Resource centre for ZX Spectrum games
using Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy game engines
Versions and minor mods of the original Manic Miner
La miniera / Minero loco
Publisher: Load 'n' Run [IT] / Load 'n' Run [ES]
Year: 1984 / 1985
Language: Italian / Spanish
These are Italian and Spanish versions of MM with full Italian / Spanish text translations. They were both released by Load 'n' Run.
The Italian version, called La miniera ("The Mine"), was released on the Italian Load 'n' Run tape 10 in November 1984.
The Spanish version, called Minero loco ("Crazy Miner"), was released on the Spanish Load 'n' Run tape 1_04 in May 1985.
Both versions feature modified loading screens (in the original MM style), modified title screens and full translations throughout the game.
The Spanish version also features a custom BASIC loader which produces an introductory screen with instructions, followed by another screen where the number of lives to start with can be chosen (1-32, with an additional immortality option). An English translation of the text on these screens is available here.
The Spanish tape version from the Load 'n' Run collection is buggy (see here for more details). Therefore, the TAP file made available for download below was not sourced from it, but it is a file which Andrew Broad used to host on his website (it is still available for download on its archival version), which he received from Philip Bee (as explained on his list of MM/JSW games).
There are two known Italian versions of the game, the other one being Miniera magica ("Magic Mine") released by Nuova NEWEL in 1983. They feature different protagonists: in La miniera it is Jack il Curioso, while in Miniera magica it is Pippo il Minatore, their title screens show some differences and their room names are different. However, one can see that one of the files served to create the other one. It is visible by the distribution of attributes in the room name row in each room (unlike in the original MM, parts of these rows have black PAPER) and in the glitches visible in both games, such as corruption of one block on the upper right of the thirteenth cavern ("Ore Refinery", although the Italian names are obviously different) or of another block in the lower right hand corner of the upper two thirds of the screen in the eighteenth cavern, or a glitch in the horizontal guardians in the ninth (Amoebatron) cavern.
If the in-game text is to be trusted, Miniera magica is older than La miniera, which would suggest that this file was used to create the latter version.
Number of rooms: 20
Highest documented score:
La miniera
- upon reaching the swordfish sign: 37,672 points;
- upon first re-entry into the first cavern: 38,924 points.
Minero loco
- upon reaching the swordfish sign: 37,775 points;
- upon first re-entry into the first cavern: 39,026 points.
Download links
|
Italian Load 'n' Run tape 10 with La miniera in TZX format |
|
Spanish Load 'n' Run tape 1_04 with Minero loco in TZX and DSK formats |
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Original game files extracted from Load 'n' Run tapes and disks and offered individually in TAP and TZX formats |
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RZX walkthroughs of both games |
Screenshot gallery |
La miniera
Minero loco
Tape version (buggy) - loading screens
