Sinclair ZX Spectrum Elite Information

Spectrum Elite was programmed by Torus and released by Firebird in 1985. As with the other 8-bit versions, the graphics are wire-frame but thanks to the machine's larger memory, a greater number of ships are available compared to the BBC tape version, although not as many as the BBC disc version.
In addition, there were a number of secret missions for the player to perform.

Click on the image to the right to view the complete Sinclair Spectrum Elite package.
As with the Firebird releases for other computers, there were a number of ancillary items within the game box, including a fligh training manual, novella, keyboard overlay, control guide and Elite membership application form.

Due to the considerable popularity of the Sinclair Spectrum, a number of interesting variants of the game were unofficially produced, including a Russian version with major improvements to the computer-controlled ships' AI. These may be found at Ian Bell's Elite Page

In September 1983 Sinclair introduced the ZX Interface 2, which allowed program cartridges to be plugged into the computer, resulting in virtually instant loading. However, the relatively high cost of the cartridges and their limited capacity (16kB) meant the concept never really caught on, and only 10 games were released. The picture to the left shows an Elite game cartridge (yellow) and an alternative interface, plus a small Elite box to store the cartridge in. This was not an official release.

Playing Spectrum Elite on your PC

1. Download a Spectrum Emulator, such as ZX Spin
2. Download the game from Ian Bell's Elite Page