NIGHTSHIFT SKEDADDLE ZX

NIGHTSHIFT SKEDADDLE ZX

Spectrum 48K : Arcade-Style Ladder Maze Race Game.

The SEQUEL to SCRAPYARD SKEDADDLE ZX.

DESIGNERS : ARP & CER (The game design, graphics, hand-paintings, promo artwork/video, storyline, font, names and characters are copyright @ 2026 by antp.ARP)

SOFTWARE : Jonathan Cauldwell's MPAGD engine

PLAYTESTED : TheSpectrum2024 (New & OG roms), Speccy 4.8, Fuse 1.8.0

FILE FORMAT : '.tap' [Requires ZX Spectrum compatibility]

CONTROLS : Keyboard / 4-way or 8-way joystick

=== A NEWBIE'S SECOND GAME ===

The outcome of my 2nd respite/learning project. Like its predecessor, NIGHTSHIFT SKEDADDLE ZX is based around the concept of a 'home port of a fictional arcade game from the early 80s'. It's a very short and simple game, filled with homages, and designed to kill 10 minutes when stuck indoors on a rainy weekend. Although gameplayers can jump straight in, glancing over the full set of instructions will help to get the most out of the mechanics. 

Having been a graphic artist in my younger days, I love the process of working up sprites, designing playfields, hand-rendering all the associated promo art, etc. However, I'm still a newbie to the coding side of game development, which is where the challenge is. For this sequel, I set myself the goal of handling all the new MPAGD scripting with as little assistance as possible, hence why the outcome is so very far from perfect, but it's the best I could accomplish unaided at my current level of ability. Although a huge number of cutbacks and compromises were made to reach the point where things were running smoothly enough for a release, I'm very happy with the conclusion of the project. Fingers crossed it's all bug-free, and hope retro gamers will enjoy it : )

=== DETAILS ABOUT THE PROJECT & FAQ === 

See DEVELOPMENT LOG.

=== STORYLINE ===

" Our favourite feline's biscuits are the talk of the town. To meet demand, Willow is running her factory throughout the night. If the usual spooky ongoings that happen after dark weren't bad enough, this particular night sees the factory invaded by the Rat Gang - They've found a portal leading inside and gorged themselves on some rather unstable magical cheese. Chaos ensues, with biscuits scattered everywhere, and all machinery brought to a halt. Who said making biscuits was easy for a cat? The only thing still functioning is the factory's Magic Item Generator (the source of both the cheese and some rather heavy jumbo cookies). Using the motionless cogs and conveyers as platforms, and by climbing up and down the service ladders, Willow must avoid the rats while gathering up all the biscuits in the maze-like factory... and then skedaddle! "

=== INSTRUCTIONS === 

***** GAMEPLAY OUTLINE *****

• The player controls Willow The Cat inside a mazework of platforms and ladders. 
• The aim is to gather up all the scattered biscuits.
• The game consists of 16 levels (timed at 90 seconds each) plus an intro and outro screen.
• The intro screen functions as a practice screen, giving the player 90 seconds to see how the control scheme works. The practice screen can be skipped by collecting a single biscuit.
• There are 12 biscuits to collect per level. Once all of the 12 biscuits have been collected, a Magic Staircase will appear that the player must reach in order to progress to the next level.
• Enemy movement is a part-pattern/part-pursuit. There are also static enemies. The enemy count per level will increase as the game progresses.
• A collision with an enemy results in the loss of one of the player's lives. (Rats will 'pop' at the same time they collide with Willow, as a result of the magical cheese making them dangerously unstable.)
• The player can use the Magic Item Generator to either lure away or momentarily wipe out certain enemies.
• The fastest, most formidable rat has already eaten too much magical cheese and will glow at times. While glowing (in 'nuke' mode) he cannot be wiped out.
• Points are awarded for various actions. The hi-score will be displayed only after the game is over.
• Getting cornered at intersections, hiding in safe spots for too long, and being trapped/ambushed at opposite screen edges when using wraparounds, will all lead to certain doom, so keep an eye on the positions of the enemies.
• Being a cat, Willow has 9 lives.

***** MAGIC ITEM GENERATOR *****

The Magic Item Generator can be used only 4 times per level, and provides the player with a choice of TWO different items that can only be used one at a time : 

JUMBO COOKIES - The player can choose to activate COOKIES that will roll along platforms and tumble down ladders. If a COOKIE hits a rat directly on the head from above, the rat will be wiped out of play for a brief moment. When rats are wiped out, avoid the top section of the screen as they will reappear from the highest ladders. Rats that don't reappear were too worn out when they took a direct hit to the head. (If the GREEN RAT is in 'nuke mode', he will NOT be harmed by COOKIES. Likewise, if a COOKIE hits a DEMONIC BISCUIT, the COOKIE will be destroyed - Time your activations carefully.) COOKIES can only be activated one at a time.

CHEESE BAIT - The player can choose to drop a BAIT to lure rats away. Despite Willow's efforts to perfect the recipe, the magical cheese is still unstable and only lasts for a few seconds before it vanishes. If rats collect the BAIT (or it vanishes), they will start pursuing the player again. The ghosts of rats will also chase after the BAIT but cannot collect it. DEMONIC BISCUITS have no interest in cheese and will stop pursuing the player when a BAIT is dropped, also allowing the player to pass straight through them unharmed. The BAIT cannot be dropped when a COOKIE is in motion. BAIT is still available for use AFTER the Magic Item Generator has shut down.*

After using 4 magic items, the Magic Item Generator will shut down until the next level.

*If all 12 biscuits are collected, the Magic Item Generator will shut down and the Magic Staircase will appear - If this happens when the player has used less than four magic items, the player is granted the ability to use the remaining item count as CHEESE BAIT (not JUMBO COOKIES) to assist with luring rats away from the staircase.

***** CHARACTERS *****

WILLOW THE CAT - Willow retains her SPEED ROLL from SSZX1. The roll is not an attack move; it allows the player to move at twice the normal speed. [Unlike the previous game, this can only be performed on horizontal platforms, NOT up or down ladders, and NOT diagonally.]

GREEN (NUKE) RAT - The fastest rat and main enemy. As the boss, GREEN will barge past all the other rats, knocking them over and making them dizzy for a few moments. His horizontal running speed matches the player, but he struggles to climb as fast. Having eaten more CHEESE from the Magic Item Generator than any other rat, he's literally starting to glow in the dark, and when in 'nuke mode' is immune to harm. Being utterly relentless, GREEN can also revive himself as a GHOST just when the player thinks they're safe.

PINK RAT - The medium-speed rat. PINK starts by following his boss, GREEN, but breaks away to chase the player. PINK can be knocked dizzy by GREEN, and during this dizzy spell the player can pass straight through him unharmed. Although reasonably fast while running horizontally, PINK's speed while moving on ladders is greatly reduced. He is the only rat capable of escaping loops and pile-ups.  

RED RAT - The slowest rat. This subordinate rat follows his superiors and aims to chase the player, mostly covering the upper sections of the playfield. RED can be knocked dizzy by both GREEN and PINK, and during this dizzy spell the player can pass straight through him unharmed. If wiped out just once, RED transforms instantly into a GHOST.

GHOSTS - When GREEN and RED turn into ghosts, they can't be wiped out again, made dizzy by other rats, and can enter hiding spots. To the player's advantage, GHOSTS of rats still crave cheese.

DEMONIC BISCUIT - This enemy has two variants; One chases the player and the other is a static path-blocker, with both TURNING BLUE and allowing the player to pass through them when a CHEESE BAIT is active. When chasing, DEMONIC BISCUITS will pause for rats to pass them, slowing down their own progress towards the player. 

THE FACTORY - The 'teleportation phenomenon' previously experienced in the scrapyard has been harnessed by Willow to make moving around her factory easier - The player alone can use these 'wraparounds' to instantly travel to the opposite sides of the playfield. Nothing is without risk though, as there a number of spots where two or more enemies can easily trap/ambush the player from opposite sides. To keep things fair, the playfield also has a number of unmarked 'safe spots' and 'loops spots' that the player can utilise to avoid/confuse rats. Since the DEMONIC BISCUITS are familiar with the factory, they know all the safe spots, as do GHOSTS. For a high point score, the player can 'loop' the rats until they pile up, and then lure them into the path of a JUMBO COOKIE. 

THE LADDERS - See Dev Log FAQ for detailed information. All ladders can be climbed, regardless of whether they start at the player's height or above. Rats finding themselves a distance away from the player will climb ladders close to them in the hope they can use the wraparound, but will discover they need to turn back.

=== CONTROLS ===

***** JOYSTICK *****

SEE DEVELOPMENT LOG FOR MORE.

This game uses two action buttons. For gameplayers with a single button joystick, the FIRE button is the Speed Roll, and a key (N or user defined) will function as the FIRE2 button which activates Magic Items.

For gameplayers with true 4-way arcade joysticks, this is the preferred style for this game - See development log.

Hit 'K' = KEMP: Kempston

Hit 'S' = SINC: Sinclair

UP : Climb Up Ladder

DOWN : Climb Down Ladder

LEFT : Run leftwards

RIGHT : Run rightwards

FIRE : Speed Roll [The joystick's single FIRE button]

FIRE2 : Magic Item [For single button joysticks, FIRE2 must be a keyboard Key]

KEY T : 'Timeout' Pause the game

LEFT or RIGHT + hit & hold down FIRE = SPEED ROLL

LEFT or RIGHT + hit FIRE2 = Activate Left or Right JUMBO COOKIE

UP or DOWN + hit FIRE2 = Drop a CHEESE BAIT where you stand

***** KEYBOARD *****

SEE DEVELOPMENT LOG FOR MORE.

The default key selection has been chosen to avoid matrixing issues on external keyboards, and every key (including PAUSE) can be redefined to the gameplayer's liking. Please note that as there are 7 active keys in total for this game, redefining certain keys may result in either a matrixing clash or rollover on certain keyboards, with the Z key being particularly prone to this.    

Hit 'Q' to start with the following keys:

Q -- UP : Climb Up Ladder

A -- DOWN : Climb Down Ladder

O -- LEFT : Run leftwards

P -- RIGHT : Run rightwards

M -- FIRE : Speed Roll

N -- FIRE2 : Magic Item

T -- 'TIMEOUT' : Pause the game

O or P + hit & hold down M = SPEED ROLL

O or P + hit N = Activate Left or Right JUMBO COOKIE

Q or A + hit N = Drop a CHEESE BAIT where you stand

***** USER DEFINED KEYS *****

Hit 'U', then change U/D/L/R/FIRE/FIRE2/PAUSE to your preferred keys.

Once redefined, hit 'Q' to start.

SYSTEM AND PERFORMANCE : There is only one 48K version of the game. In the 'retro style' promo video (which is not a capture) the monitor has been adjusted to display the brightest, most colourful image for the camera. The game uses the classic palette of clut1 attributes only. Depending on the model of original hardware, or the emulator used, the sound effects, colours, framerate and speed of the game (including the countdown timer) may vary slightly. The game is designed to be played at 100% clockspeed only (not overclocked).

IMPORTANT PHOTOSENSITIVITY WARNING : This game is the outcome of a learning project focusing on attributes (ZX Spectrum colours). Brightly-coloured, high-contrast, fast-moving, rapidly-flashing/flickering sprites are used throughout the game. To err on the side of caution, the authors have deemed this game UNSUITABLE for anyone with a photosensitivity condition. Younger players with no history of photosensitivity should therefore be monitored by an adult at all times. Since only bright attributes (colours) have been used, this game can be played in a well-illuminated room without losing any of its vibrancy.

CHARITY DONATIONS : If you enjoy this game, please consider donating to a charity of your choice. If you would like to do donate in a way that is more personal towards the creators of this game, please consider donating to the MND ASSOCIATION :

https://mndassociation.org/get-involved/donations

The MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE ASSOCIATION (MNDA) is a UK charity (no. 294354) that funds medical research and provides support for people diagnosed with MND. For those caring 24/7 for a loved one, the MNDA monitors wellbeing, offers help and guidance, and in some cases provides the only means of respite.

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NIGHTSHIFT SKEDADDLE (ZX) (SSZX2)

Copyright ©2026.antp.ARP [Secondary holder CER]