Classic Games

Manic Miner

Twenty screens of madness

Matthew Smith's 1983 platformer brought precise jumping and memorable music to the Spectrum, launching a legend.

SpectrumC64 platformerspectrum-essentialclassic 1983–2024

Overview

Matthew Smith was seventeen when he created Manic Miner. Twenty screens, each a precision puzzle of timing and jumping. The Spectrum played “In the Hall of the Mountain King” throughout—a first for the platform. The game sold hundreds of thousands of copies and established Smith as a teenage millionaire and programming prodigy.

Fast facts

  • Developer: Matthew Smith, age 17.
  • Publisher: Bug-Byte, then Software Projects.
  • Release: 1983.
  • Platform: ZX Spectrum (original), ported to C64 and others.
  • Screens: 20 unique levels.
  • Music: “In the Hall of the Mountain King” (Edvard Grieg), played throughout.
  • Sequel: Jet Set Willy (1984).

The gameplay

Manic Miner demanded precision:

  • Collect the keys: gather all flashing objects to open the exit.
  • Avoid everything: enemies, obstacles, crumbling platforms.
  • Air supply: oxygen depletes constantly, creating time pressure.
  • One-hit death: any contact kills instantly.
  • Pixel-perfect: some jumps required exact positioning.

The screens

Each level had character:

  • Central Cavern: the introduction, teaching basics.
  • The Cold Room: sliding ice physics.
  • Abandoned Uranium Workings: references to Eugene’s Lair (the sequel screen).
  • Attack of the Mutant Telephones: absurdist enemy design.
  • The Final Barrier: the brutal conclusion.

Technical achievement

Smith’s programming impressed:

  • Smooth scrolling: character animation fluid for Spectrum.
  • Continuous music: unprecedented on the platform.
  • Enemy variety: each screen introduced new challenges.
  • Memory efficiency: twenty detailed screens in 48KB.

The story behind

Smith became a celebrity:

  • Teenage programmer made wealthy overnight.
  • Followed up with the even more ambitious Jet Set Willy.
  • Then largely disappeared from public life.
  • Became mysterious figure in gaming history.

Legacy

Manic Miner defined Spectrum platforming. Its precise challenge influenced countless games. The music—that looping Grieg composition—remains instantly recognisable to anyone who played it. Smith proved that one talented teenager could create something that mattered.

See also