This book has been written in two sections which go together to form a complete background to the writing of arcade games. It starts by looking at exactly what an arcade game is and progresses by studying various techniques used in their development and production.

This is followed by an in-depth look at more sophisticated methods of programming, including a brief look at how machine code can be used to speed up and improve the programs. The second section is a complete breakdown of ten popular arcade games looking at how they can be best simulated on the Spectrum.

Each program is explained in detail and is accompanied by a program listing and diagrams showing how the graphics have been designed. These should provide the reader with plenty of examples of how to set about writing their own arcade game.

The level of understanding needed to start this book assumes only that the reader is familiar with the commands available on the Spectrum and know how to use them. Assuming this basic knowledge, the reader should be able to understand the techniques and listings easily.