Culture & Community
Magazines, movements, and the scenes that connected it all.
CRASH Magazine
ZX Spectrum energy in print
From 1984 to 1992, CRASH delivered Spectrum reviews, maps, and humour that matched the machine’s vibrant community.
Crest
Viennese precision on the Commodore 64
Crest (founded 1988) combined technical audacity and design finesse, setting new records for C64 demos.
Demo Scene 101
Competitive creativity on 8-bit silicon
Part tech showcase, part bragging rights—the demo scene turned code into performance art across the C64, Spectrum, and beyond.
Fairlight (Demo Group)
Swedish style from cracks to demos
Founded in 1987, Fairlight became synonymous with high-production C64, Amiga, and PC demos that blended art, humour, and technical wizardry.
Sinclair User
The serious Spectrum magazine
Sinclair User covered the ZX Spectrum with technical depth and programming focus, complementing CRASH's gaming coverage.
The 1983 Video Game Crash
When the industry nearly died
Overproduction, quality collapse, and consumer distrust crashed the North American games market—until Nintendo proved games were worth playing again.
The Console Wars
Sega vs Nintendo: gaming's greatest rivalry
The early 1990s battle between Sega and Nintendo defined a generation, turned gaming into tribal identity, and changed how games were marketed forever.
The Rise of Esports
From arcade high scores to professional gaming
Competitive gaming evolved from Space Invaders tournaments to million-dollar leagues, turning players into athletes and gaming into spectator sport.
The Rise of the Bedroom Coder
How kids with cassette decks built an industry
In the 1980s, a generation of self-taught programmers turned spare rooms into studios and changed video games forever.
The Tetris Rights Wars
Gaming's most complex licensing saga
Tetris emerged from the Soviet Union into a thicket of competing claims, fraudulent contracts, and corporate espionage that reads like a Cold War thriller.
Your Sinclair
Spectrum silliness with serious tips
Your Sinclair (1986–1993) mixed off-the-wall humour with deep coverage, embodying the playful side of Spectrum culture.
Zzap!64
Britain’s loudest Commodore magazine
Launched in 1985, Zzap!64 mixed enthusiastic reviews, dev diaries, and irreverent humour—shaping how a generation discovered C64 games.