Jet Set Willy

Jet Set Willy
Developer(s)Software Projects
Publisher(s)
Designer(s)Matthew Smith
Composer(s)Rob Hubbard (Atari)
SeriesMiner Willy
Platform(s)Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 16, Commodore 64, Dragon 32, MSX, MTX, PMD 85, TI-99/4A, Xbox 360, ZX Spectrum
Release
  • 1984: ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64
  • 1986: Atari 8-bit
  • 2012: Xbox 360[1]
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Jet Set Willy is a platform video game written by Matthew Smith for the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published in 1984 by Software Projects and ported to most home computers of the time.

The game is a sequel to Manic Miner published in 1983, and the second game in the Miner Willy series. It spent over three months at the top of the charts and was the UK's best-selling home video game of 1984.[2]

The player controls Miner Willy as he tidies up his mansion after a massive party to get some sleep. Players navigate Willy through 60 screens of the mansion and grounds, collecting glowing items while avoiding hazards and guardians.

The game features classical music from Beethoven, Grieg, Bach, and Mozart. Initially the game could not be completed due to various bugs, but fixes for these were released by Software Projects. Jet Set Willy included a copy protection measure in the form of a card with coloured codes, making it more difficult to duplicate. Various expanded versions and ports were released, as well as third-party editing tools that allowed players to design their own rooms and sprites.

  1. ^ "Jet Set Willy Remake for Xbox 360". DIY Magazine. 22 August 2012. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021.
  2. ^ "The Year's Top 10 Games". Computer and Video Games 1985 Yearbook. EMAP. p. 88.