Monty on the Run
Freedom for Monty
Gremlin's platformer took 94% in CRASH on the Spectrum, and is remembered on the C64 for Rob Hubbard's loading theme — one game, two reputations.
Two machines, two reputations
CRASH gave the Spectrum version 94% in September 1985, with Sinclair User and ZX Computing both at 4/5. That is the version most British players met first.
The C64 version is the one people quote, and for a reason that has little to do with the platforming: Rob Hubbard’s loading theme. ⚠ The Spectrum original had no such thing — its sound came from the beeper — so the game’s two reputations belong to two different machines, and conflating them loses both.
The loading music outlived the game
Monty on the Run was a solid platformer. Its loading music was legendary. Rob Hubbard’s six-minute composition while the game loaded from tape became one of the SID chip’s most celebrated moments. Players would start the load just to listen. The game itself—helping Monty Mole escape to freedom—became secondary to the soundtrack.
Fast facts
- Developer: Gremlin Graphics (Peter Harrap).
- Publisher: Gremlin Graphics.
- Release: 1985.
- Platform: C64 (original), Spectrum, Amstrad.
- Character: Monty Mole, escaping prison.
- Music: Rob Hubbard, career-defining composition.
- Series: third Monty Mole game.
The music
Rob Hubbard’s loading theme transcended its purpose:
- Six-minute composition: longer than most pop songs.
- Technical mastery: demonstrated SID capabilities fully.
- Emotional range: multiple movements and moods.
- Cultural impact: cassette loading became event, not annoyance.
Players started tapes to hear the music, game secondary.
The gameplay
Monty on the Run was competent platforming:
- Navigate screens filled with hazards.
- Collect items for escape.
- “Freedom kit” selection at start.
- Choose right items or fail later.
The freedom kit
Unique mechanic:
- Select five items from twenty-one available.
- Wrong choices made completion impossible.
- No way to know correct items without experimentation.
- Added replayability (and frustration).
The series
Monty Mole appeared in multiple games:
- Wanted: Monty Mole (1984)
- Monty Is Innocent (1985)
- Monty on the Run (1985)
- Auf Wiedersehen Monty (1987)
British platformer mascot of the mid-80s.
Legacy
Monty on the Run proved game music could be art. Hubbard’s composition outlasted the game’s cultural presence. When people discuss SID chip achievements, this loading theme is mentioned. The game was good; the music was immortal.