Like every December for the past three years, it has become a small ritual for me to write about what I have been doing with my Amstrad CPC/Plus hobby during the year. I already wrote retrospectives for 2023 and 2024, so now it's time to look back at what 2025 brought. :)
Magazines
This year began with the arrival of two magazines.
CPC Anachronie #2 and 64 NOPs #3 The first one was CPC Anachronie #2, written entirely in French. It really stands out because of its excellent printing quality. With over about a hundred pages, it mainly focuses on new games created by the community. It also includes some more general content that is not directly related to the Amstrad, which I think is a great idea. The only part I don't really connect with is the “Pop Culture” section, because it is a bit far from my personal interests (cosplay, interviews with YouTubers, and so on). Overall, I recommend it: it's a relaxing magazine to read before going to sleep.
The second magazine I received was 64 NOPs #3, and this one is entirely in English. The team behind it has clearly found its style and rhythm, as it comes out at the same time every year. It feels like much more than a magazine you read once and forget. In a way, like Amstrad Live back in the day, 64 NOPs is becoming a strong technical reference: something programmers can return to later, depending on what they are building. 64 NOPs #4 should be available for order soon, so grab a copy if you can!
The second magazine I received was 64 NOPs #3, and this one is entirely in English. The team behind it has clearly found its style and rhythm, as it comes out at the same time every year. It feels like much more than a magazine you read once and forget. In a way, like Amstrad Live back in the day, 64 NOPs is becoming a strong technical reference: something programmers can return to later, depending on what they are building. 64 NOPs #4 should be available for order soon, so grab a copy if you can!
Books
My own library If you read my previous retrospectives, you probably know how much I enjoy old computer books. I continued my “book hunting” with one rule that I still continue to follow carefully: one book per paycheck (in Canada, we are paid every two weeks). I received too many books to describe them all, but here are a few real gems:
Many thanks to my friends Tom&Jerry and KailoKyra for helping me to get some of those books.
- “Trucs et Astuces 2” (Micro-Application, 1985, French): a rare book that covers many low-level topics, such as compatibility between Amstrad models, how to create a relocatable program, and how BASIC variables are stored internally. It is definitely a great addition to my knowledge base.
- “Graphisme en trois dimensions” (Sybex, 1986, French): another rare book, and a very solid one. It explains 3D programming with a strong focus on mathematics rather than real-time rendering. I'm impressed by how deep it goes, including advanced subjects like shadows and mirroring. All of this remains very accessible, since the examples are implemented entirely in BASIC.
- “Systems Programming for Small Computers” (Prentice Hall, 1984, English): not specifically about the Amstrad, but very strong overall. It covers different aspects of advanced low-level programming. My favourite chapter is the one about building a text editor on a limited machine, with advanced topic like “how do you open a 1 MB file for editing on a 64 KB computer?”.
- “Assemblers and Loaders” (3rd edition, Barron, 1978, English): also not Amstrad-specific. It explains how to build a two-pass assembler from scratch.
- “PC Underground” (Abacus, 1995, English): focused on PC programming. I love this book because it covers unusual topics such as LZW compression, how to write a MOD player (including the file format), and much more. Many chapters can still be useful for Amstrad-related projects. There is a French edition called “PC Interdit” but some important details were lost in translation. The author is a demoscener, and you can really feel it. :)
Many thanks to my friends Tom&Jerry and KailoKyra for helping me to get some of those books.
Hardware
Thanks to my friend “R.” (he will recognize himself ;-) ), my machines received a major upgrade.
CRTC selector, ROM7 switcher and custom-made MX-5 My Amstrad CPC 6128 (aka. “The Development Machine”) now includes a CRTC switch with CRTC 0, 1, and 2. I can also disable the internal AMSDOS ROM (useful for a UniDOS setup located in ROM 7), and there is a big Reset button (very convenient). On top of that, this machine now has a custom MX-5 board that lets me plug in five expansion cards: Nova, Gemini, FlashGordon, Albireo, and finally a CPC-CPLINK. As a developer, this machine is basically everything I ever dreamed of.
My CPC 6128 also got a Commodore 1084S-D2 monitor. I still keep my old CTM644 as a backup, of course. The image is much sharper with the 1084S, especially when reading text in MODE 2 (80×25 characters). Another nice improvement is the stereo speakers, which are an obvious upgrade compared to the single speaker inside the CPC's keyboard. Fun detail: I bought that monitor through local ads. Since I live in Canada, most monitors here are 60Hz. The technical manual clearly says the 1084S-D2 only supports 60Hz… but that's not true. My Amstrad with its 50Hz works perfectly on it too.
But wait, there's more :-)
My CPC 6128 also got a Commodore 1084S-D2 monitor. I still keep my old CTM644 as a backup, of course. The image is much sharper with the 1084S, especially when reading text in MODE 2 (80×25 characters). Another nice improvement is the stereo speakers, which are an obvious upgrade compared to the single speaker inside the CPC's keyboard. Fun detail: I bought that monitor through local ads. Since I live in Canada, most monitors here are 60Hz. The technical manual clearly says the 1084S-D2 only supports 60Hz… but that's not true. My Amstrad with its 50Hz works perfectly on it too.
But wait, there's more :-)
Expansions for my Amstrad Plus My Amstrad Plus also received an MX-5 with the same configuration (except, of course, the CRTC selection, since this machine has a CRTC emulation inside the ASIC).
All of these upgrades fit perfectly with my long-term goal: doing all my programming directly on the Amstrad. After years of cross-development on a PC, I now want to use my laptop only when I feel like spending a few hours coding in a coffee shop.
All of these upgrades fit perfectly with my long-term goal: doing all my programming directly on the Amstrad. After years of cross-development on a PC, I now want to use my laptop only when I feel like spending a few hours coding in a coffee shop.
Many thanks to my friends “R.”, PulkoMandy and Zik for your amazing work on the hardware side!
Side project: HxC Manager
HxC Manager in action (old photo) Earlier this year, I released a new version of the HxC Manager (v4.2). It includes a few small improvements, such as using the CLR key to return to the root folder while browsing, and the C key to clear the current slot (a feature that had been removed since v3.0 and later). HxC/Gotek drives feels a bit outdated to me now that I'm using mass storage devices for the Amstrad, but they are still useful to execute track-based programs: R-Type (Easter Egg), Pinball Dreams, Batman For Ever, phX, Phortem, etc.
Main project: finally, Sonic GX got released in 2025!
The first part of the year was devoted to giving Sonic GX a proper ending, along with gameplay balancing and level tweaks. I didn't track the hours I spent on it, but it was probably far too many! From June until the release in November, I shifted into heavy testing. I fixed every crash I encountered (some of them were truly challenging). In the end, I made the tough choice to focus on critical bugs and accept releasing the game with a few balancing issues and minor glitches. Another year would have been needed to polish everything to an even higher standard; but after seven years of development, I felt it was time for me to stop and finally release the beast as it was.
All Sonic GX team members received their t-shirts! :P Sonic GX was released during Benediction Coding Party #5 in France, and I feel the launch was a real success. The game was widely discussed, played, and reviewed, and most of the feedback was very positive. I'm genuinely happy with the reception. Seeing people describe Sonic GX as a major hit for the Amstrad GX-4000 is the best reward I could have hoped for.
That said, the release was surprisingly stressful for me. Just a few hours after it went public, cartridges were already showing up for sale on eBay. We had to quickly set clear guidelines for sellers, since the game is released for free and with no commercial intent. I was also worried that players might uncover hidden crashes. Even though 3–4 of us tested the game intensively, we couldn't realistically cover every possible scenario. On top of that, I ended up providing technical support to emulator authors to help improve their ASIC emulation.
Now that almost two months have passed since the release, the most intense excitement has settled down but it was truly an amazing experience.
I want to thank “R.”, TotO, CeD, Targhan, Slype, Nemo Kantio, Rabs, Gerald... for the testing and support!
Now that almost two months have passed since the release, the most intense excitement has settled down but it was truly an amazing experience.
I want to thank “R.”, TotO, CeD, Targhan, Slype, Nemo Kantio, Rabs, Gerald... for the testing and support!
Media
Sonic GX review in Pixel Addict issue 30 Since Sonic GX was anticipated this year, I wanted to step up communication around it. I sent a private build to the great team at Pixel Addict (an excellent retro-gaming magazine), and a preview of the game was reviewed over the summer in Issue 30. The review was positive, which gave me confidence for the final release. I also posted an update on the CPCWiki forum, where I announced that I would present the game in person with the team at Benediction Coding Party #5 in November!
I was also interviewed for Fanzine GX and 64 NOPs #4 (scheduled for publication next year). Of course, I talked a bit about Sonic GX, but those interviews covered more than just the game.
Finally, I contributed to CPC FANZ BZH #3 by writing two articles which should be released sometime next year. I truly enjoy CPC FANZ BZH. It's actually my favourite Amstrad publication with a great balance of community content, game reviews, and technical articles, plus an impressive effort to make everything look excellent. Don't miss CPC FANZ BZH #3, it's going to be great.
I was also interviewed for Fanzine GX and 64 NOPs #4 (scheduled for publication next year). Of course, I talked a bit about Sonic GX, but those interviews covered more than just the game.
Finally, I contributed to CPC FANZ BZH #3 by writing two articles which should be released sometime next year. I truly enjoy CPC FANZ BZH. It's actually my favourite Amstrad publication with a great balance of community content, game reviews, and technical articles, plus an impressive effort to make everything look excellent. Don't miss CPC FANZ BZH #3, it's going to be great.
Benediction Coding Party 5
Me playing Sonic GX at the Benediction Coding Party 5 Over the past decade, I attended Revision 2018 to present our phX demo, which placed second in the Oldschool Demo Compo. A year later, I went to Alchimie 2019 to show a first playable level of Sonic GX. And this year, I wanted to release Sonic GX at a party. The Benediction Coding Party #5 felt like the perfect choice, both because of its date and because of the people who would be there.
For me, it mattered a lot to launch the game at an event where participants could truly discuss it and appreciate it properly. It's not at a random retro-gaming event where some people can't tell the difference between a Sony PlayStation and an Amstrad GX-4000. Benediction Coding Party #5 was incredible: honestly, probably the best demoparty I've ever attended. Eliot really knows how to organize a party: the venue is great, and it's not too far from Paris, which is ideal for visitors coming from far away.
For me, it mattered a lot to launch the game at an event where participants could truly discuss it and appreciate it properly. It's not at a random retro-gaming event where some people can't tell the difference between a Sony PlayStation and an Amstrad GX-4000. Benediction Coding Party #5 was incredible: honestly, probably the best demoparty I've ever attended. Eliot really knows how to organize a party: the venue is great, and it's not too far from Paris, which is ideal for visitors coming from far away.
This was the very first time Sonic GX was played publicly in its final version, on Cracky’s machines. I won't write a full party report, but the people were a big reason the event was so enjoyable. The food and drinks were truly fantastic: ATC brought an excellent homemade drink, Roudoudou (and friends) arrived with cheese and even made pizzas, and many others contributed similar treats. Prodatron also shared some great beers from Germany! :) Special mention to Zisquier, Cracky, and Genesis8: three incredibly friendly people I met for the first time and really appreciated for their great personalities. It was also really nice to see some familiar faces again: especially CeD and Targhan, who both took part in the development of Sonic GX. A special thought went to TotO, missing in person, but still with us in spirit during the event! :)
Me and my friend Prodatron. As I joked to someone at the party, one day we'll have to admit that we don't attend Amstrad parties only for the machines. We come to meet each other first, and the Amstrad is just the excuse. :)
Living in the woods in rural Québec (Canada), I can't easily travel to European demoparties. But I promised myself I would go to a similar event again in about five years, and trying to turn this into a regular habit.
Living in the woods in rural Québec (Canada), I can't easily travel to European demoparties. But I promised myself I would go to a similar event again in about five years, and trying to turn this into a regular habit.
Oh, and I almost forgot: I also gave a technical presentation about Sonic GX during the party, with more than 100 slides covering many different aspects of the project. I spent about a month preparing it. I didn't get much feedback afterward, so I guess it will take some time for people to digest it. :) Special thanks to Genesis8: I think he walked into a trap and maybe regretted it, because he recorded the entire presentation while holding his iPhone the whole time. What a great real physical achievement, hehe!
Looking ahead to 2026
Wow—again, what a year. I'm still amazed by how many various activities I can do around these 40-year-old computers. I truly love this hobby: it's a real escape from the modern world. And it's not just nostalgia. It's also about creativity, in a context where everything feels understandable, reachable, and possible to master (to a certain degree, of course).
I definitely won't be making a new game or a new demo for quite a while, for sure. Both are extremely demanding, the bar has to be set very high to truly impress and make a difference.
For now, I want to focus on more relaxing projects (things with no pressure) so I can reconnect with what made me fall in love with the Amstrad when I was a teenager. I'd like to bring back that naïve, simple excitement.
I already have a clear idea of what's coming next. It has already started, and for now I can only say this: it will be different from anything I've done on the Amstrad before.
So that's it. I wish you a fantastic end to the year and a great start to 2026. See you in a year for the next retrospective!
I definitely won't be making a new game or a new demo for quite a while, for sure. Both are extremely demanding, the bar has to be set very high to truly impress and make a difference.
For now, I want to focus on more relaxing projects (things with no pressure) so I can reconnect with what made me fall in love with the Amstrad when I was a teenager. I'd like to bring back that naïve, simple excitement.
I already have a clear idea of what's coming next. It has already started, and for now I can only say this: it will be different from anything I've done on the Amstrad before.
So that's it. I wish you a fantastic end to the year and a great start to 2026. See you in a year for the next retrospective!
RSS Feed
