It’s true that a nearly three-hour documentary centered on computer enthusiasts from the eighties doesn't immediately sound appealing, but surprisingly, for those of us who remember that era, it turns out to be a remarkably captivating and nostalgic experience. While I never got into video games as a child—or currently, for that matter—my closest friend in school (Paul) was considered something of an eccentric back then and constantly talked about his ZX80, then a ZX81, and finally the ultimate version with 48k memory and its color games – the Spectrum. That console was what eventually got us away from the local chip shop, which probably made more money from kids playing "Asteroids" than it ever did selling fish suppers. What’s presented here is entirely independently financed, and a considerable amount of work has clearly been invested in reconstructing an account not only of how the British micro-computing industry developed, but also of the games themselves. Ultimately, those games were instrumental in helping them sell millions of units to families across the UK, much like another symbol of British design at the time—the Mini Metro. The people providing commentary are a diverse group, including programmers, designers, marketing specialists, and players. Enthusiasm is paired with criticism as the story of this small operation based in a modest office in Cambridge is fairly accurately told. If you’re a gamer, you'll remember the cassette tapes and floppy disks that now seem like they belong in a science museum (or maybe even the trash), along with all the blocky graphics and the tinny audio that just thinking about makes me cringe. The level of research involved is impressive. It’s amazing where those magazine articles and boxes, complete with elaborate, futuristic cover art, came from, and as the history unfolds, it really does become a fascinating look at how a small idea can grow to enormous proportions. You don't have to be a gamer to appreciate this; however, if you were even slightly coordinated during the seventies or eighties, you might find it enjoyable. I certainly did.

Source on TMDB