Rocky

I got my first Spectrum when I was just 9 years old, during Christmas 1985. It wasn't until 1987 that I bought my first MicroHobby magazine and discovered that there were tons of high-quality games for my computer, games that weren't sold at newsstands, but rather in department stores and computer shops. Although my first "commercial" game was 'Fist II', I quickly got my hands on Fernando Martín Basket Master and Game Over. Both impressed me with their quality. Later, as I said, I started buying MicroHobby magazine and discovered that Dinamic's history went back several years, and that their creations included a multitude of magnificent games, as appealing as they were hard to find.

Months went by—months on the Spectrum felt like years in a human life—and it was impossible to get hold of that damned 'Rocky' game, until one day shops started offering older products at low prices, and companies began releasing bundles of their old titles. But, I don't know why, I never bought bundles, and the constant avalanche of new releases made it almost impossible to set aside a little money for a game that was no longer in fashion.

I think, if I remember correctly, it wasn't until Spectrum emulators started appearing that I finally got to play 'Rocky', a game I'd always wanted to try. And it didn't disappoint me, but perhaps not because of its superb graphics or its magnificent title screen. Let's not kid ourselves: the game wasn't, and still isn't, all that great. It didn't disappoint me because I'd been waiting for that moment for five years, and that's a long time for a computer like our beloved Spectrum.

Anyway, those of you who, like me, still have your minds lost in those wonderful years, will surely enjoy this game. On the other hand, those of you who have never heard of it can take a few minutes to admire its decent graphics, and who knows, maybe you'll even end up throwing a few left hooks at your opponent.

Finally, I'll tell you that the game was distributed in the UK by Gremlin Graphics (the creators of 'Jack the Nipper' for 8-bit, and the more recent 'Hero Quest' and 'Litil Divil'). It was initially released under the same name as in Spain, but in a second edition, it was changed to 'Rocco', undoubtedly due to a rights issue.