High-Res Range No.1 — the impossible made possible on a ZX81
Forty Niner is a technical revolution in ZX81 history. Developed by Julian Chappell (aka 'Cosmic Cockerel') and published by Software Farm, it is the first game to display a pseudo high-definition resolution of 256×192 pixels on a standard ZX81 — identical to the ZX Spectrum — without any additional hardware. The feat, the result of 6 months of research into the internal architecture of the Z80 processor, was met with disbelief: many thought it was a hoax. Yet it was very real, and the first title in Software Farm's 'High-Res Range'. In gameplay, the player takes on the role of a miner digging to collect gold nuggets while avoiding giant rats, snakes and a surface gremlin — 5 levels, built-in hi-score. Re-released by Cronosoft in 2021 with Julian Chappell's agreement.
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