McMartin

This week on the blog: Given that for 10 years now I've used the 48k Spectrum as my default platform for testing my Z80 code before moving it somewhere less cozy (Mega Drive, CV, TRS-80...) it's kind of silly that I've never really systematically dug into the system line itself to make it dance and sing.

Today we fix start fixing that, with the now-traditional tour from the BASIC standpoint.

https://bumbershootsoft.wordpress.com/2026/05/23/giving-the-zx-spectrum-a-fair-shake/

#retrocomputing #zxspectrum #z80

Giving the ZX Spectrum a Fair Shake

Last month (just a couple days before my Exidy Sorcerer article) the ZX Spectrum celebrated its 44th birthday. I have written shockingly little about the system given that it still remains the firs…

Bumbershoot Software
May 23 at 8:23pmWeb
Show threadMcMartin1d ago
I think the Spectrum's BASIC might actually be the best mix of "direct access to all the hardware" and "usable abstraction over the raw hardware capabilities" of any system-default BASIC I've seen. C64 BASIC went too hard in the first direction, and Atari BASIC flattened or hid away a lot of ANTIC's and GTIA's actual capabilities.
Show threadPatai Gergely 1d ago
@mcmartin The improved BASIC is one of the few areas where the C16/+4 family really shines.