---
title: "Spectaculator - Reviews, Revenue and Downloads in United Kingdom | Apple App Store"
description: "Now over 150 licensed ZX Spectrum games available!  In April 1982, Sir Clive Sinclair launched what was to become one of the most popular home computers ever made - the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.  Spectacu"
---

# Spectaculator — United Kingdom
> ZX Spectrum Emulator

![Spectaculator App Icon](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/13/d4/f8/13d4f841-b767-c500-5b6c-3899172c0279/AppIcon-0-0-1x_U007emarketing-0-4-0-0-85-220.png/434x0w.png)

**Developer:** [Jonathan Needle](https://apptail.io/developer/jonathan-needle-RNXb)
**Category:** Games
**Rating:** 4.1/5 (169 ratings)
**Price:** Free
**Bundle ID:** com.spectaculator.Spectaculator
**Store:** Apple App Store
**Country:** United Kingdom
**Version:** 8.0 (released 2024-08-01)
**Original Release:** 2011-05-03
**Languages:** English

**App Store Link:** [Download on Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/app/id421662150)
**AppTail Page:** [https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/united-kingdom](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/united-kingdom)

## Spectaculator Description
Now over 150 licensed ZX Spectrum games available!

In April 1982, Sir Clive Sinclair launched what was to become one of the most popular home computers ever made - the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

Spectaculator takes you back to the 1980s - to the golden era of 8-bit gaming!

Play the following 22 officially licensed classic ZX Spectrum games:
    - 3D Starstrike by Realtime Games Software
    - Auf Wiedersehen Monty by Gremlin Graphics
    - Avenger by Gremlin Graphics
    - Bounder by Gremlin Graphics
    - Cyclone by Vortex Software
    - Dark Star by Design Design
    - Dynamite Dan by Rod Bowkett/Mirrorsoft
    - Forbidden Planet by Design Design
    - Halls of the Things by Design Design
    - Highway Encounter by Vortex Software
    - Jack The Nipper by Gremlin Graphics
    - Krackout by Gremlin Graphics
    - Jekyll & Hyde by Zenobi Software
    - Metabolis by Gremlin Graphics
    - Monty On The Run by Gremlin Graphics
    - On The Run by Design Design
    - Revolution by Vortex Software
    - Tau Ceti by Pete Cooke/CRL
    - The Way Of The Tiger by Gremlin Graphics
    - Albatrossity by Jonathan Cauldwell
    - Battery's Not Precluded by Jonathan Cauldwell
    - The Fantastic Mister Fruity by Jonathan Cauldwell

... with more available from the in-app shop.

Spectaculator gives you the most authentic ZX Spectrum experience available on your iPhone, iPod and iPad, and comes with lots of additional features:

• Universal App - runs on iPhone, iPod and iPad.
• Supports iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5th generation screen.
• Play in portrait or landscape orientations
• Save your game progress (four saved game slots + one iCloud saved game slot per game).
• Save your progress to iCloud from one device (e.g. iPod) and load to continue playing on another (e.g. iPad). 
• Enter pokes (cheats) for infinite lives, shields etc.
• Lookup game hints, tips and maps
• Play in black and white with TV screen simulation for the ultimate 1980s experience!
• Battle to the top of the (Game Center) leaderboards!
• Type on a virtual ZX Spectrum keyboard
• Use an external Bluetooth keyboard for playing adventure games
• Choose authentic cassette loading or fast play
• Program in Sinclair BASIC
• Enjoy high resolution graphics on Retina screens
• Play using an external arcade controller (iCade or iControlPad)

Additional Game Packs
-------------------

The following games packs are available from the in-app shop:

Design Design Games Pack
    - 5 Games. Includes Halls of the Things, Dark Star, Forbidden Planet

Gremlin Graphics Vol. 1
    - 6 games. Includes Wanted! Monty Mole, Skate Crazy, Thing Bounces Back

Gremlin Graphics Vol. 2
    - 6 games. Includes Jack The Nipper II: In Coconut Capers, North Star, Grumpy Gumphrey, Supersleuth

Gremlin Graphics Vol. 3
    - 6 games. Includes Switchblade, Trailblazer, Super Scramble Simulator, Percy The Potty Pigeon

Odin Computer Graphics Anthology
    - 9 games. Includes Nodes Of Yesod, Robin Of The Wood, Heartland

Realtime Games Pack
    - Starstrike II
    - 3D Tank Duel

Stephen Crow Anthology (Free!)
©1983-2013 Stephen Crow. All rights reserved.
   - 5 games. Includes Firelord, Starquake, Wizard's Lair

Vortex Anthology
    - 6 games. Includes Alien Highway, Deflektor, T.L.L. (Tornado Low Level)

Zenobi Adventure Pack Vol. 1
    - 6 games. Includes Aura-Scope, The Gods of War, Leopold The Minstrel

Zenobi Adventure Pack Vol. 2
    - 6 games. Includes The Khangrin Plans, The Krazy Kartoonist Kaper, A Murder Mystery Weekend

Zenobi Adventures Vol. 3 
   - 5 games. Includes The Apprentice, The Bardic Rite, Jester Quest, Knight Life, Mutiny!

The following single games are available from the in-app shop:
    - Carrier Command
    - Dynamite Dan II
    - Frank N. Stein
    - Laser Squad
    - Lords Of Chaos
    - The Lords Of Midnight
    - Doomdark's Revenge
    - Everyone's a Wally
    - KWAH!
    - Redhawk
    - Skool Daze

## Spectaculator Screenshots
- [Screenshot 1](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/c3/9a/39/c39a39e8-b6ee-0dc0-e026-6e03e71d3c97/mzm.rlpdwsfq.png/960x640.png)
- [Screenshot 2](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple211/v4/88/3d/30/883d307a-4c0d-1b0a-74e4-c5aa9630fd68/pr_source.png/960x640.png)
- [Screenshot 3](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/a8/37/7c/a8377cfe-3edc-b443-186d-3e254fc5ff72/pr_source.png/960x640.png)
- [Screenshot 4](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/13/5b/0a/135b0a58-cfc3-da12-62af-43ab2a563c94/mzl.gzashvum.png/640x960.png)

## Spectaculator Rating Breakdown in United Kingdom
- 5 stars: 107 (63%)
- 4 stars: 22 (13%)
- 3 stars: 8 (5%)
- 2 stars: 10 (6%)
- 1 stars: 22 (13%)

## Spectaculator Reviews in United Kingdom

### ***** "Brilliant App"
Does everything you could want and superbly well. Excellent support via e-mail should you need it.
-- Gavla1973uk1, 2024-12-25

### ***** "Great app"
This is an outstanding app for playing retro spectrum games. There’s a good choice of classic games available to purchase as IAP and some others included as free. Now it just needs a way to import Speccy games.
-- Mr Miracle, 2024-12-05

### *---- "No Jet Set Willy"
No Jet Set Willy (or well hidden) - disappointed
-- MR.E(Mystery, 2024-11-30

### **--- "A bit misleading included games"
I was excited to see that all of the things was one of the included games but when I actually bought the app, it was only a demo however it doesn’t say it’s a demo before you buy the app. Which I feel is a bit of a con apart from that it looks good. I’m just annoyed now and feel like I’ve been taken for a mark.
-- trigger360, 2024-11-29

### *---- "Doesn’t do what it says"
Paid for this because the single game Skool Daze doesn’t allow you to use an external keyboard. The Spectaculor site says that it does. Not true. Save your money.
-- Barney___1977, 2024-11-22

### ***** "Grate emulator ."
I highly recommend it if ur looking to play all the old spectrum game ,
Works very well simple to use the user interface  is easy to understand and quick to set up and play,
very well prised love the lay out and custom controle making ,
love the addition to add your one games as some of the priced games are slitly on the high side for me , but Only gripe I have is I wish there was an easyer way to add one games than having to plug it into a computer and transfer the files to your phone  , would be nice to import game files directly to phone , 
but loving it a lot and spent hours playing all the old games I grew up with . 
House of fun and ment more , five stars
-- Aa8124400, 2024-11-05

### *---- "Waste of time and money"
Do not download this. I understood that you could download games from the WoS site and then use this emulator to play them. Sadly this is not the case. The games are very difficult to control on an iPad and it really is a waste of time and money.
-- Jca142, 2024-09-24

### ***** "Amazing!"
This is brilliant, especially now I can add my own collection into it! So easy to use, I love it.  Thank you!
-- Thom Bleasdale, 2024-09-02

### ***** "Love this emulator 🥰"
Thank you for adding the ability to side load games to the ZX Spectrum emulator.

Would be great to be able to send games directly via the share sheet option within iOS as this would get round the issue of side loading games using a MacOS.
-- Mew-za, 2024-08-25

### ***** "Interested from learn typing BASIC programming"
Between 48K vs & 128K for using BASIC.  Better is portable screen with Spectrum keyboard.  Most of 128K BASIC listings are successful than 48K.

Enjoying Spectrum tapes to playing the games which good memories on Windows version.  I haven’t use iOS for access the games yet.

Since I bought same app but for Windows 64-bit version.  It is much better than iOS.  And so, £4.99 is good price for iOS but Windows is for £9.99 (becomes registered user) or £19.99 (becomes registered user included updates).
-- iLimPhone, 2024-08-17

### ***** "Superb now I can import games"
Back in the 90s I would never have thought one day I'd have my whole Spectrum game collection playable on a portable device in my pocket, but that's what Spectaculator can do.

In the app itself it's not too clear how to import games, but you just need to plug your phone into your Mac, find the Spectaculator folder in Finder and drag files into here. Then pull down on the app's games list to refresh it. Or presumably some equivalent file copying procedure if you have a PC.
-- Niaga Yrt, 2024-08-07

### ***** "The late I was waiting for"
Way back when Spectaculator first hit the store, I spend so long adding my own hands. Fully custom to fit in with the games I could get within the app. I loved it. Then the App Store got sick, and that ability died.

Thank you Jonathan for bringing it back again now the App Store is (a little) better again.

Not actually worked out exactly how to add my own games yet, though I am lying in bed. If it’s the same way as before, I’ll have some work to do this weekend.
-- RussDCA, 2024-08-01

### *---- "App is currently broken. No sound. Just silence."
Having purchased most of the games available for this IOS app in the past, a recent update (either to the app, or IOS) has completely broken the app, removing ALL sound. Any sound effects or music are now silenced. 

Removing and reinstalling the app doesn’t fix the issue.

Spending money on games while the app still worked as expected, only to find they no longer work after a recent update, now feels like money wasted. 

Please fix this broken app.
-- UKRetroGamer, 2024-05-22

### ***** "Retro heaven"
Great to play these Speccy classics with more to come. The app is superb, works with the iCade, a very polished product. Top marks to the dev Jon Needle. One of the best apps i've got. Don't listen to the review by ginger tips. Obviously doesn't understand how it works! Doesn't have a clue about games as most were games from back in the day and others are great new homebrew ones

Edit / now with Apple changing the rules in emulators can we go back to adding our own games ?
-- psj3809, 2024-05-02

### ***-- "Lack of space for BASIC programs."
The main failing of this app. for me, is the lack of storage space for programs one might type in. Ok I know it’s really for playing Spectrum games but from an educational POV it would have been nice to be able to type in old BASIC programs, many of which are still available and still do a good job of introducing the novice to programming concepts, despite being a very out of date language. Life is not all about playing games but I guess they were thinking of the commercial side when designing this app. They knew many people would be more interested in playing games than programming. It’s a pity because it would have kept Spectrum BASIC alive and shown there is more to life than playing games.
-- Webplodderrtownsend, 2024-05-02

### *---- "Can’t add your own games to this"
Restricted to playing a handful of games that the developer chooses isn’t good enough.  AND they need to make is CLEAR that this is the case.
-- kgxouf, 2024-01-20

### *---- "Don’t purchase if you want to play classic games"
Firstly, this is an excellent emulator in its own right. Its very well put together and if you want to write your own programs, or play a very limited number of games, most of which nobody has ever heard of, this is for you. However, if you want to play games that most spectrum owners would wish to, eg Jetpac, Way of the Exploding Fist, Knighlore, Chuckie-Egg, Manic Miner, Elite, Jet set Willy, this is NOT the app for you. You cannot download your own .Tar or .z80 files, so DO NOT purchase this if you hope to be able to. There is another comment from 7 years ago which shows a workaround to this, but sadly that was closed down with IOS 6 ! BE WARNED.
-- barsbyj, 2023-12-28

### *---- "Don’t bother"
Very limited games, you cannot add more and some are just demos, controls are terrible. Feel a bit ripped off.
-- LordCole13, 2023-10-15

### ***-- "I wouldn’t"
Doesn’t have any of the classics on it
-- usedtoplaytigerwoods, 2023-10-11

### ***** "Blast from the passed"
Loved my spectrum 48k back in the day and love this app more game please guys great work
-- Sk1970sk, 2023-02-03

[View all Spectaculator reviews and detailed analytics on AppTail](https://apptail.io/account/signup?utm_campaign=ai-crawl&utm_content=reviews)

## Spectaculator In-App Purchases
| Item | Price |
|------|-------|
| Wheelie | £0.99 |
| Skool Daze | £0.99 |
| Gremlin Pack 1 | £1.99 |
| Odin Anthology | £1.99 |
| Everyone's a Wally | £0.99 |
| Realtime Games Pack | £0.99 |
| The Lords Of Midnight | £0.99 |
| Magic Knight Anthology | £1.99 |
| Alternative Software Pack 1 | £1.99 |
| Alternative Software Pack 2 | £1.99 |

## Spectaculator Store Rankings
| Chart | Country | Category | Rank |
|-------|---------|----------|------|
| Top Paid | Russia | Games | #171 |
| Top Paid | Portugal | Games | #441 |

## Spectaculator Discovered Keywords
- zx spectrum emulator


## Spectaculator Available In
- [United Kingdom](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/united-kingdom)
- [United States](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/united-states)
- [Spain](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/spain)
- [Portugal](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/portugal)
- [Italy](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/italy)
- [Germany](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/germany)
- [Netherlands](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/netherlands)
- [Russia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/russia)
- [Australia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/australia)
- [Poland](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/poland)
- [Hungary](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/hungary)
- [Czechia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/czechia)
- [New Zealand](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/new-zealand)
- [Norway](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/norway)
- [Sweden](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/sweden)
- [Ireland](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/ireland)
- [Brazil](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/brazil)
- [Romania](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/romania)
- [Türkiye](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/turkey)
- [Belarus](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/belarus)
- [Canada](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/canada)
- [Israel](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/israel)
- [Belgium](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/belgium)
- [Croatia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/croatia)
- [Switzerland](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/switzerland)
- [Chile](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/chile)
- [Finland](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/finland)
- [Slovakia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/slovakia)
- [Singapore](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/singapore)
- [Malta](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/malta)
- [South Africa](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/south-africa)
- [Nigeria](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/nigeria)
- [Armenia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/armenia)
- [Algeria](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/algeria)
- [Ecuador](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/ecuador)
- [Hong Kong SAR China](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/hong-kong)
- [Indonesia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/indonesia)
- [India](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/india)
- [Kuwait](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/kuwait)
- [Sri Lanka](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/sri-lanka)
- [Lithuania](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/lithuania)
- [Latvia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/latvia)
- [Madagascar](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/madagascar)
- [United Arab Emirates](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/united-arab-emirates)
- [Peru](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/peru)
- [Pakistan](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/pakistan)
- [Slovenia](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/slovenia)
- [Taiwan](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/taiwan)
- [Uzbekistan](https://apptail.io/app/spectaculator-duDg/uzbekistan)

---

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