Own Games ZX80

The ZX80 was a significant milestone in the early days of home computing. Released by Sinclair Research in 1980, it was one of the first affordable personal computers aimed at the mass market. Priced at under £100, the ZX80 gave many people, for the first time, access to a computer that could be connected to a TV and used in their own homes. It had only 1KB of memory (expandable with a memory pack) and ran on a Z80 microprocessor, which was relatively advanced for the time.

The computer had no internal storage, so programs had to be typed in manually and were lost when the machine was turned off. This meant that any code written had to be either retyped or stored on an external cassette tape—a slow and often unreliable process. As a result, developers like you were forced to frequently re-enter code by hand after the inevitable crashes.

The ZX80 also didn’t have a graphical interface, meaning that all programming was done in BASIC (Beginners’ All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code), a simple but powerful programming language for the time. Early enthusiasts would often learn to code from computer magazines that published long program listings. These magazines were a lifeline for hobbyists, offering not just tutorials but full games in code form, which users could type in and play—if they managed to get everything right, of course. Even small mistakes in the typed code could cause errors or crashes.

Despite its limitations, the ZX80 was a revolutionary step for home computing. It provided a generation of hobbyists, like yourself, with their first taste of coding. The experience of creating a game like Bomber Squadron on such a rudimentary machine was challenging and painful at times, especially with constant crashes and the need to re-enter code from scratch. But it also fostered creativity, resilience, and a deep understanding of how computers worked at the fundamental level. Your story echoes the experiences of many early programmers who were part of this pioneering era in computing history.

The ZX80 paved the way for future Sinclair machines, like the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum, which would go on to have a profound impact on the home computer market in the UK and beyond. It also helped to seed the early development of the UK games industry, which would later become one of the most vibrant in the world.

BASIC - The Code - ZX80 - 1980

Input magazine was a gem of the early home computing era, published in the early 1980s to inspire and educate budding programmers on the ZX80, ZX81, and other 8-bit systems of the time. Each issue contained code listings you could copy and type in directly, offering readers a hands-on approach to learning programming, understanding logic, and building a relationship with their computers.

The magazine’s programs covered everything from simple games to animations and even tools that could transform the ZX80 into a more capable machine. The experience of typing out each line was as much a lesson in perseverance as it was in programming. It required patience, precision, and often a bit of troubleshooting since a single typo could throw off the entire program. The reward, however, was immense: after typing in hundreds of lines, you’d see the code come to life right on your screen, often accompanied by colourful, pixelated graphics or clever text-based animations.

Input also provided detailed explanations of each program, breaking down how the code worked, and teaching concepts like loops, conditionals, and graphics manipulation in a way that was accessible for both kids and adults. For many, this magazine was the first introduction to programming, offering an accessible gateway into what was then a new and exciting world. It embodied the DIY spirit of early computing, empowering readers to go beyond being mere users to become creators, shaping their own digital experiences.

These kinds of magazines made a significant impact and were a form of community in themselves, connecting enthusiasts across distances, encouraging them to learn, share, and push the boundaries of what their home computers could do.