# Multiface

> computer accessory

**Wikidata**: [Q3815729](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3815729)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiface)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/multiface

## Summary
Multiface is a model series of cheat cartridges manufactured by Romantic Robot UK Ltd and released in 1980. It was designed to attach to home computers, primarily the Amstrad CPC, allowing users to modify game code, save games, and create copies of software.

## Key Facts
-   **Manufacturer:** Romantic Robot UK Ltd.
-   **Publication Date:** 1980
-   **Instance Of:** Model series
-   **Subclass Of:** Cheat cartridge, digitization
-   **Sitelink Count:** 8
-   **Wikipedia Title:** Multiface
-   **Wikidata Description:** computer accessory
-   **Commons Category:** Multiface
-   **cpcwiki_id:** Multiface_II
-   **Freebase ID:** /m/01djl7

## FAQs
### Q: What is a Multiface and what does it do?
A: A Multiface is a cheat cartridge, a hardware accessory that plugs into a home computer like the Amstrad CPC. Its primary functions are to allow users to save games during play, create backups of software, and modify game code, often enabling cheat modes or bypassing copy protection.

### Q: When was the Multiface first released?
A: The Multiface series was first published in 1980, making it an early example of a hardware modification peripheral for home computers.

### Q: Who manufactured the Multiface?
A: The Multiface was manufactured by Romantic Robot UK Ltd., a British company known for producing software and hardware for various 8-bit home computer systems.

### Q: What computer platforms was the Multiface compatible with?
A: While the Amstrad CPC is the primary platform associated with the Multiface series, its specific version (like the Multiface II) and its general concept (cheat cartridge) were designed for and compatible with several home computer systems of its era.

### Q: Why is the Multiface significant for gaming history?
A: The Multiface is significant because it was one of the first widely available hardware peripherals enabling game preservation (saving progress beyond the game's native limits) and modification, significantly impacting the culture of gaming on platforms like the Amstrad CPC during the 1980s.

## Why It Matters
The Multiface represents a crucial piece of 1980s computing hardware history, particularly for the Amstrad CPC platform. As one of the earliest and most popular cheat cartridges, it solved fundamental problems faced by users: the inability to save progress in many games and the difficulty of creating legal backups of expensive software. Its functionality went beyond simple cheating, enabling game developers to test code and users to experiment. By facilitating digitization through copying and saving, the Multiface played a vital role in preserving software and extending the lifespan and playability of games on its target platform, reflecting the ingenuity of third-party hardware during the home computer boom.

## Notable For
*   Being a seminal model series of cheat cartridges, defining a category of computer peripherals focused on game modification and preservation.
*   Its development and release in 1980 by Romantic Robot UK Ltd., placing it among the earliest hardware solutions of its kind.
*   Providing essential functionalities for Amstrad CPC users: saving game states, creating backups, and enabling code modification.
*   Its role in digitization activities, specifically the copying and saving of software on platforms where native tools were limited.
*   Its notable presence across multiple Wikipedia languages and a significant sitelink count, indicating its recognized historical importance in computing culture.

## Body
### Overview
The Multiface is a model series of computer accessories specifically classified as cheat cartridges. Manufactured by Romantic Robot UK Ltd., it was published in 1980. It belongs to the broader categories of model series, cheat cartridges, and digitization tools. The entity is represented across multiple Wikimedia projects, including a dedicated commons category and entries in several language versions of Wikipedia.

### Technical Aspects
*   **Manufacturer:** Romantic Robot UK Ltd.
*   **Instance Of:** Model series
*   **Subclass Of:** Cheat cartridge, Digitization
*   **Sitelink Count:** 8 (across relevant projects like Wikipedia and Wikidata)
*   **cpcwiki_id:** Multiface_II (Specific version identifier within the Amstrad CPC community wiki)
*   **Freebase ID:** /m/01djl7
*   **Image Available:** An image of the Multiface 1 exists on Wikimedia Commons.

### Cultural & Historical Context
*   Wikidata categorizes it as a "computer accessory," highlighting its role as a peripheral device.
*   Its description as a "cheat cartridge" defines its core function: modifying game code attached to a home computer or console.
*   The 1980 publication date situates it within the early home computer era, where such third-party hardware was common for expanding functionality.
*   It holds significance for the Amstrad CPC platform, where specific versions like the Multiface II were prominent.
*   Its existence and functionality directly relate to the practices of game preservation (saving states) and software copying (digitization) in the 1980s computing landscape.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013