It’s actually a bit of a thrill to think I can post this for you to read (if you do read it that is). My friends and I grew up with Dizzy 20 years ago, and he’s still kind of sacred to me, even now.

Spectrum games were a massive part of my childhood, but in a rich sea of faceless titles, the Dizzy games really stand out in my memory like a landmark. Dizzy games had personality, continuity, familiar characters. And I think above all else they were just great games (the 8 bit versions in particular). Clearly, a lot of love and attention went into them, and that really came across when you played them.

Thank you Bruce for all your involvement in this great franchise, and for all your efforts in championing it and trying to bring it back.

Here are five things I think would be important if you’re bringing Dizzy back in a new game…

1. If I could pick just one thing about the original Dizzy games that I thought was important for a remake, I would say it was the black backgrounds. I’m not sure why but I thought those black backgrounds were really atmospheric, and that was lost on the Amiga version with the bright blue sky. So I think any new Dizzy title should be set either at night, or in a world where “the sunlight has been stolen” or whatever.

2. I think another really important aspect is the personality and the humour, and the returning Yolk Folk should be funnier than ever (Monkey Island funny), maybe with a few new characters. I think cut scenes are a must. Funny, quirky cut-scenes that make this game stand out. (After all, Dizzy was strikingly original back in 1986.) The game should introduce the characters, and Dizzy’s world, as though this is brand new (because most people will never have heard of him before).

3. I also don’t think the play areas should be too “big”; I think it works better when you have a smaller-scale, more intimate level; more like an area you can “hang out” in, rather than just walking through. With a lot of care and attention put into decorating a small area to look really great, rather than loads of repeating backgrounds.

4. I think any new Dizzy game should have plenty of length. I’d like to see a Dizzy game with the scope of some of the Mario games, in terms of hours to complete. Possibly many different sub-games making up one big game?

5. As for the visual style, I don’t think Dizzy should ever be very realistic. The game should look a bit quirky and stylised, because at the end of the day this is an egg with boxing gloves, which is quite an abstract concept. So I think the graphics should be a little more abstract and quirky – not taking themselves too seriously, like the game as a whole.

I’ll never forget Dizzy, and fingers crossed he will one day be famous again!

Being that young, i wouldn’t have my head in a magazine, all gaming was to me was me and whatever games we’d bought at Tesco or Asda on a Friday night (i remember being over the moon with seeing the egg on a pirate ship that one Friday night!) so i wouldn’t have taken an interest on how things worked behind the scenes.

I doubt you’ll read this since it’s such an old topic now, but thanks for posting it Bruce!

As it stands right now, i’d rather the brand wasn’t relaunched to be honest. It’s only going to shit on the leggacy (sorry) that the series has left behind. Without wanting to brown nose too much, but the guys working hard on new titles using Dizzyage are doing an amazing job keeping things alive as it is.

It was about 1993 when I first discovered Dizzy, I was about 6 then when I was given the Spectrum for my birthday, years later I stared collecting a few Dizzy games and stuff, discovered the fansite, and now I’m finding myself standing with other fans helping Dizzy get the ruturn he deserves.

If Mario still works then so will Dizzy!