CPCRetroDev (or #CPCRetroDev) is an annual Retro Game Creation contest that started around 2013 in Spain.
Origins
Started by a teacher from the Alicante University who happened to be part of the Amstrad Spanish retro-scene. He found that having modern students to try to code ona machine from 1984 (with very limited RAM and CPU ressources) is a challenging and excellent exercise to prepare them for a proper course in computers.
Sponsored/hosted by Alicante University, its first aim was to have student to try their hands on some antique coding machine : the Amstrad CPC and tryign to get a project into realease state, as those students are expected to work in video game industry after graduation.
This contest rewards the best and most creative developers in the retro scene, capable of making the best video games for Amstrad CPC 464. A Ceremony is organized, with livestream broadcast and many guests figures from the current or historical Video game industry and scene personnalities.
While originally opened to student from the university, it went on to be a more open contest, with veteran sceners as well as past students and contestants trying to progress or win some of the prizes.
Each year, a huge batch of productions (of various quality standards) are realeases thanks to CPCRetroDev. The top 10 usually display proper quality on par with historically commercially release games .
On of the main rule is to stricktly adhere to Single load CPC464 specs and limitations, but some contestants would release updated/upgraded version of their game after the contest to allow for RAM extentions or Multiloading or extra content.
With time, more Prizes, rewards and categories are now distributed.
Physical copies of the productions are available each years : a Tape Compilation of the released games can be purchased each year to run on real Tape based Amstrad CPC.
Some specific set of tools such as CPCtelera were developed to help the contestants and students.
Time Line and Winners
2014
- 16 games released
- 1st place Winner : Super Retro Robot Rampage , by Vortex
- 2nd place Winner : Orc’s Dungeon, by Fracture Games
- Best game coded in Basic : Auxilio Aereo , by Antonio Corpas
2015
- 36 games released
- Space Moves by Toni Ramírez, 1st place PRO
- Frogalot by CNGSoft, 2nd place PRO, best technical achievement
- Top Top by Rantan Games 3rd place PRO
- Regreso al CPC by Antonio Corpas Cuenca 1st Best BASIC game
- Junior! by MiguelSky 2nd best BASIC game
- Mas To The Past by Ántrax CPC Devilish Games – Videojuego Más Original
2016
- 34 games produced.
- 1) Outlaws
RetroBytes (9.05) PRO Winner, Dinamic Mention, Gominolas Mention, Jon Ritman Nominee
- 2) Hire Hare
CNGSoft (8.98) PRO Second, Jon Ritman Mention, Dinamic Nominee
- 3) VirusDog
CPC-Power (8.40) PRO Third
- 4) Dragon Attack
Bitplane Technomantes (7.26) Cátedra Santander-UA Innovative Game Development Mention, PRO Nominee, Gominolas Nominee
- 5) Hair-Boy
Carlos Sevila (7.09) PRO Nominee, Cátedra Santander-UA Engaging Gameplay
- 6) The Grenades Conquest
SubXplosion (7.01) PRO Nominee
- 7) Ice-Slider
EgoTrip (6.82) Gominolas Nominee
- 11) El Reino Del Color
Antonio Corpas (6.12) BASIC Winner
- 15) Firewall Wars
Navy Xicken (5.33) Dinamic Nominee
- 26) Fitzroy-and-the-power-wells
awergh (4.41) Jon Ritman Nominee
2017
- 29 games produced
- 1) BabasPalace
Azicuetano_McKlain (260) Best Game, Carlos Abril Mention, Gominolas Mention, RetroSpiel Mention
- 2) Profanation2
4Mhz (243) 2nd Best Game
- 3) BasketCases
CNGSoft (233) 3rd Best Game, Pablo Ariza Mention
- 4) CrisOddPrelude
DreaminBits (232) 4th Best Game
- 5) Bitume
ArnaudBouche (187) 5th Best Game
- 7) Raimbo
ToBee (178) Best Student Game
- 9) NightmareFortress
Petaflopis (159) 2nd Best Student Game
2018
- 41 games produced
- 1) Operation Alexandra
4Mhz (393) Best Game, Carlos Abril Mention, Gominolas Mention, Relevo Mention
- 2) Jarlac
RetroBytes (380) 2nd Best Game, Pablo Ariza Mention
- 3) Legend Of Steel
TOD Studios (283) 3rd Best Game
- 4) The Adventures Of Timothy Gunn
CNGSoft (278) 4th Best Game
- 6) 77 Attempts
Unknown Design (202) Best Student Game
- 9) The Rookie Thief
CPZenon Games (145) 2nd Best Student Game
- 13) Earth Defender
Carlos Perezgrin (113) Best Opera Prima Additional Mention
2019
- 35 games produced
- 1) Miss Input
Chupigames (373) Best Game, Carlos Abril Mention
- 2) Ludic Break The Loop
Osmobit Games (338) 2nd Best Game, Gominolas Mention
- 3) Epimeteo
CNGSoft (336) 3rd Best Game, Pablo Ariza Mention, Arcade Vintage Mention
- 4) Cobra
Carlos Perezgrin y Ricardo Oyon (323) 4th Best Game
- 5) Bike Masters
SILO Industries (290) Best Student Game, Best Opera Prima Additional Mention
- 6) Super Tongue Dino
Peanut Games (245) 2nd Best Student Game
- 7) Hey Sailor
Marine Developers (240) 5th Best Game
- 10) ManPac
TelleriumDev (203) RiDiVi Additional Mention
2020
Links
- CPCRetrodev Website : http://cpcretrodev.byterealms.com/en/