Encore/MCM
Pole Position IBSA (*)
Rambo Hit Squad
Rommel's Revenge Zeppelin Games (renamed Tank Busters) (*)
Short Circuit 128K Hit Squad
Skyfox Dro Soft (*)
Spellbound 48K Sinclair User Megatape 10
Terra Cresta Sinclair User Double Hits 1
Tomahawk Byte Back
Top Gun Hit Squad (without music) (*)
Tornado Low Level Sinclair User Ten Pack #111

(*) Cobra: here a compatible version including the correction for the bug that might be triggered at the end of the third and final level. It combines corrections by Bandit, zxbruno, jpnz and Einar Saukas.

(*) Geoff Capes Strong Man: the compilation containing the working version is unavailable due to the presence of one single game (out of 100!) which distribution is denied, namely Xcel by Activision. I extracted the game data from the TZX file with Tapir and uploaded them here.

(*) Pole Position (IBSA): works despite the initial menu being invisible, the options are there (K - Keyboard, Z - ZX Interface 2, X - Kempston, C - Cursor, S - Start). Note: Nuggetreggae provided corrections for all of the three versions.

(*) Rommel's Revenge: Ast A. Moore made a compatible version of the original Crystal release.

(*) Skyfox (Dro Soft): localized in Spanish. jpnz made a correction for the original English release.

(*) Top Gun: I made a compatible version with music, in both TZX and TAP format - the former is based on the Erbe re-release, the latter on the file downloaded from the WoS archive.

2. Games for which there is an unofficial correction available

Title Problem found Author File
Anaconda 128K Crashes a short while after game start Goodboy/A. Grussu
Advanced Soccer Sim Freezes after team selection Velesoft
Ali Baba Freezes at game start Metalbrain
Amaurote 128K Error C Nonsense in BASIC, 2:9 after second data block Velesoft
Arc Of Yesod 48K Crashes at game start jpnz
Archeo System reset after game over Nuggetreggae
Aztec Hunt For The Sun God Reset upon loading A. Grussu
Austerlitz 128K Error C Nonsense in BASIC, 1500:3 after first data block A. Grussu
Bad Dream Freezes upon loading Velesoft/A. Grussu (turbo)
BC's Quest For Tires Freezes upon loading (*) Nuggetreggae
Boovie 2 System reset upon loading Metalbrain
Camelot Warriors (Ariolasoft) Initial menu restarts continuously (*) Ast A. Moore
Chickin Chase Corrupted graphics Velesoft
Chimera System reset upon loading jpnz
Comet Game, The Freezes upon loading (*) jpnz/A. Grussu
Confuzion System reset at game start Zup/A. Grussu
Cylu Freezes upon loading jpnz
Deus Ex Machina System reset at the end of the initial countdown Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Donald's Alphabet Chase System reset when picking up letter L Velesoft
Duet Freezes upon loading Velesoft
Empire Freezes upon loading jpnz/A. Grussu
Enterprise System reset upon loading Nuggetreggae
Fairlight 128K Crashes after start screen Nuggetreggae
Fairlight II 128K Freezes upon loading Nuggetreggae
F.I.R.E. Unspecified Velesoft
Fire On The Water System reset upon loading Nuggetreggae
Flight From The Dark System reset upon loading Nuggetreggae
Fourth Protocol, The System reset upon loading jpnz
Frank Bruno's Boxing Crashes after initial screen Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Galactic Gunners Unspecified Velesoft
Gallipoli 128K Error C Nonsense in BASIC, 22:1 after loading screen A. Grussu
Gerry The Germ System reset at game start jpnz
Grumpy Gumphrey Super Sleuth Crashes upon loading Velesoft/A. Grussu (turbo)
Gryzor 48K System reset at start menu jpnz/A. Grussu
Gyroscope System reset upon losing a life jpnz/A. Grussu
Head Over Heels Possible crashes during game play jpnz/A. Grussu
Hectic Freezes at the screen with the game's title A. Grussu
Heist 2012 System reset upon loading A. Grussu
Hexagonia System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Hybrid Freezes at game start Metalbrain/A. Grussu
Impact System reset at game start Velesoft
Jamski Heroj/Pecinski Heroj Freezes at game start Metalbrain
Jail Break Freezes at game start Nuggetreggae
Jet Man Silly System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Kidnap Freezes at the screen with the game's title A. Grussu
King Arthur's Quest System reset after the initial music Metalbrain
Kliatba Noci/Curse Of The Night Crashes at game start Nuggetreggae/Pavero
Koky System reset upon loading Nuggetreggae
Komando II/Commando II Crashes at game start Velesoft/A. Grussu
Krtek A Auticko Freezes upon loading Velesoft
Kung Fu System reset at game start Velesoft
Level 5 Freezes upon loading Nuggetreggae
Locomotion System reset upon loading Nuggetreggae
Mah Jongg System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Mega-Buck$ System reset when opening options menu Nuggetreggae/A. Grussu
Metro-Cross System reset after the start of round 5 Ast A. Moore
Music Logic Freezes upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
NATO Assault 128K Error C Nonsense in BASIC, 50:1 after the third data block Nuggetreggae
Nipik 2 System reset at life loss Metalbrain
No. 1 System reset at game start A. Grussu
Ole Toro Keyboard inputs not recognized Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Omega One System reset upon loading Nuggetreggae
Para Academy Freezes upon loading Velesoft
Perestrojka Corrupted graphics, system reset upon losing a life Velesoft
Phantom F4 System reset upon loading Metalbrain
Phantom F4 II System reset upon loading Metalbrain
Play It Again Sam Freezes at game start A. Grussu
Prva Akcia System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Quadrax System reset upon loading Velesoft
Rats, The Does not load jpnz
Renegade 128K No music during game play Hikaru
Ricochet Freezes at game start Goodboy/A. Grussu
Road Runner (US Gold) System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Robin Of The Wood 48K Freezes at game start (*) jpnz
Runestone System reset upon loading jpnz
Run For Gold System reset upon loading Nuggetreggae
Sbugetti Junction Freezes at game start Metalbrain
Scaramouche Freezes at game start Goodboy
Sherwood Unspecified Pavero
Silvestrovska Pecka System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Solar Fire De Luxe Error C Nonsense in BASIC A. Grussu
Spike Freezes upon loading or at game start when loaded in 48 BASIC Metalbrain
Starfox System reset upon loading Metalbrain
Starglider 48K Missing text and graphics Velesoft/A. Grussu
Starstrike II System reset upon loading Metalbrain
Star Trader Freezes erratically Metalbrain
Street Hawk Freezes upon loading Velesoft
Strike System reset upon loading Velesoft
Sweevo's Whirled Corrupted graphics, system reset after start Nuggetreggae
Swords Of Bane 128K Error C Nonsense in BASIC, 10:11 after second data block A. Grussu
Telefony System reset at options menu Pavero
Thanatos 128K System reset upon loading A. Grussu
Their Finest Hour System reset upon loading Velesoft
They Call Me Trooper Corrupted graphics, system reset after start Nuggetreggae
Three Weeks In Paradise 128K System reset upon loading (*) Nuggetreggae
Thunderbirds (Firebird) Corrupted graphics, freezes after start jpnz
Tinny System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Utok Bile Mysky System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Vesele Velikonoce System reset upon loading Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Video Olympics (Mastertronic) Keyboard inputs not recognized Velesoft/Nuggetreggae
Willow Pattern System reset when pressing a key upon loading jpnz
Xcel System reset upon loading (*) Nuggetreggae -
Yacht Race System reset upon loading A. Grussu
Yie Ar Kung Fu 128K System reset when pressing CAPS SHIFT or after the first level Nuggetreggae

(*) BC's Quest For Tires: the correction works with all 128K Spectrums since the game runs natively on the 48K/+ only.

(*) Camelot Warriors (Ariolasoft): this version is different from all the others in some details, e.g. the lack of the green enemy in the initial screen. This makes a specific correction necessary.

(*) Comet Game, The: correction made by me by applying a patch by jp. The colored bars seen while loading are correctly displayed on the 48K/+ only.

(*) Robin Of The Wood 48K: the file available for download is a patch to load before the game; it is not possible to download a version including such correction because the distribution of the game has been denied.

(*) Three Weeks In Paradise 128K: the correction also works on the +2, where the same problem occurs.

(*) Xcel: for both editions (original by Activision and Mastertronic re-release) there are corrected versions made by Nuggetreggae, but I cannot let them be available for download because the distribution of the game has been denied.

3. Other games

NOTE: there is no need to type USR0 at the BASIC command prompt if you are loading the games by means of a DivIDE/DivMMC interface, since they already work under such mode.

Albatrossity: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game in order to enable the 128K features. It will run in 48 BASIC but without sound.

Blizzard's Rift: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game.

Doombase: keyboard inputs are not recognized. Zup proposed a correction, which however does not seem to work.

Dragonia: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game, or use this version made by Velesoft.

Iron Soldier: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game, or use this version made by me.

Elite 48K: system resets after Lenslok acknowledgement. Use the Joystick Club version (available here in TZX format) as it does not have such protection. jpnz also provided a custom version of the original Elite release, that while being compatible with the +2A/+3 keeps the protection.

Ghosts 'n' Goblins: incompatible with the +2A Spanish version. Load this patch made by Bob Stains before the game.

Karlos Und Schatze Der Azteken [.TAP file version]: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game.

Konami's Ping Pong: the game loads but the CPU racket shows some graphic corruption. Nuggetreggae provided a version free from this fault.

Kuiper Pursuit: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game.

Lode Runner 48K: freezes after start. The (unofficial) TAP version available from the WOS archive does not show such problem.

Mystery [Spectrum Computing]: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game.

Prince Of Persia: the .TAP file hosts some blocks in the wrong order and loads only under USR0 mode. I made a working version that can be immediately loaded from the start menu.

Rally Bug: graphics corruption reported from level 3 on. According to Nuggetreggae, a POKE 24090,8 entered while running the game can fix it, although there could still be problems under some very specific circumstances.

Shao-Lin's Road: load only under +3 BASIC.

Sidewize: freezes after choosing the planet. Ast A. Moore created a working version, but I cannot distribute it due to copyright issues. (If you wish, you can look for it on his website.)

Tau Ceti Special Edition: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game.

Terramex: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game in order to enable the 128K specific features.

Travel With Trashman / Zombie Zombie: jpnz provided a patch for the Rapid Loading system implemented in both games. The patched files are available here (TWT) and here (ZZ).

Treasure Island Dizzy [Spectrum Computing]: Ast A. Moore made a version that loads correctly under +3 BASIC and fixes the distortion of the initial spoken message.

Trojan (pre-production only): system resets upon loading. Will run by issuing a SPECTRUM command in +3 BASIC before loading.

Wanderers Chained In The Dark [Spectrum Computing]: type USR0 at the +3 BASIC prompt before loading the game, or use this version made by me.

Yumiko In The Haunted Mansion: load only under 48 BASIC.