Bomb Jack GX Lands on Amstrad Plus and GX4000

This is specialist news for Amstrad Plus and GX4000 owners: AnthonyFlack has released Bomb Jack GX, a technically enhanced arcade conversion made for the platform. If you collect for the Plus range, or still play on original hardware, this is one to note, especially if you want a new score-chasing title rather than another generic homebrew port.

The release is based on Bomb Jack Extra Sugar, but the new version trims away less-used extra modes and aims for a tighter, more faithful arcade feel. In practical terms, that means the game is being positioned as the version to try if you care more about the core conversion than bonus features. The original report was carried by Indie Retro News, while the platform background is covered on the News tag.

For context, the Amstrad Plus line arrived in 1990, when UK home computing was already moving towards 16-bit systems such as the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST. Even so, the Plus models and the GX4000 included hardware upgrades, including a custom ASIC for graphics and sound. That makes them a good fit for homebrew projects that are designed to push the machine rather than simply imitate it.

Version comparison: Bomb Jack Extra Sugar, the earlier release, included extra modes, while Bomb Jack GX focuses on a leaner arcade conversion. The new build also supports original Amstrad Plus hardware, the GX4000, a physical Pico-GX cartridge for automatic high-score saving, and the ACE-DL emulator with persistent scores when the latest version and Pico-GX save mechanism are enabled in the plugin manager.

For collectors and players, the buying decision is straightforward, if you want a fresh Amstrad Plus or GX4000 release with score saving on real hardware, this is relevant. If you only follow boxed commercial releases, it is still worth tracking as part of the active British micro homebrew scene. For the platform itself, see the Amstrad CPC Plus overview, and for the hardware family, the Amstrad official site.