C64

My first computer was a Sinclair ZX81. I saved up all my paper round money and bought it from Boots. The graphics were poor, you loaded programs off cassette tapes and it would frequently crash. It was amazing.

I then bought a Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K. Again with my paper round money but this time I bought it from a neighbours catalogue (remember when neighbours had catalogues?). That was amazing too. I remember coming home at lunch time when it arrived and playing Horace Goes Skiing. It had colour and proper graphics!

My next computer was a Commodore 64. That had far better sound and graphics than the spectrum. They were all great things and the games today with their true to life graphics and complexity will never be as wonderful as the games we played back then.

This joystick is based on one I had back then. I think it was called a Competition Pro. I bought this a few years ago. Built inside it is a Commodore 64 emulator and lots of classic games. Shows how technology has moved on - a whole computer now fits inside the joystick.

Pure nostalgia.