Manic Miner

Arcade Game: Platform English ZX-Spectrum 48K

Entry Summary

ID	3012
Machine	ZX-Spectrum 48K
Language	English
Genre	Arcade Game: Platform
Max Players	1
Available Type	A

People

Authors

Matthew Smith

Roger Tissyman

Publishers

Bug-Byte Software Ltd

Software Projects Ltd

Ventamatic

Mastertronic Added Dimension

EDOS

Magazine References

Magazine	Issue	Type	Score
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)	1989 #17	News/Note	-
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)	1990 #32	Review	-
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)	1991 #41	Feature	-
Big K	1984 #7	News/Note	-
Big K	1985 #11	Hack/Poke	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1983 #22	News/Note	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1983 #23	Review	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1983 #24	News/Note	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1983 #26	Advert	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #27	News/Note	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #27	Full-page ad	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #28	News/Note	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #29	Letters	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #30	Review	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #31	Tips	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #31	Advert	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #32	Tips	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1984 #35	Tips	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1985 (Yearbook)	Feature	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1985 #39	Full-page ad	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1985 #40	Full-page ad	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1985 #44	Advert	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1985 #45	Advert	-
C&VG (Computer & Video Games)	1985 #46	News/Note	-
Computer Answers	1984 #16	Review	-
Computer Choice	1983	Review	-
Computer Choice	1984	Advert	-
Computer Choice	1984	Tips	-
Computer Choice	1984	Tips	-
Computer Gamer	1985 #5	Feature	-
Crash	1984 #1	Review	-
Crash	1984 #2	Full-page ad	-
Crash	1984 #2	Review	-
Crash	1984 #4	Tips	-
Crash	1984 #4	Hack/Poke	-
Crash	1984 #7	Tips	-
Crash	1986 #24 (Christmas Special 1985/86)	Advert	-
Crash	1987 #40	Hack/Poke	-
Crash	1988 #59	Hack/Poke	-
Crash	1989 #64	Review	-
Crash	1990 #72	Tips	-
Crash	2018 (Annual 2018)	Review	-
Die Speccy CD	1996	Tips	-
Fusion	#4	Feature	-
Games Computing	1984	Feature	-
Home Computing Weekly	1983 #17 (week#4)	News/Note	-
Home Computing Weekly	1983 #29 (week#3)	Review	-
Home Computing Weekly	1983 #40 (week#1)	Advert	-
Home Computing Weekly	1984 #45 (week#3)	Tips	-
Home Computing Weekly	1984 #47 (week#5)	Tips	-
Home Computing Weekly	1984 #50 (week#3)	Tips	-
Home Computing Weekly	1984 #80 (week#3)	Offer	-
Home Computing Weekly	1985 #95 (week#3)	Hack/Poke	-
Home Computing Weekly	1985 #101 (week#4)	Tips	-
Micro Adventurer	1985 #17	Review	-
MicroHobby	1984 #2	Review	-
MicroHobby	1985 #58	Tips	-
MicroHobby	1986 #61	Tips	-
MicroHobby	1986 #90	Tips	-
MicroHobby Especial	1985 #1 (Especial)	Feature	-
MicroHobby Especial	1986 #3 (Especial)	Tips	-
Personal Computer Games	1983 #2	Feature	-
Personal Computer Games	1983 #2	Advert	-
Personal Computer Games	1984 #3	Tips	-
Personal Computer Games	1984 #5	Hack/Poke	-
Personal Computer Games	1984 #12	Full-page ad	-
Personal Computer Games	1984 #13	Hack/Poke	-
Personal Computer Games	1984 #13	Full-page ad	-
Personal Computer Games	1985 #14	Full-page ad	-
Personal Computer Games	1985 #15	Full-page ad	-
Personal Computer News	1983 #18	News/Note	-
Personal Computer News	1983 #23	Review	-
Personal Computer News	1983 #32	Letters	-
Personal Computer News	1983 #39	Hack/Poke	-
Personal Computer News	1983 #40	Full-page ad	-
Personal Computer News	1983 #41	Review	-
Personal Computing Today	1983 #4	Advert	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1983 #30 (week#4)	Review	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1983 #38 (week#4)	Review	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1983 #44 (week#1)	Tips	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1983 #49 (week#2)	News/Note	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1984 #18 (week#1)	Tips	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1984 #18 (week#1)	Hack/Poke	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1984 #48 (week#5)	Tips	-
Popular Computing Weekly	1985 #41 (week#2)	Hack/Poke	-
Practical Computing	1983 #11	Feature	-
SSD-II	1999	Information	-
Sinclair Answers	1984 #1	Review	-
Sinclair Programs	1985 #27	Tips	-
Sinclair Programs	1985 #30	Hack/Poke	-
Sinclair Programs	1985 #32	Hack/Poke	-
Sinclair User	1983 #20	Advert	-
Sinclair User	1983 #21	Advert	-
Sinclair User	1983 #21	Review	-
Sinclair User	1984 (Annual 1984)	Advert	-
Sinclair User	1984 #22	Advert	-
Sinclair User	1984 #23	News/Note	-
Sinclair User	1984 #23	Letters	-
Sinclair User	1984 #23	Advert	-
Sinclair User	1984 #24	Letters	-
Sinclair User	1984 #24	Advert	-
Sinclair User	1984 #32	Review	-
Sinclair User	1984 #33	Feature	-
Sinclair User	1986 #52	Hack/Poke	-
Sinclair User	1986 #53	Tips	-
Sinclair User	1986 #53	Hack/Poke	-
Sinclair User	1986 #55	Tips	-
Sinclair User	1991 #116	Tips	-
Sinclair User	1992 #124	Tips	-
TV Gamer	1984	Tips	-
Your Computer	1983 #8	Advert	-
Your Computer	1983 #9	Review	-
Your Computer	1983 #9	Advert	-
Your Computer	1983 #10	Advert	-
Your Computer	1983 #11	Advert	-
Your Computer	1983 #12	Advert	-
Your Computer	1984 #1	Advert	-
Your Computer	1984 #1	Full-page ad	-
Your Computer	1984 #2	Advert	-
Your Computer	1984 #4	Advert	-
Your Computer	1984 #5	Advert	-
Your Computer	1984 #5	Advert	-
Your Sinclair	1986 #1	Hack/Poke	-
Your Sinclair	1986 #2	Hack/Poke	-
Your Sinclair	1986 #3	Hack/Poke	-
Your Sinclair	1988 #30	Tips	-
Your Sinclair	1988 #35	Hack/Poke	-
Your Sinclair	1989 #42	Tips	-
Your Sinclair	1990 #56	Tips	-
Your Spectrum	1984 #1	Review	-
Your Spectrum	1984 #1	Full-page ad	-
Your Spectrum	1984 #2	Full-page ad	-
Your Spectrum	1984 #8	Hack/Poke	-
Your Spectrum	1985 #14	Hack/Poke	-
Your Spectrum	1985 #18	Hack/Poke	-
Your Spectrum	1985 #20	Hack/Poke	-
ZX Computing	1983 #9	News/Note	-
ZX Computing	1983 #10	Feature	-
ZX Computing	1983 #10	Review	-
ZX Computing	1984 #12	Review	-

Scores

Website	Score	Votes
WorldOfSpectrum	8.28	1048

Web Links

Speccy Screenshot Maps en

Wikipedia en

JSW Central en

The Cutting Room Floor en

Centre for Computing History en

MobyGames en

RZX Archive en

The Tipshop en

UVL en

Modern ZX-Retro Gaming en

RZX Archive - YouTube en

Modern ZX-Retro Gaming en

Permalink Back to Entries

Downloads

File	Size	Tags	Comments
ManicMiner.jpg	222.6 KB	rel #0

Game map

File	Size	Tags	Comments
ManicMiner.gif	68.5 KB	rel #0

Inlay - Back

File	Size	Tags
ManicMiner_Back.jpg	149.1 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #0
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjects)_Back.jpg	157.4 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #1
ManicMiner(MastertronicAddedDimension)_Back.jpg	268.9 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #3
ManicMiner(EDOS)_Back.jpg	480.7 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #4

Inlay - Front

File	Size	Tags
ManicMiner.jpg	275.3 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #0
ManicMiner_2.jpg	428.8 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #0
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjects).jpg	281.1 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #1
ManicMiner(Ventamatic).jpg	142.6 KB	rel #2
ManicMiner(MastertronicAddedDimension).jpg	334.0 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #3
ManicMiner(EDOS)_Front.jpg	587.4 KB	NoneSingle jewel caserel #4

Instructions

File	Size	Tags
ManicMiner.txt	2.8 KB	English rel #0
ManicMiner_historical.txt	12.9 KB	English rel #0
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjectsLtd).txt	2.5 KB	English rel #1
ManicMiner(Ventamatic).pdf	8.4 KB	English rel #2

Loading screen

File	Size	Tags	Comments
ManicMiner.scr	6.8 KB	rel #0
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjectsLtd).scr	6.8 KB	rel #1

Media scan

File	Size	Tags
ManicMiner_Media.jpg	88.5 KB	Nonerel #0
ManicMiner_Media_2.jpg	107.7 KB	Nonerel #0
ManicMiner_Media_3.jpg	87.2 KB	Nonerel #0
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjects)_Media.jpg	118.2 KB	Nonerel #1
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjects)_Media_2.jpg	109.1 KB	Nonerel #1
ManicMiner(MastertronicAddedDimension)_Media.jpg	66.9 KB	Nonerel #3
ManicMiner(EDOS)_Media.jpg	132.8 KB	Nonerel #4

POK pokes file

File	Size	Tags	Comments
Manic Miner (1983)(Bug-Byte Software).pok	2.0 KB	rel #0

Ripped in-game/theme music in AY format

File	Size	Tags	Comments
ManicMiner.ay.zip	3.6 KB	rel #0

Running screen

File	Size	Tags	Comments
ManicMiner.gif	2.9 KB	rel #0

RZX playback file

File	Size	Tags	Comments
manic.zip	-	rel #0	Recorded by Paul French and Jamie Angus
mmvariants.zip	-	rel #0	Recorded by Daniel Gromann (with rollback) - More than a dozen variants of MM. See the enclosed document for details.

Sampled in-game/theme music in MP3 format

File	Size	Tags	Comments
ManicMiner.mp3.zip	322.5 KB	rel #0

Tape image

File	Size	Tags	Comments
ManicMiner.tzx.zip	13.9 KB	NoneOriginal release (O)English ZX-Spectrum 48K1983rel #0
ManicMiner(different).tzx.zip	14.0 KB	NoneOriginal release (O)English ZX-Spectrum 48K1983rel #0	(different)
ManicMiner.tap.zip	13.7 KB	UndeterminedEnglish ZX-Spectrum 48K1983rel #0
ManicMiner(ULAplus).tap.zip	13.9 KB	NoneEnglish ZX-Spectrum 48K rel #0	ULAplus version
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjectsLtd).tzx.zip	12.7 KB	NoneRe-release (R)English ZX-Spectrum 48K1983rel #1
ManicMiner(SoftwareProjectsLtd).tap.zip	18.3 KB	UndeterminedRe-release (r)English ZX-Spectrum 48K1983rel #1
ManicMiner(Ventamatic).tzx.zip	12.7 KB	NoneRe-release (R)English ZX-Spectrum 48K1984rel #2
ManicMiner(MastertronicAddedDimension).tzx.zip	12.7 KB	NoneRe-release (R)English ZX-Spectrum 48K1983rel #3

Releases

Release #	Year	Downloads
#0	1983	21
#1	1983	8
#2	1984	3
#3	1989	4
#4	-	3

Origins

Type	Title	Publication	Issue	Date
standalone	Manic Miner	Bug-Byte Software Ltd	-	1983/06

Relations

Dir	Type	Entry
To	Inspiration for	Ian's Night Out
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 2
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 3: Tales from a Parallel Universe
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 4
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 5: Los Peligros del LSD
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 6: The Buddha of Suburbia
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 7
To	Edited with	Manic Miner Editor
To	Mod(s)	Eugene - Lord of the Bathroom
To	Edited with	Manic Miner Screen Editor
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: The Hobbit
To	Inspiration for	Winer Milly
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - 2000
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: comp.sys.sinclair
To	Mod(s)	Ma jolie
To	Edited with	Manic Designer 2
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner Patch
To	Edited with	Manic Miner Game Designer & Editor
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner #2
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: Neighbours - Allana Truman
To	Mod(s)	Manic Scribbler
To	Inspiration for	Manic Miner ZX81
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: Jet Set Willy
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: Perpetual Motion
To	Mod(s)	reniM cinaM
To	Edited with	Manic Miner Graphics Designer
To	Edited with	Manic Miner Levels Designer
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: Matthew Smith 2008 Remix
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: 3D
To	Edited with	Manic Designer
To	Edited with	Ultimate Cheat System
To	Original platform for	Manic Miner
To	Mod(s)	Jet Set Luis: Rumbo a la Costa Blanca
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: Back to the Mine
To	Inspiration for	That Pythonesque Foot
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner Pre-school Edition
To	Inspiration for	Miner Willy's Nightmare
To	Mod(s)	Dumb Miner
To	Mod(s)	A Manic Minor's 80's Christmas Shopping Trip
To	Original platform for (unofficial port)	Manic Miner
To	Inspiration for	Pac Manic Miner Man
To	Inspiration for	Thoroughly Modern Willy
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - Highscore Challenge
To	Mod(s)	Manic Mixup
To	Mod(s)	Manic Scroller
To	Inspiration for	Manic Pietro
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - The Big Bonus Edition
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - Norman Sword's version
To	Mod(s)	Double Miner
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner Turbo
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: A Ten-Cavern Challenge
To	Mod(s)	Reverse Manic Miner
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 128
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - Mark Woodmass's fast version
To	Mod(s)	Turbo Manic Miner
To	Mod(s)	The Perils of Willy
To	Loading screen adaptation(s)	Zlý sen pařana Františka Pařby
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner 2020 - Special Edition
To	Mod(s)	Manic Panic
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: Trick or Treat?
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - DarkLight Modification
To	Mod(s)	Manic-4-Noobs
To	Mod(s)	Manic 40 Miner
To	Mod(s)	Manic Jet Set Willy
To	Inspiration for	Manic Koala
To	Mod(s)	WiLLY iN ThE MiRRoRVeRSE
To	Mod(s)	Manic Person
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - The Lost Levels
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner - The Lost Levels DS
To	Mod(s)	Manic Miner: Deeper and Down
To	Inspiration for	Slow Manic Willy
To	Original platform for	Mineiro I

Tags / Members

Tag	Type	Category	Links
Big K - Readers Poll 1984	Annual Awards	Most Plundered Concept of the Year	Link
Border Effects	Feature		Any program implementing multicolor effects on the border area (from small effects to intensify the gameplay, to complex effects like letters scrolling or paper-border sync to extend the screen area).
C&VG Spectrum Top Ten 1983	Annual Awards		Link
Golden Joystick Awards 1983	Annual Awards	Best Arcade-Style Game of the Year	Link
Golden Joystick Awards 1983	Annual Awards	Game of the Year	Link
Miner Willy	Series		-

Ports

Title	Platform	Official	Link
-	Amstrad CPC	Yes	Link
-	Atari 8-bit	No	Link
-	BBC Micro	Yes	Link
-	Commodore 64	Yes	Link
-	Commodore Plus/4	Yes	Link
-	MSX	Yes	Link
-	Amiga	Yes	Link
-	Tesla PMD 85	No	Link
-	Ondra SPO 186	No	Link
Manic Miner	Commodore 64	Yes	Link
Manic Miner 128	Commodore 64	No	Link

Remakes

Title	Platforms	Years	Notes
Chaos Caverns	PC/Windows, Linux	2006	in progress (download available)
Eugene - Lord of the Bathroom	PC/DOS	2000	available
Fast Manic	PC/Windows	2007	available
Flash Manic Miner	Flash	2008	available
Manic Miner	Playstation	-	available
Manic Miner	PC/?	-	-
Manic Miner	PC/Windows	2006	available (source code)
Manic Miner	Java	2003	available (v1.0)
Manic Miner	ZX81	-	available
Manic Miner	Archimedes	-	available
Manic Miner	PC/DOS	1998	available
Manic Miner	Nintendo 64	-	available
Manic Miner	Gameboy	-	available
Manic Miner	PC/Windows	2002	in progress
Manic Miner	PC/DOS	1999	available
Manic Miner - Silver Anniversary Edition	PC/Windows, Linux	2008	available - contains the maps of the original Manic Miner, as well as {Manic Miner 3: Tales from a Parallel Universe\|\|0003015}, {Manic Miner 5: Los Peligros del LSD\|\|0003017}, and {Manic Miner: reniM cinaM\|\|0017542}.
Manic Miner 2000	PC/Windows	2002	available
Manic Miner PC	Archimedes	-	available
Manic Miner PC	PC/Windows	2000	available
Manic Miner ZX/C64	PC/DOS, PC/Windows, Linux	2003	available
Manic Miner for Windows 95	PC/Windows	1999	available
Manic Miner in Java	Java	2002	available (link dead?)
Manic Miner in the Lost Levels	Nintendo DS	2009	available

Notes

RemarksFamously moved onto Software Projects label after Matthew Smith left Bug-Byte through a legal loophole. Probably the most famous Speccy game of all time. Appeared in Computer and Videogames greatest 100 games off all time at position 100 in January 2000 (the only Speccy game in the entire list).

Music ReferencesIncludes the following music: Johann Strauss Jr., An der schönen, blauen Donau op. 314 "The Blue Danube" waltz [title screen]; Edvard Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite op. 46, IV. In The Hall Of The Mountain King [in game]

AwardsRank #03 - 1984 Sinclair User Top 50 Spectrum Software Classics

PublicationAn early version of the game featuring 16 caverns was officially announced at the Earls Court Computer Fair in June 1983 by Bug-Byte Software. Later, Matthew Smith added another 4 caverns for the official Bug-Byte Software release. The Software Projects version has modified graphics of enemies at "The Warehouse" and "Amoebatron's Revenge" caverns. The Ventamatic release is based on the Software Projects version and it's fully translated into Spanish, with some cavern names drastically changed.