Varina (ZX Spectrum)

INTRODUCTION

Varina is a small ZX Spectrum game inspired by Ravina, a Sinclair BASIC type-in program published in 1985 in Portuguese Mini Micro’s magazine.

What was originally a straightforward game has been expanded into a short platform game, while keeping a modest scope and a classic BASIC feel.

Written in Boriel ZX Basic, Varina expands the original concept into a story-driven game that unfolds level by level, almost like a comic strip brought to life. 

(Warning: the humor is unapologetically cheeky and intended for adults.)

MISSION

The game follows Gina, a determined (and fearless) fishmonger heroine, on her quest to win the heart of her beloved Libório. The journey is filled with peril, absurd situations, and plenty of dried mackerel!

To win Libório’s heart, Gina must collect and deliver dried mackerel located on the opposite side of the ravine. To do so, she must jump into the ravine, where the fall is softened by her skirt, landing safely on a boat below. After collecting the fish, Libório throws down a rope from the edge of the ravine, which Gina can only reach from the ship. His heart is only fully won after delivering ten dried mackerel.

CONTROLS

Keyboard:

Q – Up or Jump
A – Down
O – Left
P – Right
1 – Pause

GAMEPLAY

Players control Gina, progressing through a series of levels with enemies, traps, and small challenges. Some areas require specific items to advance, and not all actions are immediately obvious. Objects are required to access certain areas.

The level titles alone give a taste of the madness that awaits:

1. THE RAVINE
2. ARACHNOPHOBIA
3. ROASTED OCTOPUS
4. KILLER GULLS OF CORNWALL
5. ORANGE TANG ICE SLUSH
6. WHALE HUNTING
7. SHARK SOUP
8. NAZARE CANNON
9. PERFECT STORM
10. RETURN OF THE NAZARE CANNON

Completing these levels does not end the game immediately, as there are a few additional challenges before the final screens.

CONTEXT

Varina is inspired by Ravina, a game originally published in 1985 as a type-in program in Mini Micro’s magazine.

The original Ravina was created by Portuguese pioneer developers Rui Tito and Paulo Carrasco, who were also the authors of Alien Evolution, often regarded as the first Portuguese commercial video game sold internationally.

In the original Ravina, the gameplay was very simple, with a single-screen layout. The player had to descend into the ravine to reach a boat, jump to the opposite bank, and collect a jet pack. After returning to the boat, the player would wait until it was positioned below the opposite side of the ravine from where the game started, and then activate the jet pack to complete the objective. The controls are: 5 - go left, 6 - go down, 7 - go up, and 8 - go right.

This project began simply as a small fix to the original Ravina type-in. Later, within the Planeta Sinclair community and Espectro Magazine, the idea emerged to turn that fix into a small tribute game. What started as a joke slowly became a more serious attempt to build a complete, but still modest, game.

The game was developed under the name Espectroteam, which is essentially the group of contributors behind Planeta Sinclair. The story and overall concept were created by Mário Viegas, drawing heavily on his personal experiences and cultural references from the 1980s, which shaped the game's tone and themes.

The game was initially released on the Espectrotape #1, the covertape of Revista Espectro Issue 3, and an early demo version was also included in Woot! Magazine, also in 2018.

In 2025, the decision was made to offer the game to the community with English and Spanish translations. All versions of the game, including the original Ravina, are included in the download.

The name Varina comes from a playful inversion of Ravina. For international readers, a varina is a traditional Portuguese fishmonger, a common figure in coastal towns and popular culture, which reflects the project's local, humorous nature.

The game was rewritten in Boriel ZX Basic and expanded from a single screen into ten short levels, forming a simple arcade adventure with a loose narrative structure.

This was also the first game for which Pedro Pimenta composed music for the ZX Spectrum. After being challenged and encouraged to do so, this project marked the beginning of his work composing music for the platform.

The game was tested by André Luna Leão, founder of Planeta Sinclair, during development.

Finally, Varina was the first game I fully programmed for the ZX Spectrum. It became the initial seed for other projects and, more importantly, the starting point that would later lead to the foundation of Bitnamic and Teknamic.

Varina is a small homage to an early Portuguese game, made in a community context, without ambition beyond being a respectful and playful reinterpretation of a simple original idea.

CREDITS

Original game (Ravina, 1985): Rui Tito & Paulo Carrasco

Game Design: Mário Viegas

Game Development: Filipe Veiga

Music: Pedro Pimenta

Loading Screen: Mário Viegas

Testing: André Luna Leão

Special thanks to Jose Rodriguez-Rosa (Boriel ZX BASIC), Britlion (printing routines), Damieng (text font), LCD (random clear routine) and Mojon Twins (printing routine).

DISCLAIMER

This game contains humorous references and is intended for an adult audience. All content is presented in a fictional and transformative context.