Promotional cover illustration — see the verified Fuse emulator captures below for native 256×192 ZX Spectrum screen output.
48K & 128K EditionsPure Z80 Machine Code
ZX SPECTRUM 48K / 128K NATIVE EDITION
Dead Air
A haunted radio-station maze adventure for the original Sinclair computers
In native development — not released or for sale
No native TAP/SNA download, browser emulator demo or Creem checkout is active yet. These activate only after verified native assembly, exact-binary emulator acceptance and signed-off release packaging.
QA status: 11 of 53 native acceptance checks passed.
Made for Sinclair Hardware
Dead Air for the ZX Spectrum is an authentic, from-scratch Z80 assembly project built to honor Sir Clive Sinclair's classic computing architecture. It features a complete 24-floor campaign across two overlapping carrier frequencies: Amber (540 kHz) and Cyan (810 kHz).
Key Native Features
- 24 authored floors
- Amber and Cyan frequency switching
- Deterministic enemy patrols
- Continue passwords
- 48K beeper and 128K AY audio
Planned native delivery formats: TAP and SNA files for cassette and snapshot loading, fulfilled via Creem once all 53 acceptance checks pass.
Verified Native Fuse Emulator Captures (48K & 128K)
Genuine 256×192 ULA screen captures taken directly from automated Fuse emulator QA sessions running the SjASMPlus 1.24.0 Z80 builds.
Choose Hardware Profile
Compare the technical architecture of the two dedicated Sinclair releases.
Dead Air — ZX Spectrum 48K Signal Edition
| Target Computer | Sinclair ZX Spectrum 16K/48K (Issue 2/3), Timex Sinclair 2068 (via 48K cartridge) |
|---|---|
| Memory Footprint | 48 KB RAM (Optimized for contention-free RAM banks) |
| Processor & Timing | Z80A @ 3.50 MHz (PAL) |
| Sound Implementation | 1-bit CPU-timed Beeper: Cooperative polyphonic tone-pulse engine with high-priority game sound effects |
| Video Output | 256×192 monochrome bitmap + 32×24 attribute color cells (standard ULA timing) |
| Distribution Format | Standard 1500 baud tape image (.TAP) & 48K memory snapshot (.SNA) |
Dead Air — ZX Spectrum 128K Signal Edition
| Target Computer | Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128 "Toastrack", +2 (Grey), +2A/+3, Timex Sinclair 2068 |
|---|---|
| Memory Footprint | 128 KB Banked RAM (Paging port 0x7FFD) |
| Processor & Timing | Z80A @ 3.5469 MHz |
| Sound Implementation | AY-3-8912 PSG (3 channels): Three-channel PSG chiptune soundtrack with chapter-aware pitch, cadence and hardware envelopes |
| Video Output | 256×192 bitmap + alternate shadow-screen buffer (Bank 7 double-buffering where supported) |
| Distribution Format | Fast tape image (.TAP) & 128K banked memory snapshot (.SNA) |
EMULATOR & DEMO STATUS
Playable Demo Coming Soon
A native browser-playable demonstration powered by an embedded WebAssembly ZX Spectrum emulator is currently in staging. To protect player expectations and commercial integrity, Snack Break Games enforces strict release criteria:
- NO PC REPLACEMENTS We will never substitute the PC HTML5 version or an animated GIF posing as native emulation.
- RESTRICTED SLICE The web demo will feature an isolated, dedicated slice (Floors 1–4) without exposing the commercial campaign binaries.
- 53/53 QA GATE Live browser emulation and Creem checkout activate only when all 53 acceptance tests pass.
- ROM COMPLIANCE Native emulation uses legally permitted Sinclair ROM alternatives and authentic machine timing.
Current native acceptance tests passed: 11 of 53. Check back soon for the verified browser demo launch.
Input & Keyboard Controls
Dead Air supports standard Sinclair ZX Spectrum keyboard layouts (QAOP) and Kempston joystick interfaces with debounced edge-triggered input.
| Action / Command | Spectrum Keyboard | Kempston Joystick |
|---|---|---|
| Move Up | Q | Up |
| Move Down | A | Down |
| Move Left | O | Left |
| Move Right | P | Right |
| Wait / Confirm / Next | N or Enter | Fire |
| Retune Carrier (Amber ↔ Cyan) | Space | — |
| Use Selected Radio Module | M | — |
| Manual Retry (Floor Abort) | R | — |
Note: Direction keys repeat smoothly after a short initial hold. Action keys (Retune, Module, Wait) utilize rising-edge input to prevent accidental multiple triggers per frame.
THE 24-FLOOR CAMPAIGN
Four Station Zones
The abandoned broadcast complex spans twenty-four authored floors divided into four operational sectors:
- Broadcast Offices (Floors 1–6): Initial reception, administrative corridors and staff areas. Introduces dual-channel Amber/Cyan carrier switching, simple relays and Narrow Band module.
- Archive Vaults (Floors 7–12): Tape libraries and magnetic storage vaults. Introduces moving sound zones, Silent Switch module and multi-relay security gates.
- Sound Stages & Live Studios (Floors 13–18): Acoustic studios and isolation chambers. Introduces acoustic feedback hazards, Signal Echo module and timed retune windows.
- Transmitter Mast & High Tower (Floors 19–24): High-voltage transmitter core, gantry catwalks and aerial array. High-speed carrier surges, strict move par limits and final broadcast sign-off.
Carrier Frequencies: Amber & Cyan
Pressing Space shifts the technician between the Amber carrier (540 kHz) and Cyan carrier (810 kHz). Changing frequency instantly alters which walls, doors, sound dampeners and entities exist in solid form.
Retuning requires an open cell on the destination channel. On upper floors, timed carrier surges toggle the retune window between OPEN and LOCK, forcing precise route timing.
Station Entities & Hazards
- Drifter — Autonomous Patrol: Follows fixed, authored patrol routes along station corridors. Purely deterministic, allowing players to plan clean routes.
- Listener — Acoustic Tracker: Acoustic entity that reacts to retune noise and footstep broadcasts, pursuing along shortest-path routes when triggered.
- Echo — Temporal Phantom: Temporal phantom that tracks your recent movement trail across alternate carrier states, creating dynamic time pressure.
Deployable Radio Modules
- Narrow Band (Unlocked at Floor 3): Shows a short prediction overlay of enemy patrol trajectories on the alternate carrier frequency. Forecast markers never obscure keys, relays or exits.
- Silent Switch (Unlocked at Floor 6): The first two frequency retunes accepted on each floor emit zero carrier noise, avoiding alerting nearby Listeners.
- Signal Echo (Unlocked at Floor 9): First use places a temporary spatial anchor beacon at your current position and frequency. A subsequent activation instantly recalls you to that beacon.
Continue Codes & Checkpoints
Dead Air features a 9-symbol continue password system using a 32-character alphabet (ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ23456789) that omits ambiguous letters (I, O, 0, 1). Passwords preserve floor progress, active module loadout, recovered recordings, 16-bit score, and death count.
| Resume Checkpoint | Expected Score | Equipped Module | Verified Continue Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor 2 | 1,500 pts | None | SEASM-ZAA7 |
| Floor 5 | 6,000 pts | Narrow Band | WSCBQ-6AA2 |
| Floor 9 | 12,000 pts | Signal Echo | 7AEC7-2AA7 |
| Floor 13 | 18,000 pts | Signal Echo | 7SGEN-WAAA |
| Floor 17 | 24,000 pts | Signal Echo | 8AJF5-SAA7 |
| Floor 21 | 30,000 pts | Signal Echo | 8SLHL-NAAA |
| Floor 24 | 34,500 pts | Signal Echo | 86M2P-TAAU |
Codes validate both mathematical checksums and game-state progression constraints. Forged codes with impossible score or module combinations are rejected automatically.
TECHNICAL MANUAL EXCERPT
Dead Air: Broadcast Technician Emergency Protocol
Document ref: FDI/RGF-ZX-DOC-1982/DA
1. Objective & Clearance
You are trapped inside the transmitter facility after hours. To clear each floor, navigate the corridors, locate and activate the carrier relay, and reach the designated emergency stairwell exit. Every floor also contains one recoverable magnetic tape recording; retrieving recordings increases session rank and score.
2. Frequency Retuning Protocol
Press Space to retune between the Amber and Cyan frequency channels. If the destination coordinates in the alternate channel are blocked by static walls or sealed bulkheads, retuning will be denied and you will remain on your current frequency.
3. Rank & Scoring Evaluation
Performance is ranked from C to S at the conclusion of every floor:
- Rank C: Floor cleared successfully. (50 bonus points)
- Rank B: Floor cleared and magnetic recording recovered. (150 bonus points)
- Rank A: No technician fatalities and total moves at or under par. (300 bonus points)
- Rank S: Rank A conditions satisfied, recording recovered, and no more than two noise events triggered. (500 bonus points)
Relay activation yields 200 points; recording recovery yields 300 points; floor completion awards 500 points. A flawless S-Rank clear awards a maximum of 1,500 points per floor.
4. Abort & Manual Retry
Pressing R during an active run triggers an emergency circuit overload, restarting the floor immediately. For scoring and ranking purposes, manual retries count as an abort/death and invalidate deathless rank criteria.
Native Acceptance & Release Gate
Snack Break Games and Fire Dragon Interactive enforce a 53-item formal release qualification matrix before commercial distribution through Creem:
Current certified progress: 11 of 53 acceptance checks passed. Commercial Creem product profiles (prod_1M0g4iUWKLLMys3A2OACmJ) are pre-registered, and checkout/downloads remain fail-closed until 53/53 sign-off.