Cover Tapes
Games on magazine cassettes
The distribution method where UK gaming magazines included cassette tapes with full games, demos, and utilities, revolutionising game discovery and making magazines essential purchases.
Overview
Cover tapes were cassettes attached to gaming magazines containing free games, demos, and utilities. Emerging in the mid-1980s UK market, they transformed magazines from information sources into game distribution platforms, fundamentally changing how players discovered and acquired software.
Fast Facts
- Era: 1985-1993 (peak)
- Format: Cassette tape
- Platforms: Spectrum, C64, Amstrad
- Content: Full games, demos, utilities
- Impact: Revolutionised discovery
How Cover Tapes Worked
| Party | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Magazine | Increased sales, differentiation |
| Publisher | Marketing, demo distribution |
| Reader | Free content |
| Developer | Exposure for older games |
Content Evolution
| Era | Content |
|---|---|
| Early (1985-87) | Type-in programs, PD |
| Middle (1987-90) | Budget games, demos |
| Late (1990+) | Full commercial games |
Notable Cover Tapes
| Magazine | Tape Name |
|---|---|
| Your Sinclair | YS Smash Tape |
| CRASH | Smash Tape |
| ZZAP!64 | Megatape |
| Commodore Format | Power Pack |
Business Model
Cover tapes worked economically because:
- Older games had recouped costs
- Demos drove full game sales
- Magazine sales increased significantly
- Budget games found new audiences
Game Discovery Impact
| Before Cover Tapes | With Cover Tapes |
|---|---|
| Buy blind or trust reviews | Try before buying |
| Only marketed games | Smaller games get exposure |
| High sampling cost | Free discovery |
| Miss older games | Back catalogue access |
Legacy
Cover tapes anticipated digital distribution—the idea that sampling drives purchases. Modern platforms like Steam demos and Game Pass owe conceptual debt to the humble cover tape.