It’s been over a year since Retro Games Ltd wished the ZX Spectrum a happy 40th anniversary while teasing a new mini system.
Naturally, everyone assumed that a ZX Spectrum Mini was on the cards.
But at the time of writing, 16 months later, nothing has happened. In fact, the ZX Spectrum hasn’t even had an Evercade cartridge, unlike the Commodore 64 and Amiga computers.
Not a whisper.
Surely everyone wants a ZX Spectrum Mini?
This is curious, not least because the ZX Spectrum has proved incredibly simple to emulate. Software called ZXBaremulator can run on the Raspberry Pi without Linux (this is known as “bare metal emulation”).
(Mini retro systems typically rely on an ARM processor and a Linux operating system to run the emulation software required. This is always hidden behind some sort of simple user interface that is easy on the eye – the C64 Mini’s carousel, for example.)
The other retro minis
At this point in time, we have had THEC64 Mini, THEC64 (maxi), THEVIC20 (I mean, WTF?!) the NES Mini, the SNES Mini, the Mega Drive Mini, the Mega Drive Mini 2, a TurboGrafx-16 Mini, and of course THEA500 Mini.
Surley the time is right for a ZX Spectrum mini?! (Admittedly, it wouldn’t need to be much smaller than the original.)
Of course, it might be that I have misread the mood and no one actually wants a ZX Spectrum mini.
If you have any thoughts, let us know below.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
