Zzap!64

The first issue of Zzap!64, dated May 1985, was released on 11 April 1985. Its inaugural editorial team included editor Chris Anderson, Software Editor Bob Wade, freelance writer Steve Cooke (who joined the staff from the recently folded Personal Computer Games), and reviewers Gary Penn and Julian Rignall, who won their jobs after having placed as finalists at a video game competition. The editorial headquarters was in Yeovil, more than 120 miles from Newsfield's headquarters in Ludlow; the team was relocated to Ludlow after three months to cut costs, and Anderson and Wade left the staff after declining to make the move.[10] Anderson would later found Future Publishing and the TED Conference.

As the Amiga gained popularity in the UK, Zzap!64 began to publish occasional reviews of Amiga games. The Amiga coverage became a fixed feature of the magazine in issue 43 (November 1988),[11] when the title was renamed to Zzap!64 Amiga.

The magazine experienced controversy in 1989, when three out of four reviewers (Gordon Houghton, Kati Hamza and Maff Evans) were fired and replaced during production of issue 50 (June 1989). The only one remaining, Paul Rand, had been employed at Zzap!64 a mere two months. Issue 50's editorial mentioned nothing of what happened,[12] and the issue featured content from the three fired reviewers without discussing their fates.

Issue 74 (June 1991) saw the dropping of all Amiga coverage (the word "Amiga" was dropped from the name in 1990), and the magazine became completely devoted to the C64 once more.[2] Four months later the publisher Newsfield declared bankruptcy and publication was suspended for a month. Europress Impact (a satellite company of Europress launched by Roger Kean, Oliver Frey and Jonathan Rignall) became the new publisher of Zzap!64, beginning with issue 79 (December 1991).[13]

Issue 90 (November 1992) was the last official Zzap!64 issue. From the following month, the magazine was replaced by Commodore Force.[14]

In March 2002, a special "Issue 107" of Zzap!64 was published digitally in PDF format, later receiving a limited print run of 200 copies. Originally intended as a fan project based on a suggestion by journalist Cameron Davis in a Zzap!64 discussion forum, a number of ex-Newsfield writers later volunteered to join the project, including former editors Gordon Houghton, Robin Hogg and Paul Glancey.[19]

The special issue reflected the C64's continuing popularity in the 21st Century as a platform for retro gamers and hobbyists, with the majority of reviews focusing on recently released C64 games. The magazine's design was based on "classic era" Zzap!64, and the front cover was based on an illustration by former Newsfield artist Oli Frey, significantly revised by designer Craig Grannell.

Another special issue of Zzap!64 was created in July 2005 to celebrate the magazine's twentieth anniversary.[20] Dubbed The Def Tribute to Zzap!64, it was professionally printed and given away with issue 18 of Retro Gamer magazine. Although more celebratory and retrospective in design than issue 107, it nevertheless featured a great deal of new content, including a foreword and articles by former Newsfield director and Zzap!64 editor Roger Kean and new material from former editors Gary Penn and Chris Anderson. The front cover and centerfold featured rare illustrations by Oli Frey from his pre-Newsfield days.

• Jeff Minter[28] - He left early, disagreeing about the bad review of his game Mama Llama but returned to write a diary of the production of Iridis Alpha.[29]
• Andrew Braybrook - Wrote diaries on the production of his games Paradroid[30] and Morpheus, titled Mental Procreation[31]
• Martin Walker - following suit for his game Citadel, titled Walker's Way[32]
• Apex Computer Productions - the Rowlands Brothers, John & Steve, doing the same for their game Creatures[33]

Archived Zzap! 64 magazines on the Internet Archive