Spy Hunter

From Sega Retro

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SpyHunter C64 title.png

Spy Hunter
System(s): Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit family, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Publisher: Sega (US)
BBC Micro
Commodore 64
ZX Spectrum
U.S. Gold (UK)
Amstrad CPC
Amsoft
Developer:
Release Date RRP Code
Amstrad CPC
UK
(Cassette)
Commodore 64
US
Commodore 64
US
(Disk)
Commodore 64
UK
(Cassette)
£9.959.95[4]
Commodore 64
UK
(Disk)
£12.9512.95[4]
Commodore 64
UK
(Kixx)
ZX Spectrum
UK
(Cassette)
£7.957.95[4]
ZX Spectrum
UK
(Kixx)
IBM PC compatibles
US
Atari 8-bit Family
US
Atari 8-bit Family
UK
BBC Micro
UK
£9.959.95[2]

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Spy Hunter is a port of a 1983 Bally Midway arcade game. The port was developed by U.S. Gold and published by Sega for the Atari 2600 and various home computers. The 2600 version was produced internally at Sega Electronics.

Versions

Amstrad CPC version

Rights for an Amstrad CPC port of Spy Hunter were picked up by first-party CPC developer Amsoft, who advertised its existence in a January 1986 Amstrad CPC catalogue[5]. Amsoft never managed to release any of the Sega games they had promoted, however, and while the company reaffirmed its intention to publish a CPC port of Spy Hunter in mid-1987[5], it did not arrive until later in the decade, when it was "re-released" by budget label Kixx.

Another opportunity to release the CPC version of Spy Hunter was missed with the 1988 U.S. Gold compilation History in the Making (which includes Spy Hunter as one of the fifteen titles). A CPC version of this compilation was reviewed by some publications of the day, but also does not appear to have been released. Spy Hunter was, however, included as part of the 1989 compilation Coin Op Hits, also by U.S. Gold.

The CPC version, coded by Choice Software has a 1986 in-game copyright, suggesting it was ready for release in Amsoft's original timetable.

Magazine articles

Main article: Spy Hunter/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Commodore 64 print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #49: "November 1985" (1985-10-16)
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Commodore 64 print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #51: "January 1986" (1985-12-16)
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Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #38: "December 1984" (1984-11-16)
also published in:
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Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #40: "February 1985" (1985-01-16)
also published in:
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Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #44: "June 1985" (1985-05-16)
also published in:
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Atari/Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #47: "September 1985" (1985-08-16)
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ZX Spectrum print advert in Crash (UK) #14: "March 1985" (1985-02-28)
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Physical scans

Amstrad CPC version

Amstrad CPC, UK (Kixx)
SpyHunter CPC UK Box Kixx.jpg
Cover

Atari 2600 version

Atari 2600, US
SpyHunter Atari2600 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSpyHunter Atari2600 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
SpyHunter Atari2600 US Cart.jpg
Cart
Spy Hunter Atari 2600 US Manual.pdf
Manual

Atari 8-bit Family version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 [11]
Atari 8-bit Family
92
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
93
[11]
Atari 8-bit Family
93
Based on
1 review

Spy Hunter

Atari 8-bit family, US
SpyHunter A8B US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSpyHunter A8B US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Atari 8-bit family, UK (disk)

Atari 8-bit family, UK (cassette)
SpyHunter A8B UK Box Cassette.jpg
Cover

BBC Micro version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
75 [12]
BBC Micro
75
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
75
[2]
BBC Micro
75
Based on
1 review

Spy Hunter

BBC Micro, UK
SpyHunter BBCMicro EU Box Front.jpg
Cover

Commodore 64 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 [11]
87 [13]
Commodore 64
90
Based on
2 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
93
[11]
Zzap!64 (UK)
76
[14]
Commodore 64
84
Based on
2 reviews

Spy Hunter

Commodore 64, US (cartridge)
SpyHunter C64 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSpyHunter C64 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
SpyHunter C64 US Cart.jpg
Cart
SpyHunter C64 US Manual.pdf
Manual
Commodore 64, US (disk)
SpyHunter C64 US Box Back Disk.jpgNospine.pngSpyHunter C64 US Box Front Disk.jpg
Cover
Commodore 64, UK
SpyHunter C64 EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
SpyHunter C64 UK Cassette.jpg
Cart
Commodore 64, UK (Kixx)
SpyHunter C64 UK Box Kixx.jpg
Cover
Commodore 64, ES
SpyHunter C64 ES Box.jpg
Cover
Commodore 64, ES (alt)
SpyHunter C64 ES Box Alt.jpg
Cover

IBM PC version

DOS, US
SpyHunter IBMPC US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSpyHunter IBMPC US Box Front.jpg
Cover
SpyHunter IBMPC US Disk.jpg
Disk

ZX Spectrum version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 [11]
ZX Spectrum
92
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
93
[11]
ZX Spectrum
93
Based on
1 review

Spy Hunter

ZX Spectrum, UK
SpyHunter Spectrum EU Box.jpg
Cover
ZX Spectrum, UK (Kixx)
SpyHunter Spectrum UK Box Kixx.jpg
Cover
ZX Spectrum, ES (alt)

ZX Spectrum, ES (alt)
SpyHunter Spectrum EU Box Erbe.jpg
Cover
SpyHunter Spectrum ES Cassette.jpg
Cassette

References