Ultimate Play the Game

Ultimate Play the Game at a Glance

If you are browsing PlayPile to understand the history of British software houses, Ultimate Play the Game stands out as a brief but intense chapter from the early 1980s. Founded in the United Kingdom in 1982, this developer and publisher released 21 games before closing its doors in 1987. Their catalog spans only one decade, with every single title appearing between 1983 and 1987. The company focused heavily on home computers, with the Sinclair ZX Spectrum serving as their primary platform where 15 of their games appeared. They also made significant releases for the Commodore C64, Amstrad CPC, MSX, and BBC Microcomputer System. Their genre portfolio shows a strong preference for Adventure and Puzzle titles, which account for 10 games each in their library. Shooters and Arcade games rounded out their output, while Platformers and Racing games appeared less frequently. The quality of their work is generally high based on available data. Of the four rated titles found on PlayPile, one achieved a great rating above 80 points, while three others scored within the good range between 60 and 79. There are no mixed or poor ratings in this dataset. Their highest-rated game remains Jetpac from 1983, which holds an impressive score of 86.3. Other notable entries include Atic Atac at 76.4, Sabre Wulf at 72.7, and Underwurlde at 70. Ultimate became known for titles like Jetpac and Sabre Wulf, which each sold over 300,000 copies during their initial release years. Their later output featured a specific graphical technique called Filmation, which created an isometric view in arcade adventures. This style was first seen in Knight Lore, a title often described as revolutionary by the press. By the end of their active period, they released games such as Outlaws in late 1985 and Martianoids or Bubbler in December 1987. The company did not remain independent for long. Ultimate evolved into Rare before its final label use in 1988. Rare went on to develop titles for Nintendo consoles and was eventually purchased by Microsoft in 2002 for a record sum. In 2006, the original name returned briefly for an Xbox Live Arcade remake of Jetpac. While their original run was short, their impact on the ZX Spectrum market remains evident through their high sales figures and technical achievements.

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