SHOPLIFTING BOY (2024) ZX Spectrum

Way back in 1979 in Japan, Hiroshi Suzuki programmed a game for the Commodore PET that many consider the first-ever Stealth game: Manbiki Shounen aka Shoplifting Boy. Predating Castle Wolfenstein, it’s a game in which a young shoplifter attempts to clear a supermarket of all items on the shelves without being caught. The ZX Spectrum code is a line by line conversion into ZX Spectrum basic as well as I could convert it. The original CBM PET code is provided for reference. Some elements of the game had to be changed. This is due to the Spectrum only having 32 columns of text compared to the 40 of the CBM PET, but it still plays just like the original game. The PETSCII graphics used in the game had to be defined as UDG’s in the Spectrum’s memory. The games timing has to be altered quite a lot from the CBM version as the Spectrum does not have a time variable TI$. Shoplifter-original is as close to the pet version as possible. Shoplifter-enhanced adds colour for the spectrum version.