I have a little bit of personal history with Graeme, in that it was through his contacting me through Retro Gamer magazine for a ‘Collectors Corner’ article that my now evil editor endgame boss, Rich, caught wind of my existence and asked me to begin writing for The Mighty Games Freezer waaay back in 2017 –I definitely owe Graeme a pint at some point!
It was a pleasure to learn more about ZX Nightmares and also to find out where Graeme’s pixelated quill will take us next.
I hope you enjoy this article about one of the most active writers in the retro gaming scene today. 📖
Games Freezer (GF): Hi Graeme, firstly, thank you for taking the time to talk to us, and congratulations on the release of your book! Can you give some background on yourself as a gamer and writer for the readers?
Graeme Mason (GM): I started gaming in the late Seventies when the arcade boom began. I remember playing Commando in a taverna in Greece; Missile Command at a hotel in Norfolk; Karnov in some dodgy chip shop in Spain. At home, my first console was a Mattel Intellivision (no idea why my parents bought it for me, it was probably cheap!) and I then discovered the ZX Spectrum. I clung to the Speccy for a few years before getting a Sega Mega Drive with my first pay packet and became a PC gamer in the Nineties. Inspired by Retro Gamer magazine, I switched from writing fiction to non-fiction around 2008. My first feature was published in Retro Gamer issue 87 and I've recently gone full-time freelance. In addition to Retro Gamer, I also write for Antstream Arcade, Fusion Retro Books, Eurogamer and The Guardian.
GF: I believe that this is your first book, can you talk about the events that led up to writing it, and what made you decide to focus on these particular aspects of the ZX gaming library?
GM: Growing up, I loved Crash magazine. Obviously, the Crash Smashes were the first reviews I read, but I was always fascinated by the other end of the spectrum (excuse the pun). I even bought some of the games that got terrible reviews just to see how bad they really were. Fast forward a few years (cough) and when I decided to write a book, I looked at similar Speccy books, and most of them focused on the good games - so I thought why not write about the bad ones? And that then expanded into tough games and Spectrum controversies.
GF: I found the tone of the book to be perfectly balanced in terms of information and humour. It must have been tempting to just lay into these games and get cheap pops from outright bashing, but I feel that would have made it a little tiresome after a while - did you find it hard to strike the right tone, or did it come naturally?
GM: I'm very conscious of the fact that there were people behind these games, and they didn't intend to write bad games. Plus, most of them were young, inexperienced or under a lot of pressure. So I deliberately tried to set a tone that balanced between critical and humour. That's generally the tone of my writing anyway, so it all fit pretty well.
GF: At one point in the book, you mention the sheer number of games available for the ZX Spectrum, and it blew me away - how much time would you estimate you spent trawling through the extensive back catalogue of releases?
GM: Gosh. I'd rather not think about that!
GF: Was there a title that you came across that made you think, ‘I really that wish this was a good game’, because it felt like such a missed opportunity?
GM: Oh yes, there are a few candidates there, mostly under the "Patience of a Saint" section. Airwolf, for example, looks great, and it should be great fun. But it's just too rock-hard for the average gamer. Same with most of the Dinamic games. Renegade 3 was also super disappointing - they just needed to make more of the same! It's not rocket science!
GF: Are you still ‘grimly’ clinging to the original Spectrum from your childhood?
GM: Well, yes and no. Obviously, I have a lot of nostalgia for the Spectrum and love writing about it and its games. But with a few notable exceptions, I don't play many Speccy games today. I am looking forward to getting my Spectrum Next, however!
GF: Was there ever a chance you’d look at another system for your first book, or was it always going to be ZX Spectrum-focused in some way?
GM: No, I think playing all those terrible Spectrum games was bad enough! I was contacted a while back by another writer who wanted to do a C64 version, asking if I minded. As I have absolutely no desire to dip into the world of terrible C64 games, I gave my blessing straight away!
GF: Do specific games or moments stand out in your mind from the research or writing side of creating the book?
GM: I'd written about Sqij! before for Eurogamer and still marvel at its awfulness and bugged nature. EastEnders is always one that puzzles me too - what was the market there? But I do look back fondly at the times I spent flicking through Crash and Your Sinclair for 'research purposes'!
GF: As I mentioned in my article on ZX Nightmares, the ZX eluded me throughout my childhood, I’m much more familiar with the C64 and Amstrad CPC - how is the Spectrum scene at present? There still seems to be a pretty thriving homebrew community for it. Do you have any recommendations on modern sites or games that people should check out to learn more about the system?
GM: It's amazing! To be honest, the fandom was always there, even during the Nineties, but the internet has made it much easier to connect with fellow Spectrum fans. The Next edition 2 is out soon (fingers crossed!) and new games are being released all the time. I also write for the new version of Crash from Fusion Retro Books, so heartily recommend that for anyone looking to discover more about new games or scratch that nostalgic itch. Spectrum Computing is also a colossal website for Speccy fans - I use it a lot for research.
GF: I know that you have two children, and as so much of your time is spent in the world of retro gaming, how do they view games on systems such as the ZX, C64 etc?
GM: It's all old hat to them and they're not really interested. Kids are only usually interested in new stuff but hopefully, mine will come to appreciate retro gaming at some point. I'll keep trying, and maybe the Next will help.
GF: Now that the book is finished, available, and wonderful, what can we expect from you next? The moment I finished reading it, I was wishing that there was already a series from you that covered other systems in the same fashion! Or are you thinking of a totally different theme for your next tome?
GM: I have already agreed on my next book with my publisher, Fusion Retro Books. I'll be revealing more at the Crash Live event on the 18th of November, but you can rest assured it'll be about the Spectrum once more.
GF: Which games are you playing at the moment, and what are some all-time classics for you?
GM: I'm currently playing Fallout: New Vegas on my Xbox - won't be long before it can appear in Retro Gamer! On the Spectrum, I've got several all-time faves. I'm a big fan of Julian Gollop's games, so Chaos, Rebelstar 1+2 and Laser Squad still get regularly loaded up on my emulator. Raff Cecco's games are ace too, particularly Exolon and Cybernoid. Match Day 1+2, The Great Escape, Cobra, Jet Pac, Chuckie Egg, Bombjack, Saboteur, Turbo Esprit, Quazatron - the list goes on! And I'm honoured to have interviewed many of the people behind these games.
GF: Finally, what is the best way for everyone to keep up to date with your work?
GM: I'm on Twitter (I refuse to call it by its new name) @wizwords. I also have a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/wizwords and my own personal website www.wizwords.net.
I also write a ZX Spectrum newsletter, On the ZX Spectrum, which you can sign up for here: https://onthezxspectrum.eo.page/onthezxspectrum. All support is greatly appreciated.
A huge thanks to Graeme for taking the time to speak to us, ZX Nightmares is a hilarious, informative read, and highly recommended from us here at GF HQ!
Purchase Link:
https://fusionretrobooks.com/products/zx-nightmares?variant=39988102529118
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