Many of you will know I am a complete retro computer geek. Specifically Commodore 64 and 16, but I collect other systems like ZX Sinclair Spectrum, Atari, Coleco, etc. Back in the day I used to program games and adventures and do all sorts of fun things with them. Easy tiger.
Anyway, back in the mid 80′s a company called Melbourne House released a text adventure called “Hampstead”. For the uninitiated a text adventure is a game where you type in a series of commands and you try and solve puzzles and pick up objects and find treasure, etc. It’s very much like reading a book. You create the locations in your imagination
The aim of Hampstead was not just to reach Hampstead, but to attain it. Questions and answers posed on the advert below included:
Questions people ask about Hampstead:
Q: Is there life after Hampstead?
A: No, Only before and during…
Q: Why do dustbins have no lids in Hampstead?
A: In order that passers-by may see the week’s completed Guardian
crosswords stacked neatly within…
As I now live not far away from Hampstead I am determined to complete this classic game and therefore attain my own version of Hampstead and hopefully my own bicycle with a basket
Check out Hampstead on World of Spectrum and get yourself an emulator to attain Hampstead with me


Hello,
I was just wondering if you are the same Anna Black that went to Queens College in the 1980′s?
Thanks,
Charlotte (Hargreaves)
Hi Charlotte,
Not me I’m afraid. There are a few of us about
Hope all is well with you and that you have a jolly weekend,
A x
Hi there!
Just found you via lemon’s ‘scener saturday’ twitter meme. Have been browsing around your site and apart from saying that this find is hilarious (a graphic adventure in Hampstead?!? awesome! – must try it myself!) I was wondering whether it was you the girl which brought with her a framed photograph to the Chord event that happened at Kingsway’s Tunnel back in October. If so … it’s a very funny coincidence!!!!
Please do let me know, I’m now intrigued
In the meantime I’m going to listen to your radio show