Matthew Smith Collection: Pixel Jockey Reissues Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy and Styx for ZX Spectrum

Matthew Smith Collection: Pixel Jockey reissues Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy and Styx for ZX Spectrum Background Matthew Smith is a defining figure of 1980s British game development. After receiving a TRS-80 in 1979, Smith began programming and released commercial titles for the TRS-80 and the VIC-20. Publisher Bug-Byte later provided a ZX Spectrum and contracted the then 17-year-old to produce three games: Styx (1983), Manic Miner (1983) and Jet Set Willy (1984). Manic Miner is widely regarded as one of the foundational platformers, and Jet Set Willy achieved more than a million sales across platforms during its lifetime. What Pixel Jockey is releasing Publisher Pixel Jockey has launched a Kickstarter for The Matthew Smith Collection, a limited-edition compendium that produces new copies of Styx, Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy for the ZX Spectrum. The campaign lists a standard edition starting at £39 and a more comprehensive "Full Set" beginning at £74. All sets are scheduled to ship in February 2027. Notable edition contents (as listed by Pixel Jockey) - Standard edition (£39 and up): four games packaged in a slipcase, each game in its own case with freshly recreated artwork. Artwork for the release was produced by former Tynesoft artist Trevor Storey, known for his contributions to Crash! and Zzap! magazines. - The Full Set (£74 and up): includes the boxed game set plus Mining for Success, a 200-page, hardback A5 book chronicling Matthew Smith's career, enamel pins for Styx, Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy, and the first-ever cassette release of Andre's Night Off, a Smith title originally created for C&VG Magazine that never saw retail release. - Additional options: signed A5 prints of the new artwork (priced at £99) and customizable bundles are available through the Kickstarter. Context and legacy Smith's early work helped define home computer platformers in the UK. Industry sources note that Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy were notable for their challenging level design, distinctive box art and memorable audio. Jet Set Willy's long-term sales success and Manic Miner's status as a genre ancestor are commonly cited in retrospectives of 1980s game history. Journalistic note Rather than claim Smith is obscure, the collection launch recognizes that Matthew Smith remains a widely known and influential figure among retro gaming audiences. The Pixel Jockey Kickstarter provides a commercial route for collectors and historians to obtain physical ZX Spectrum releases and new archival material documenting Smith's contribution to early game development.