Today's gaming geeks can keep their Playstation 3s and their XBox 360s – there's only one machine that holds a place in my heart, the ZX Spectrum.

Although it boasted only about a millionth of the capacity of 2017's beh﻿emoths (48k was big in its day though), the ZX Spectrum, first produced by the British-based Sinclair Research Limited in 1982, caught the imagination of users and game designers for the better part of a decade, leaving an incredible legacy of more than 14,000 software titles.

With Sir Clive Sinclair's baby this year celebrating its 35th birthday (and interest in the machine reinvigorated by crowdfunded plug-n-play and hand-held consoles), it seems like a good time to dust off the tape deck and hit Load "" on eight of the greatest games made for "the Speccy".

Rubber keyboard, four-minute loading times - what's not to like about the ZX Spectrum?

READ MORE:

* Handheld ZX Spectrum console announced

* Happy 30th birthday, ZX Spectrum

Bombjack (1986)

Bombjack brought the arcade home to your bedroom.

​Originally an arcade game staple at video parlours and fish-and-chip shop's around the land, this platformer provided endless hours of addictive fun whether using the Spectrum's trademark rubbery keyboard or flimsy joysticks.

Essentially an upgraded form of Pac Man, it was one of the many titles where the Speccy version was far superior to the rival Commodore 64's, even if they had Jean-Michel Jarre as its soundtrack.

Football Manager (1982)

Before Championship Manager and Fifa 17, there was Football Manager.

Without it there would have been no Championship Manager, or arguably even Fifa 17.

Yes the football action looks like the barely upgraded version of Pong, but the ability to manage your favourite English club from the fourth division to the first (this was well before the Premier League remember) meant many hours were lost to picking teams, organising transfers and watching the nail-biting "match highlights" play out in what seemed like super slo-motion.

The Hobbit (1982)

1982 text-based adventure The Hobbit was many young gamers first introduction to the Tolkien universe.

Before Peter Jackson embarked on his twin cinematic Tolkien trilogies, this (and the BBC Radio series) was the closest that non-reading kids got to the world of Smaug, Sauron and Saurman.

One of the first text adventures, it was both infuriating and entertaining in equal measure as you tried to find the right words to help you progress the adventure. Without this, it's likely there would have been no Leisure Suit Larry, which may or may not have been a good thing.

Knight Lore (1984)

Knight Lore introduced an extra-dimension to ZX Spectrum gameplay.

While many may argue that Ultimate Play the Games' later titles Batman and Head Over Heels were superior, there's something about this first monochromatic isometric adventure that just gives it an extra appeal.

It's most likely the fact that your lycanthropically cursed character (Sabreman) has slightly different skills depending on whether he is in wolf or human state, making the fiendish puzzles even more difficult and reliant on timing.

﻿ Shockway Rider (1987)

N/A Shockway Rider - Frogger with an Elvis-quiffed hero.

Sure it was essentially an updated version of Frogger, but this futuristic road-crossing game was made unputdownable by its Teddy-boy throwback protagonist and the ability to fight back against those standing in your path.

Interestingly the game's arc had you travelling through 12 districts. Maybe this was the inspiration for The Hunger Games?

Skool Daze (1984)

Skool Daze: An opportunity to rebel.

How many other computer games have let you play out your schoolyard fantasies?

Allegedly inspired by British cartoon characters like The Beano's Bash St Kids, this sees you playing naughty schoolboy Eric, whose objective is to steal his report card out of the staff room safe by accomplishing various tasks around the school.

Target: Renegade (1987)

Target: Renegade offered plenty of chop-socky action.

The boys' slumber party game of choice in the late 1980s, this scrolling beat-em-up game was even enjoyable simply as a spectator sport.

Your hero has to battle his way through increasingly difficult levels in order to avenge your brother's death at the hands of the evil Mr Big. A game so popular it even spawned a PC sequel almost 20 years later.

Turbo Esprit (1986)

Turbo Esprit offered "high-speed" driving action.

It was the 1980s equivalent of Grand Theft Auto. A car driving game, at least partially inspired by James Bond's For Your Eyes Only (that's where the Lotus Esprit part came from), this sees you trying to prevent a gang of drug smugglers completing a delivery of heroin.

The twist was – the only way to stop them was destroying their cars or ramming them into submission.