ZX81 User Reviews

Name: ZX81
Rating: 4.9 (87 reviews)

Kevin Palser

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Tolle App!

Eine App, der man die Liebe zum emuliertem System, den ZX81 anmerkt. Bin begeistert.
Toll auch die vielen Beispielprogramme und das man Speicherstände sichern und laden kann. Wie man allerdings .p Programme laden kann, habe ich noch nicht gefunden? Bei anderen Programmen wie z.B VLC gibt es unter Dateien einen Bereich pro App, wo man über den Finder Dateien rein und rauskopieren kann - hier leider nicht?
Bitte auch die Unterstützung älterer iOS Versionen beibehalten.
Danke für diese tolle App!

peter-2019

7 months ago

Zurück zu den Anfängen…

Als ich im zarten Alter von 12 Jahren mit zittrigen Händen meinen ZX81-Bausatz zusammenlötete, hätte ich die heutigen Entwicklungen im Bereich der Computertechnik und der AI in ferner Zukunft vermutet. Und genau da bin ich wohl auch jetzt angelangt, wenn ich auf mein Alter blicke…
Meinen ZX81, meinen ersten Computer,habe ich immer noch. Und selbstverständlich auch noch diverse Emulatoren auf dem PC und dem Mac. Über diesen hier freue ich mich, ehrlich gesagt, am meisten, endlich gibt es einen vernünftigen Emulator, der mich wieder in meine Vergangenheit versetzt. Das iPad und das iPhone sind nunmal meine täglichen Begleiter.
Eine Frage zu den Abbildungen habe ich allerdings: Mir ist noch nicht gelungen, in den Spectrum-Modus zu wechseln (in den Screenshots habt Ihr ein Iso-3D- Spiel aufgenommen… und das ist läuft offensichtlich auf einem Spectrum ;-))
Feature für eine zukünftige Version? Oder bin ich nur nicht in der Lage, die Einstellung zu finden, mit der ich den Modus umstelle?

Auf jeden Fall habt Ihr mir mit diesem wunderschönen Programm eine echte Freude gemacht. Danke dafür!

dpkueppers

2 years ago

Love the app, but can I save programs?

This app is fantastic. I got my ZX81 Christmas 1982 and absolutely loved the journey it took me on. It was very scary how my fingers automatically moved to the right keys on the app decades later! I’ve really enjoyed coding some of the 1k programs I wrote years ago again, but can’t work out a way to save them. Is this possible? (It turns out that yes, it is 😃) *edited thanks to Kevin’s very helpful response to my query - I’m so glad that you can save programs and that I just hadn’t worked out how*

Bristolswimdad

2 years ago

Parfait !

Avec la restriction imposée par Apple désormais levée, l’émulateur a été rapidement actualisé et permet de lire des images de programmes non incluse dans l’app store.

Le programme est parfait et gratuit en plus. Parfait quoi. Toute ma reconnaissance à son auteur.

Lucas LKS

2 years ago

Perfeito

Excelente emulador. Alcançou a perfeição nessa liberação.

Rdvieira72

2 years ago

Immer noch fantastisch

Den ZX81 habe ich nun schon Jahre auf IPad und IPhone. Er wird immer noch aktualisiert. Es sind sehr viele Anwendungen dabei und die Bedienung ist einfach. Jeder, der sich nur annähernd für die Anfänge der Heimcomputerära interessiert, sollte sich diesem Emulator laden.

Franzel1111

2 years ago

Brilliant. Outstanding.

There are apps and there are apps like this.
Whatever Kevin does, I hope he takes the time to make more.
The nostalgia element to one side for a second, this is probably one of best written simulations I’ve ever used.
8-bit gold!

Jinjabread001

2 years ago

Che nostalgia 👍🏼

Un emulatore bellissimo dove riporta alla memoria il mio piccolo zx81 collegato al tv, bravissimi !!! Ora potete creare anche altri come il vic20, c64, sempre gratuiti👍🏼👍🏼😊

SqualoIII

2 years ago

Just love it!

Even though my programming skills were always a bit BASIC (pun intended) - it still gives me great joy typing all my old programs into this perfect recreation of that seminal computer. The developer deserves any and all accolades for this brilliant app. I love it!

Faithur

3 years ago

Great app but missing save & load function

The app is really great I very much enjoy it. I am not really playing games but rather writing Basic programs for my own entertainment. Although it is possible to save my program and even export it to iCloud, it cannot be loaded to my other device. Other emulators can do that, so this cannot be an Apple policy limitation.
Update: regarding developer guidelines 2.5.2 it is true what you wrote. But this section also says:"Educational apps designed to teach, develop, or allow students to test executable code may, in limited circumstances, download code provided that such code is not used for other purposes. Such apps must make the source code provided by the app completely viewable and editable by the user." I think this can be applicable to your app.
As example please check "Basic!" app, an official iPhone/iPad Basic programming app, where one can save to and load from iCloud the Basic source code - which is completely viewable and editable by the user, as the guideline says. (I am not promoting any specific app, I just gave a concrete example, and being a Sinclair ZX81/Spectrum fan I am quite excited to use your app. Unfortunately there are only very few Basic emulators and even less Sinclair emulators for iOS/iPadOS)

kdonath

3 years ago

ZX81 - IOS An emulator for the ZX81 for your iPhone or iPad

The best emulation of a ZX81 on an iPhone or iPad. What more can I say.

I’ve been using this app now since December 2016.

The developer has since then expanded it with extra features and functionality.

Definitely recommended if you know and remember the Sinclair ZX81 from the 1980s.

The only downside is that due to the restrictions by Apple, unfortunately loading any game or software not included in the app is not possible (well, unless you want to type it in…).

However, the developer has done their best to get permission to include as many games as they can.

My opinion is that I recommend this to anyone who loves the little Zeddy.

1024MAK

3 years ago

ZX81

A fantastic emulator for the tablet, feels just like the real thing

jyecee

4 years ago

Just Brilliant

If you’re of a certain age to remember the ZX81 you’ll love this emulator and all the old software that’s worth it. Full marks for nostalgia!

Georgie Retro

4 years ago

Excelente trabajo

Imprescindible, fantástico, excelente, un viaje al inicio de los microordenadores, por favor necesitamos lo mismo pero con un zx spectrum!!!

El autónomo

4 years ago

Twangs the nostalgia string

Motivates me to buy and install and replace the faulty keyboard on my old ZX81, but then I’d also have to find some kind of RF signal solution… this app may save me a lot of time and money… good stuff

hornGuy

4 years ago

Response from developer

Thanks for the review! Sounds like you found some practical value from the app. If you do get your ZX81 working again then piping in the save sound output and the Player tab option in the Software section may prove useful. Enjoy.

Superbe

Très bon émulateur de zx80 et 81.
Ça me rappelle de bons souvenirs quand j'avais le mien.
Je me régale de l'utiliser sur mon iPad. Un zx81 portable !
Un Spectrum peut-être ?
Bravo et merci au programmeur ;)

Franck Zx81

4 years ago

XZ81 Kevin Palser

Wow! Just found this! Excellent emulator of the XZ81 bringing back 40 year old memories! I am now hoping to recreate some of the original coding I did all those years ago! Thank you so much for the time and effort you have put into this.

rerlakes

5 years ago

Great Emulator - Feels Real

It‘s amazing how this app fosters the fascination of computing with such a limited machine as the ZX81. Programming can be quite hard because of the flimsiness of the soft-keyboard. Like with the real machine…

muckimedia

5 years ago

Ok so I looked up what the Jupiter ACE Was…..

And the games for it look awesome! Good luck on that new emulator release! When will it come out?

Ceasar81

5 years ago

Response from developer

Update 2: Please use the contact form to ask questions. Updating the App Store review text is not the cleanest route to elicit new information. This app is a one developer effort without commercial backing and created in limited free time. It is the culmination of hundreds of hours. Whilst it would be satisfying to implement other systems it is not an easy ask to allot time to create a new app. Regarding the systems you have requested, there are no immediate plans from this developer. Systems like the C64 would require IP licensing for a release on the App Store, such as the agreements Manomio had for their short lived app. Currently a Jupiter ACE emulator is in the works with the agreement of the current IP holder. It will offer many improvements over the existing iPad app. Update: Appreciate your enthusiasm and questions. If you can spare the time to use the contact form: https://zx81-ios.weebly.com/contact.html then we can send you emails and respond more interactively/quickly than editing the review and developer response. Chat with you soon. —— Thanks for the review. Yes, the early Sinclair computers (ZX80/81 and variants) did not have sound. However, either through video sync or AY peripherals it was possible to play sound. There are a few examples included in the app. If you are using iOS/iPadOS 13 or above, then there is a filter option at the top right of software list view to help find them quickly. Part of the reason this app focuses on the ZX81/80 is because of how distinct they are from the Spectrum successors, such as video generation. Other desktop emulators can include support for various systems. This app focuses on being device/battery friendly optimized. At the time of writing work has begun on developing sister apps that leverage much of project code from this app to simulate other systems. Hopefully by the end of this year at least one of these will be released. Regarding the Spectrum, consider the Spectaculator app. Bear in mind even when an app supports your desired system programs such as the games you listed cannot be added without permission from the IP rights holders, which is often a more complicated endeavor than developing the app. Regarding the article, the developer owned a Spectrum for a couple of years before buying an Amstrad CPC and eventually a Commodore Amiga. The ZX81 was not owned until recent times. This app chose the ZX81 because it seemed like an easy system with which to start. The reality is that the aforementioned video system approach is far more complex to simulate than other systems from that era.