07/12 Top-10 Retro Computer Software Companies

[Gordon Bennett]

I went with Mastertronic for pioneering games that I could actually afford to buy on a regular basis. Which I did. I bought loads of them, including a few that remain personal favourites. Action Biker is usually one of the first games I play when I want to relive my C64 childhood.

That being said, I think there are better choices not on the list. Lucasfilm/Lucasarts, as mentioned by kynrek. They started out strongly with 3D fractal based aardvarks then later moved on to create the very best of graphic adventures. Infocom deserve a place as well for the very best text adventures, and Level 9 for squeezing nearly the same level of quality onto a loop of cassette tape.

My last mention, at least now before listening to the show, is Telecomsoft. Firebird/Rainbird/Silverbird. Again, I bought their games by the barrel-load. Elite, Cholo, Starglider 2, Thrust, Willow Pattern Adventure plus others. Fantastic.

[BydoEmpire73]

Great top 10 this month - one of the best in a long time. Really enjoyed it.

Mastertronic definitely sold games in the US. We had a department store (not JC Penny, but similar - started with a "J") in Wisconsin that carried them. I bought a lot of their stuff and was always surprised how great the titles were for such a cheap price.

I like that SSI got #2. They did so many games in genres that don't even exist anymore. You'd see more SSI war games or turn-based RPGs in one month that the entire industry cranks out in a generation nowadays, if you see one at all. They really epitomize what was so great about computer gaming in the 80s - their games were *actually* mature. Nowadays the industry throws around the word "mature" and they mean "boobs, blood and swearing." A truly mature game is a simulation of a single battle of the Civil War. That takes some real thought. I wish that type of game was still around (and I wish I had time to actually devote to those types of games). SSI put so much into their games, and put out so many.

Microprose is a good pick, and they certainly had some legendary titles, but they just didn't have the quantity to make them #1 imho. Epyx, EA, SSI and Mastertronic all had mountains and mountains of amazing games.

[saberman]

My personal favourite "Ultimate" doesn't even make the list .

On the pole I've gone for Activision as they made my all time favourite 2600 game H.E.R.O.

[BydoEmpire73]

I was browsing through my copy of the C64 book, and noticed US Gold published Beach Head 1 & 2 as well as Raid Over Moscow in the UK. Access did those games here, but they were three of my favorites. Kudos to Access Software, and US Gold for European distribution.

[saberman]

I was browsing through my copy of the C64 book, and noticed US Gold published Beach Head 1 & 2 as well as Raid Over Moscow in the UK. Access did those games here, but they were three of my favorites. Kudos to Access Software, and US Gold for European distribution.

US Gold were a pretty good distributor over here. Those were probably, my 3 favourite games that they published.

[Jammajup]

My personal favourite "Ultimate" doesn't even make the list .

On the pole I've gone for Activision as they made my all time favourite 2600 game H.E.R.O.

I agree and was expecting Ultimate to be there lol,agree with H.E.R.O too which was one of my fav 2600 games too in fact i have not seen a poor version.
I really do not know how to vote on this poll though as some of these may have just had a licence for a game and not made it,also no company was perfect so it may be a mixed bag.

[saberman]

My last mention, at least now before listening to the show, is Telecomsoft. Firebird/Rainbird/Silverbird. Again, I bought their games by the barrel-load. Elite, Cholo, Starglider 2, Thrust, Willow Pattern Adventure plus others. Fantastic.

Totally agree with Telecomsoft if just for Elite and Starglider. Their budget games were good too, Booty and "The Wild Bunch" anyone?

[Jammajup]

Yes i have memories of all those from Speccy and Amiga days,Booty was great and has one of the best title screens i have seen on the speccy but i do remember that when collecting items that the collision detection was on one side so if you approached it from the other side you would be standing halfway inside the object as you collected it and if it was a bomb you had to keep running through to get away in time.My cousin used to play Wild Bunch a lot as it had a random element in some situations and the variance made it interesting to watch.

[RUP]

Anyone play "Gemstone Warrior" from SSI? I bought that game for the box art alone. Played it to death on my Atari 800XL...Wish I still had it! Check out the killer box art here: http://www.c64sets.com/set.html?id=15

[BydoEmpire73]

Anyone play "Gemstone Warrior" from SSI? I bought that game for the box art alone. Played it to death on my Atari 800XL...Wish I still had it! Check out the killer box art here: http://www.c64sets.com/set.html?id=15

I remember the box art and ads for that game, but I don't recall if I've every played it.