Published on November 27th, 2018 | by Kirk Hiner

Dig up some retro goodness with Manic Miner for Apple TV

It’s finally happened. We’ve reached the point with retro gaming where we’re throwing back to systems I’ve never even heard of. In this case, the system is the ZX Spectrum, an 8-bit personal computer that was released in the United Kingdom in the early ’80s (although it did resurface on the Atari Amiga, Game Boy Advance, and other systems). The game is Manic Miner, and it can now be played on your Apple TV.

Even if you’ve never heard of Manic Miner, certain elements may be familiar.

The gameplay is very much what you’d expect (and want), too. As Willy the miner, your task is to collect the flashing objects in the caverns (each a single screen) before your oxygen runs out. Of course, enemies such as “…Poisonous Pansies, Spiders, Slime, and worst of all, Manic Mining Robots…” will make this difficult.

Although somewhat optimized for modern devices, a 100% authentic 2D “remake” (not emulated) of the original ZX Spectrum game is playable with your purchase.

There are also some interesting control options. According to the App Store entry, Manic Miner is:

optimized for use with the ZX Spectrum for Connected TV keyboard device
also usable with:
- the Recreated ZX Spectrum keyboard device and with
- selected 1st and 3rd-party Connected TV remotes and game controllers

Manic Miner will be available December 20th, and can now be pre-ordered in the App Store for $2.99. Your purchase price guarantees you won’t be nagged by ads or in-app purchases. And although the release is a few weeks away, you may want to get your pre-order in quickly. According to the official website, Manic Miner will only be available for 30 days or 10,000 downloads.

Nostalgia is fleeting, it would seem.

Tags: apple tv, apple tv games, manic miner, zx spectrum

About the Author

Kirk Hiner has been writing for the Apple web since 1997, having served as editor of Applelinks and the Technology Tell Apple Channel. In addition to his work with BEST Apple TV, Kirk currently contributes to Mac Gamer HQ and Pure Nintendo. He lives with his wife and three children in small-town Ohio where the land is cheap and the air is (relatively) clean.