You Won’t Believe Which Console Just Got a New FPS

by

It’s unusual to see a new first-person shooter released for any console, but it’s especially rare when that console is considered a piece of gaming history. First-person shooters have been around for decades, starting with a game called Maze War in 1973. The genre really took off with Wolfenstein 3D in 1992, which became a huge hit on computers. That success, along with other popular games, led to the modern first-person shooter landscape we know today, filled with titles like Counter-Strike, Doom, and Call of Duty.

Hackaday reported on December 7, 2025, that a new first-person shooter game, surprisingly, has been created for the ZX Spectrum. Developed by Jakub Trznadel, World of Spells runs on the classic system, which first launched in North America in 1983. Though not as famous today as some other 8-bit consoles, the ZX Spectrum was a popular early home computer and gaming console. It’s quite rare to see new games developed for a system that stopped production in 1985.

World of Spells Is the First FPS on the ZX Spectrum

The ZX Spectrum was a popular home computer in the United Kingdom, though it didn’t achieve the same level of recognition in the United States. Despite its limitations as an early 1980s machine, it still has a dedicated following. Creating a first-person shooter (FPS) for it is a significant challenge, but the game World of Spells proves it’s possible. It clearly takes inspiration from Wolfenstein 3D, using similar 3D rendering technology to build its game world. Remarkably, the engine created by Jakub can run at up to 80 frames per second, which is a great achievement for such a limited system.

The game is complete and playable, as demonstrated in the launch video. While the graphics appear a bit old-fashioned now, it was an impressive technical feat for the ZX Spectrum and could have been a standout title if it had been officially released years ago. The game was specifically programmed for the Spectrum’s hardware, but you can still enjoy it today using an emulator – which is convenient, since fully functioning ZX Spectrums are rare.

You can play World of Spells by downloading it online and using an emulator. It costs $6.00, and if you enjoy classic first-person shooters, it’s a good value. The game lets you “rescue a princess, fight ghosts and dragons, and experience a unique 3D adventure” reminiscent of the early Spectrum days. If you still own a ZX Spectrum 48k/128k, you can also buy a physical tape copy for £12 (about $16).

Interested in World of Spells? Let us know in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/feature/retro-arcade-enthusiasts-have-plenty-to-celebrate-thanks-to-quarter-arcades-and-new-wave-toys/embed/#

Read More

2025-12-08 21:43