The game was written by Ultimate co-founder Chris Stamper and its graphics were designed by his brother, Tim Stamper. "Jetpac" was one of the very few Spectrum games also available in a ROM format for use with the Interface 2, allowing "instantaneous" loading of the game when the normal method of cassette loading took minutes. The game was met with critical acclaim upon release, with reviewers praising the game's presentation and gameplay. It later won the "Game of the Year" title at the Golden Joystick Awards in 1983.