In this episode of Retro Titans, Phil is joined by Chris Green, co-founder of the UK Amstrad Group and co-founder and chair of the Kickstart Amiga Group, for a long-overdue celebration of the Amstrad CPC.

Chris recalls buying a CPC 464 at launch in 1984, learning to program with Locomotive BASIC and writing for Amstrad Action. He also explains why the Amstrad became the overlooked sibling of the British 8-bit computer scene, despite selling millions of machines and offering impressive hardware, software and build quality.

We explore the community keeping the CPC alive today, from user-group meetings and new games to Wi-Fi expansions, modern storage and some extremely rare hardware.

In this episode, we explore:

1️⃣ Growing up with the Amstrad CPC
From buying a CPC 464 with a green-screen monitor to discovering Amsoft, Mastertronic, Dizzy, Gryzor and RoboCop.

2️⃣ Why the Amstrad gets overlooked
How its late arrival and Amstrad's "cheap and cheerful" reputation affected the way the CPC was perceived alongside the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64.

3️⃣ Keeping 40-year-old computers alive
What happens at UK Amstrad Group meetings, and how enthusiasts are adding Wi-Fi, modern storage and other upgrades to their machines.

4️⃣ Collecting rare Amstrad hardware
Chris introduces the elusive CPC 664, the Spanish CPC 472, the GX4000 and the prototype machine known as Arnold.

5️⃣ Old hardware for a modern audience
Why recreated computers, FPGA systems and mini consoles can provide a route back into retro computing, and whether the time has come for an Amstrad CPC Mini.

🔗 Guest links

UK Amstrad Group: ukag.org.uk

🎙️ Credits

Sponsored by Thalamus Digital Publishing, publisher of indie and retro games.

Production: Rocket Media
Voiceover: Mark Silk
Music: "8 Bit Skyway" © Piotr Pacyna