Editing ZX Spectrum (section)

== Software ==
{{Main|ZX Spectrum software|List of ZX Spectrum games}}
{{Multiple image|align=right|total_width=500
| image1 = ZX Rebelstar 3.png
| image3 = ZX Laser Squad.png
| footer = Screenshots from ZX Spectrum games ''[[Rebelstar]]'' (1984) and ''[[Laser Squad]]'' (1988)
}}

Most Spectrum software was originally distributed on [[audio cassette tape]]s, intended to work with a normal domestic cassette recorder.{{sfn|Leigh|2018|p=68}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vickers |first=Steven |author2=Bradbeer, Robin |author-link=Steve Vickers (academia) |title=Sinclair ZX Spectrum: Introduction |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ZXSpectrumIntroduction/contents.html |access-date=10 August 2007 |year=1982 |publisher=[[Sinclair Research Ltd]] |page=21 |chapter=6. Using the cassette recorder |chapter-url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ZXSpectrumIntroduction/chapter_six.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070806070638/http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ZXSpectrumIntroduction/contents.html |archive-date=6 August 2007 }}</ref> Software was mainly distributed through print media such as magazines and books.{{sfn|Leigh|2018|p=69}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/type-ins/typehome.htm |last= Grimwood |first= Jim |title= The Type Fantastic |access-date= 16 September 2008 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080708225859/http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/%7Ejg27paw4/type-ins/typehome.htm |archive-date= 8 July 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.worldofspectrum.org/books.html |work= World of Spectrum |last= van der Heide |first= Martijn |title= Books |access-date= 17 September 2008 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080928210007/http://www.worldofspectrum.org/books.html |archive-date= 28 September 2008 }}</ref> To load software onto the machine, the reader would [[type-in program|type the BASIC program listing by hand]], run it, and save it to the cassette for later use. Some magazines distributed 7" 33{{Fraction|1|3}} rpm [[flexi disc]] records, or "[[Floppy ROM]]s", a variant of regular [[vinyl record]]s which could be played on a standard record player.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Freeman |first1=Will |title=Spin machines: the curious history of video games on vinyl |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2021/jul/07/video-games-on-vinyl-flexi-discs-zx-spectrum |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=23 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125135756/https://www.theguardian.com/games/2021/jul/07/video-games-on-vinyl-flexi-discs-zx-spectrum |archive-date=25 January 2023 |location=London |date=7 July 2021}}</ref> Some radio stations would broadcast audio stream data via [[frequency modulation]] or [[medium wave]] so that listeners could directly record it onto an audio cassette themselves. ZX Spectrum-focused radio programmes existed in the United Kingdom, which were received over long distances on domestic radio receivers.{{sfn|Gilbert|1983b|p=14}}

Different types of software released for the machine include [[programming language]] implementations, [[database]]s,<ref name="zappowboom">{{Cite journal |last=Pearce |first=Nick |date=October–November 1982 |title=Zap! Pow! Boom! |journal=ZX Computing |page=75 |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8210/Pages/ZXComputing821000075.jpg |access-date=5 August 2008 |archive-date=25 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825201021/http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8210/Pages/ZXComputing821000075.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref> [[word processor]]s (''[[Tasword]]'' being the most prominent{{sfn|Wetherill|1984|p=126}}), [[spreadsheet]]s,<ref name="zappowboom"/> drawing and painting tools (e.g. [[OCP Art Studio]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gilbert |first=John |date=October 1985 |title=Art Studio |journal=Sinclair User |issue=43 |page=28 |url=http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/043/sftwreb.htm |access-date=18 January 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060924103003/http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/043/sftwreb.htm |archive-date=24 September 2006 }}</ref>), 3D-modelling (e.g. VU-3D<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Carter |first=Alasdair |date=October–November 1983 |title=VU-3D |journal=ZX Computing |pages=76–77 |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8210/Pages/ZXComputing821000076.jpg |access-date=5 August 2008 |archive-date=25 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825201025/http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8210/Pages/ZXComputing821000076.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bioeddie.co.uk/Spectrum/vu-3d.htm |title=Psion Vu-3D |access-date=18 January 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202125355/http://bioeddie.co.uk/Spectrum/vu-3d.htm |archive-date=2 February 2007 }}</ref>) and [[archaeology]] software.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.pitcalc.com/ |last= Brown |first= Paul N. |title= Pitcalc&nbsp;— simple interactive coordinate & trigonometric calculation software |access-date= 16 September 2008 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081206033912/http://www.pitcalc.com/ |archive-date= 6 December 2008 }}</ref> Over 24,000 different software titles were released for the ZX Spectrum throughout its lifespan.<ref name=BT/> The ZX Spectrum had an extensive library of video games, including iconic titles such as ''[[Manic Miner]]'', ''[[Jet Set Willy]]'', ''[[Chuckie Egg]]'', ''[[Elite (video game)|Elite]]'', ''[[Sabre Wulf]]'', ''[[Knight Lore]]'', and ''[[The Hobbit (1982 video game)|The Hobbit]]''. Many of the popular ZX81 titles were rewritten for the Spectrum to take advantage of the newer machine's colour and sound capabilities (Psion's ''[[Flight Simulation (Psion software)|Flight Simulation]]'' being a notable example). These games were instrumental in establishing the machine as a prominent gaming platform during the 1980s. Hardware limitations of the machine required a level of creativity from [[video game designer]]s.{{sfn|Adamson|Kennedy|1986|p=64}}<ref>{{Cite news |last= McCandless |first= David |title= Retrospectrum |newspaper= The Daily Telegraph |date= 17 September 1998 |url= http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/sinclair/clive_dt170998.htm |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091016033400/http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/sinclair/clive_dt170998.htm |archive-date= 16 October 2009 }}</ref> From August 1982 the ZX Spectrum came bundled with ''[[Horizons: Software Starter Pack]]'',<ref name="psion-ssp">{{Cite AV media notes | title = Psion Horizons Software starter pack | year = 1982 | type = Cassette inlay | publisher = Psion }}</ref> a software compilation which included ten demonstration programs.{{sfn|Kelly|1982|p=5}}

Some ZX Spectrum games hold a number of industry-firsts and [[Guinness World Records]]. These include ''[[Ant Attack]]'', the first computer game to use [[Isometric video game graphics|isometric graphics]],<ref>{{cite web |title=First isometric home computer game |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/105280-first-isometric-home-computer-game |publisher=[[Guinness World Records]] |access-date=21 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021183708/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/105280-first-isometric-home-computer-game |archive-date=21 October 2023}}</ref> ''[[Turbo Esprit]]'', the first [[open world game|open world]] driving game,<ref>{{cite web |title=First open-world driving videogame |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-driving-game-to-feature-an-open-world-environment |publisher=[[Guinness World Records]] |access-date=21 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826135350/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-driving-game-to-feature-an-open-world-environment |archive-date=26 August 2022}}</ref> and ''Redhawk'', which featured the first superhero created specifically for a video game.<ref>{{cite web |title=First superhero created for a videogame |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/89121-first-superhero-created-for-a-videogame |publisher=[[Guinness World Records]] |access-date=21 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021184047/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/89121-first-superhero-created-for-a-videogame |archive-date=21 October 2023}}</ref>

[[file:Psion Horizons for ZX Spectrum cassette.jpg|thumb|Spectrum software was distributed almost exclusively on audio cassettes.]]