Jon Ritman is a software developer, notable for his work on major 1980s video games. Working primarily on games for the ZX Spectrum

ZX Spectrum

The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...

 and Amstrad CPC

Amstrad CPC

The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...

 home computer range. His first experience with a computer was at the age of 13, and first computer was a Sinclair ZX81 that he bought in 1981.

His first game, Namtir Raiders for the ZX81

Sinclair ZX81

The ZX81 was a home computer produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Scotland by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and was designed to be a low-cost introduction to home computing for the general public...

 gained its name from his surname reversed. He first gained notoriety with his games Bear Bovver

Bear Bovver

Bear Bovver is a computer game released in 1983 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC and was developed by Jon Ritman.-Gameplay:Ted's Sinclair electric truck has broken down and needs new batteries. Ted must climb up the scaffolding and collect the batteries for his electric car. ...

and Match Day for the ZX Spectrum. As of March 2007, three of the top twenty games listed at World of Spectrum

World of Spectrum

World of Spectrum is a website devoted to cataloging and archiving material for the ZX Spectrum home computer popular in the 1980s, and has been officially endorsed by Amstrad which holds the rights to the ZX Spectrum brand...

were written by Ritman, namely Head Over Heels

Head Over Heels (game)

Head Over Heels is an arcade adventure, released in 1987 for several 8-bit home computers, and subsequently ported to a wide range of formats. Originally, the working title for the game was Foot and Mouth....

, Batman

Batman (1986 video game)

Batman is a 3D isometric action-adventure game that was released in 1986 under the Batman licence by Ocean Software for the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum and MSX microcomputers.An Amstrad PCW version was also available.-Gameplay:...

and Match Day II

Match Day II

Match Day II is a football sports game part of the Match Day series released for the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, MSX and Commodore 64 platforms...

.

Software Published

• Namtir Raiders, Artic
  Artic Software
  In the early 1980s, Artic Software, also known as Artic Computing, was a software development company based in Brandesburton. The company's first games were for the Sinclair ZX81 home computer, but they expanded and were also responsible for various ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, BBC Micro, Acorn...
  
  
• Cosmic Debris, Artic
• 3D Combat Zone, Artic
• Dimension Destructors, Artic
• Bear Bovver, Artic
• Match Day
  Match Day (series)
  Match Day is an association football video game franchise created by Jon Ritman in 1984 for the 1980s 8-bit home computer market.- Games in the series :...
  
  series, Ocean
  Ocean Software
  The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
  
  
• Batman
  Batman (1986 video game)
  Batman is a 3D isometric action-adventure game that was released in 1986 under the Batman licence by Ocean Software for the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum and MSX microcomputers.An Amstrad PCW version was also available.-Gameplay:...
  
  , Ocean
• Head Over Heels
  Head Over Heels (game)
  Head Over Heels is an arcade adventure, released in 1987 for several 8-bit home computers, and subsequently ported to a wide range of formats. Originally, the working title for the game was Foot and Mouth....
  
  , Ocean
• Monster Max
  Monster Max
  Monster Max is an arcade adventure video game developed by Rare and published by Titus for the Game Boy handheld game console in late 1994. The game was written by Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond. It is very similar in both graphics and gameplay to Ritman and Drummond's 1987 title Head Over...
  
  , Rare/Titus
  Titus Software
  Titus Software, later known as Titus Interactive S.A., was a long-running French software publisher that produced and published video games for various formats over its lifetime....
  
  
• Super Match Soccer
  Super Match Soccer
  Super Match Soccer is a football videogame published by Acclaim and developed in 1998 by Jon Ritman. The game is available for PC and PlayStation and it is the last game in the Match Day series.- Features :Some of the features of the game are:...
  
  , Cranberry Source. 1998
  1998 in video gaming
  -Events:*Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo to the AIAS Hall of Fame*British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 1st annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards...
  
  .

External links

• Jon Ritman's website
• Interview with Ritman at crashonline.org.uk
• Information at World of Spectrum
• Ritman interview at computeremuzone.com
• Ritman interview at tacgr.emuunlim.com
• Biography