Jetpac - Retro View

In the hazy days of my past there existed a game on my trusty ZX Spectrum that accounted for a lot of misspent time. That game was Jetpac, by then developers "Ultimate Play the Game" more commonly known today as "Rare". This game saw the first outing for the character Jetman who then went on to star in a number of other games, namely its sequel "Lunar Jetman".

The aim of the game was simple; Firstly you had to assemble your rocket and secondly once it was assembled re-fuel it so you could continue your journey to the next planet. During your travels you were free to collect various valuable items that litter the landscape to boost your score. Sounds easy, and it would be if it weren't for a lot of pesky alien life forms that also inhabit each planet. To help you out in your mission you were kitted out with the latest state of the art jetpac (hence the title) and hyper laser weapon. After the first level you were only required to re-assemble a new model rocket every four levels, but it was always necessary to refuel the said rocket.

At the time I thought everything about this game was great, the graphics were amazing making full use of what the Spectrum could offer at the time and although the game play was simple, it was compelling. Back in 1983 when this was released this was all that was required of a game, a simple arcade like experience. I remember that this was one of the first developers that really stood out for me. Whenever I saw an "Ultimate Play the Game" logo splashed across the cover of a cassette tape I felt safe in the knowledge that I could buy the game without regret.



Recently this game has been given a whole new lease of life on Xbox Live Arcade with an enhanced name "Jetpac Refuelled". Rare have given the game a complete graphical overhaul and made some tweaks, but under the hood this is still the same game from all those years ago. This means that the game is more suited to short bursts of play rather than prolonged playing sessions. The game is still enjoyable, but it can become repetitive after a while.