Thorn EMI Computer Software
Thorn EMI Computer Software was a British video games software house set up in the early 1980s as part of the now-defunct British conglomerate Thorn EMI. They released a number of games in the early 1980s, initially for the Atari 8-bit computers, and later for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and VIC-20 computers. In 1984, the Thorn EMI name was dropped in favour of Creative Sparks as the company were reportedly unhappy with their image in the video games market.[1] A budget label, Sparklers, was created in early 1985 to publish titles at £2.50.[2] Later in 1985, Creative Sparks, Sparklers and the distribution company, Creative Sparks Distribution (CSD) gained independence from Thorn EMI after a management buyout.[3]
In July 1987, six months after buying software company Mikro-Gen for a "substantial" sum,[4] Creative Sparks went into receivership with debts estimated at up to £1.5million.[5]
The back catalogue of the company was acquired by Tynesoft, Alternative Software and Maynard International (Top Ten Software).[6] The former management at CSD went on to form Software Publishing Associates, owners of the Crysys and Pirate Software labels.[7]
Releases
[edit]Many of the company's games listed below were issued on more than one label over the years. A typical example is River Rescue, first released under the Thorn EMI label,[8] then later sold (with updated artwork) under the Creative Sparks brand.[9] This was followed by a budget release on the company's own Sparklers label[10] then- after Creative Sparks' demise- another budget reissue by Alternative Software.[11]
'Thorn EMI' label
[edit]- Blockade Runner[12]
- Carnival Massacre[13]
- Cribbage and Dominoes
- Darts
- Gold Rush[14]
- Home Financial Management[15]
- Mutant Herd
- Orc Attack[16]
- River Rescue[8]
- Road Racer[17]
- Submarine Commander[18]
- Snooker and Billiards
- The VIC Music Composer
- Tower of Evil
- Volcanic Planet[19]
- 8-Ball and Tournament Pool
'Creative Sparks' label
[edit]- Black Hawk
- Computer War[20]
- Countdown to Meltdown[21]
- Danger Mouse In Double Trouble[22]
- Danger Mouse In The Black Forest Chateau[23]
- Delta Wing[24]
- Snodgits[25]
- Special Delivery[26]
- Stagecoach[27]
- Story House[28]
- Tower of Evil
- Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee
'Sparklers' label
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "News". Crash. No. 4. Newsfield. May 1984. p. 101. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "News". Home Computing Weekly. No. 4. Argus Specialist Press. 19 March 1985. p. 4. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "Management Buy-Out at Thorn EMI". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 4, no. 47. Sunshine Publications. 21–27 November 1985. p. 4. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "MikroGen is sold to distributor". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 5, no. 50. Sunshine Publications. 11–17 December 1986. p. 6.
- ^ "Receiver Called In At Creative Sparks". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 29. Sunshine Publications. 24–30 July 1987. p. 6. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "Equinox may see the light of day". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 38. Focus Magazines. 25 September – 1 October 1987. p. 11. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ David Lester (10–16 December 1987). "Risen from the ashes". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 49. Focus Magazines. p. 32. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms [Thorn EMI version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [ Creative Sparks version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Sparklers version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Alternative Software version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Blockade Runner". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "Atari 400 800 XL XE Carnival Massacre : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Gold Rush". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "Home Financial Management - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Atari 400 800 XL XE Orc Attack : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Road Racer". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "Atari 400 800 XL XE Submarine Commander : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Volcanic Planet". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "Computer War - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Countdown to Meltdown - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Danger Mouse in Double Trouble at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Danger Mouse in The Black Forest Chateau - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Delta Wing at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Snodgits at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Special Delivery at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Stagecoach at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Story House - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Bargain Basement!!! At Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware".
- ^ "Desert Burner at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Doombase at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Quackshot at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "St. Crippens at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
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