Just like last week’s upcoming James Pond collection, the reveal for BBG Entertainment’s Manic Miner remaster has been soured somewhat by the blatant use of AI within its promotional material. Bah.
That issue aside, this revival sounds promising. It has been authorised by original creator Matthew Smith, who unleashed this early platformer onto ZX Spectrum owners back in 1983, becoming a smash hit synonymous with the British cassette-based micro. The press release notes that Matthew will receive proceeds from every copy sold – something he missed out on back in the ‘80s.
Modern graphics, revamped controls, a newly recorded soundtrack by Johann Strauss and Edvard Grieg, CRT bezels, online leaderboards, and a historical archive will feature.
What’s neat about this re-release is that it’s a pixel-perfect recreation, thanks to the team reconstructing the original code. It can be played with retro visuals or modern, with the latter featuring parallax scrolling, dynamic lighting, and detailed backgrounds.
Producer Hans Ippisch explains: “Manic Miner was a smash hit in 1983 … one that influenced generations of players and developers. For my team and me, bringing back this cult classic is a huge honor. And personally, I’m very happy we can ensure that Matthew Smith will properly share in the success of this reboot.”
Eugene the toilet monster will be ready to frustrate a new generation of players this Autumn. Look out for it on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Switch and PC.