Watch the Inaugural UK Video Game Charts Top Ten

Last Updated on April 9, 2023

What 8-bit classics made the first UK video game charts?

Many years ago there was a thing called “Saturday morning television.”

A mix of pop music, cartoons, phone-ins, and celebrity guests, the shows ran for several hours. Beefing up the running order were features, covering all manner of interests popular with kids and teens.

Saturday Superstore was one such show, running 1984-1987. Coinciding with the birth of the home computing era, Saturday Superstore (comprising hosts Mike Read, Sarah Greene, Keith Chegwin, and John Craven) would offer regular segments covering computers.

Admittedly these were almost always BBC Micro focused, but in some cases things were a bit more varied. Take, for example, the clip above, in which Sarah Greene (recently seen on an episode of Would I Lie To You?) chats with school-aged gaming experts Dominic, Duncan, and Cassie to find out what games they like the best.

A brand new Top Ten chart has been compiled by the National Opinion Poll, documenting the best-selling home computer video games in the UK for the first time ever.

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Sarah Greene is joined by some young games experts – Dominic, Duncan and Cassie – to help her undertake a “Special Superstore Software Check-Out.”

Which of the computer games in the so-called Top Ten do they think is the best?

The three top-selling titles; Manic Miner, Atic Atac and Ant Attack are put through their paces, along with new release, Bear Bovver. Games will be reviewed on the same format – the Sinclair Spectrum – and points will be allocated for graphics, playability and value for money.

Incidentally, the complete inaugural UK Video Game Top Ten is as follows:

1. Manic Miner (Commodore 64)
2. Atic Atac (Spectrum)
3. Ant Attack (Spectrum)
4. Hunchback (Spectrum)
5. Fighter Pilot (Spectrum)
6. Manic Miner (Spectrum)
7. The Hobbit (Spectrum)
8. Pole Position (Atari)
9. Mr Wimpy (Spectrum)
10. Revenge of the Mutant Camels (Commodore 64)

Where the games in the top 10 as good as the young testers found them? Click play to find out.

This clip, from Saturday Superstore, was originally broadcast 3rd March, 1984, and recently uploaded to YouTube by the BBC Archive channel.