As I explained in the first post about Old Spectrum Mags I’m going through all the old Your Spectrum and Your Sinclair magazines in the run up to the ZX Spectrum Next launch. Here’s my look at the highlights of Your Spectrum Issue 02.

All images are taken from the Internet Archive. Here is the full magazine if you want to take a closer look. Kudos to Jason Scott for uploading it. https://archive.org/details/your-spectrum-magazine-02


Notice that they changed the name to Your Spectrum & QL User. I wonder how long that name will last.


I highlighted an advert for the strange looking Trickstick in the post on Issue 01. I’d never heard of the Trickstick before and was curious as to what it was. Well, Issue 02 has this review. I’m even more curious than ever now.


And, lo and behold, here is another advert for it. It’s certainly getting about.


A part of me really hopes that this company wasn’t named after a mickey-take of how Japanese people say ‘analogue’ but sadly a part of me things it possibly was. Hopefully not, but it was the 80s so anything is possible, particularly non-PC things.


Check out the prize above! That’s the stuff that dreams are made of when you’re a kid in the 80s. Even the Commodore people in the playground would have been jealous of you if you had won that.


Interesting piece here about Matthew Smith leaving Bug-Byte and talking about working on Jet Set Willy.


I love this strapline. “There’s no present, like the future.” Genius. Can’t believe I haven’t heard that before (or since).


I’m sure I recognise the art style of this picture. It totally reminds of the Trainspotter Award in Your Sinclair. That makes sense, as I guess it is the same artist. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this guy’s art throughout the rest of these Spectrum mags.


I wonder if this guy ever got anyone writing in to him. It’s not exactly the most engaging ad. At least one spelling mistake too.


Some classic game names here – Pat the Postman, Deffendar and Galakzions. Hmm. Inspired by anything else I wonder? I love it.