Retroshowcase:oldschool game reference!

Total reviews!

Handheld: 57

16/32bit Computers: 830

8bit Computers: 413

8bit Consoles: 58

16bit Consoles: 78

32/64bit Consoles: 107

128bit Consoles: 28

OnLine members

Currently: 16

Best on 8bit micro!

International Karate + - Commodore64
Xyphoes Fantasy - AmstradCPC
Arkanoid II - AmstradCPC
Pang - AmstradCPCPlus
Wrath of the Demon - Commodore64
Night Hunter - AmstradCPC
Barbarian - AmstradCPC
Prince of Persia - SamCoupe
Lemmings - SamCoupe

Best on 16bit micro!

Turrican II - Amiga
Shadow of the Beast - Amiga
Jim Power - Amiga
Agony - Amiga
Turrican 2 - AtariST
Project X - Amiga
Super Frog - Amiga
Flashback - Amiga
Dark Seed - Amiga
Flashback - Archimedes
Warlocks - Archimedes
Cannon Fodder - Amiga
Turrican II - PC
Universe - Amiga
Hurrican - PC
Tyrian - PC
Super Stardust - AmigaAGA
Pac-Mania - X68000

Best on 8bit consoles!

Pac-Mania - MasterSystem
The NewZealand Story - MasterSystem
Pang - GX4000
Batman Return of The Joker - nes
Battletoads & Double Dragon - nes

Best on 16bit consoles!

Jim Power - snes
Donkey Kong Country - snes
Aladdin - snes
Comix Zone - Megadrive
Alien Soldier - Megadrive
Blazing Lazers - pcengine
Raiden - pcengine
Super Star Soldier - pcengine

Best on 32bit consoles!

G-Darius - psone
Super Mario 64 - n64
ISS Pro Evolution - psone
Perfect Dark - n64
Dino Crisis 2 - psone
Resident Evil 2 - psone
Metal Gear Solid - psone
Oddworld: Abe - psone
Klonoa: Door To Phantomile - psone
Medievil - psone
Nights Into Dreams - Saturn
Flashback - CDi

Total hits!

Puzzle!

Random Old Ads!

Hardware information

Amstrad CPC+	released in 1990
CPU: ZiLOG Z80 processor clocked at 4 MHz MEMORY: 464 CPC+ 64Kb RAM, 6128 CPC+ 128Kb RAM, 32 kb ROM GRAPHICS: 12bit RGB color palette (4096 colors) supporting 32 colors on screen (16 + 15 for sprites + 1 border). Up to 16 hardware sprites. Splitting the display into separate modes and pixel scrolling both became fully supported hardware features. SOUND: AY-3-8912 chip, 3-channel stereo, DMA for high-quality samples (with minimal processor overhead). MEDIA/STORAGE: 464 with Tape deck, 6128 with 3" floppy disk drive Double Side each with 180 Kb. Both had a cartridge system comes from the GX4000 console
In 1990 Amstrad introduced the "Plus" series, 464 and 6128 Plus, which tweaked the hardware and added a cartridge slot to the system Improvements were made to the video display which saw an increase in palette to 4096 colors and gained a capacity for hardware sprites. Splitting the display into separate modes and pixel scrolling both became fully supported hardware features. The former was reasonably easy on the non-"Plus" machines, and the latter possible to some degree using clever programming of the existing Motorola 6845. These models did not do well in the marketplace, failing to attract any substantial third-party support. The 8-bit technology behind the CPC was looking out-of-date by 1990 and Amstrad's marketing failed to promote any significant advantage over the competing Atari ST and Commodore Amiga systems. The new models were not helped by the substantial price difference between cartridge games and their tape and disc counterparts, exacerbated by the tendency to rerelease old games on cartridge without taking advantage of the enhanced Plus hardware. Apart from a more modern (plastic) housing with the name in relieved surface, the computer features a cartridge system, visible in the left upper corner with a yellow edge on the cartridge. This slot system accepts programs (mostly games) that can be loaded considerable faster than using the common cassette tapes or disks. Cartridges are considerably more expensive and rare than tapes, because they never became popular. Apart from the higher price (when compared to cassette tape) and the reduced compatibility another problem plagued this system: you are unable to make a copy, or change the code on the cartridge. On the other hand floppy discs continued to become cheaper and cheaper. Those were the reasons why no other machine, besides the CPC 464+, CPC 6128+ and GX 4000 adopted this slot system. The computer has plenty of ports, some of which I have not yet identified (on the to-do list).

The Amstrad CPC+ (default) color palette

12bit RGB 4096-colors palette (32 on screen)