Software Projects

Software Projects
IndustryVideo games
Founded1983
FounderMatthew Smith, Alan Maton[1]
Defunct1988
HeadquartersBear Brand Complex, Allerton Road, Woolton, Liverpool L25 7SF
Key people
Matthew Smith, Alan Maton Colin Roach
ProductsComputer games

Software Projects was a computer game development company which was started by Manic Miner developer Matthew Smith, Alan Maton and Colin Roach. After leaving Bug-Byte as a freelance developer, Smith was able to take the rights to his recently developed Manic Miner game with him, due to an oversight in his freelance contract.[1] Software Projects was then able to market and publish the ZX Spectrum hit game separately from Bug-Byte. Their logo was a Penrose triangle.

In 1987, the company had a deal with Special FX Software to release the company's first title Hysteria. The team would soon join Ocean Software afterwards.[2]

Released games

  • Anaconda
  • Astronut[3]
  • BC's Quest for Tires[4]
  • Binky[5]
  • Crazy Balloon[6]
  • Crypt Capers[7]
  • Dinky Doo[8]
  • Dodo Lair[9]
  • Dragon's Lair[10]
  • Dragon's Lair Part II - Escape from Singe's Castle[10]
  • Ewgeebez[11]
  • Fatty Henry
  • Galactic Gardener[12]
  • Harvey Smith Showjumper[13]
  • Hunchback at the Olympics
  • Hysteria
  • Jet Set Willy[1]
  • Jet Set Willy II
  • Karls Kavern[14]
  • Learning with Leeper
  • Ledgeman
  • Legion
  • Loderunner[15]
  • McKensie
  • Manic Miner
  • Nutcraka[16]
  • Ometron[17]
  • Orion
  • Project Graphics Language
  • Push Off
  • Run and Plunder
  • Space Swarm
  • Space Joust
  • Star Paws
  • The Perils of Willy
  • Thrusta[18]
  • Tribble Trubble[19]

In 1984 and 1985 they released a number of budget titles at £2.99 on the Software Supersavers label.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b c Graham Taylor (April 1984). "And pigs will fly... Graham Taylor talks to Matthew Smith and Alan Maton of Software Projects". Popular Computing Weekly.
  2. ^ "NEWS". Crash. Newsfield. March 1988. p. 8. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  3. ^ "World of Spectrum - Astronut".
  4. ^ "BC's Quest for Tires".
  5. ^ "Amstrad Action-001-Binky-AMS.JPG".
  6. ^ "Crazy Balloon (1983 Software Projects) [388]".
  7. ^ "Crypt Capers - Software - Game - Computing History".
  8. ^ "Dinky Doo - Software - Game - Computing History".
  9. ^ "Dodo Lair - Software - Game - Computing History".
  10. ^ a b "Commodore User Magazine Issue 41". February 1987.
  11. ^ "Ewgeebez - Software - Game - Computing History".
  12. ^ "Galactic Gardener - Software - Game - Computing History".
  13. ^ "Harvey Smith Showjumper - Software - Computing History".
  14. ^ "Karls Kavern - Software - Game - Computing History".
  15. ^ https://worldofspectrum.org//pub/sinclair/games-inlays/l/LodeRunner.jpg [bare URL image file]
  16. ^ "Nutcraka".
  17. ^ "Ometron - Software - Game - Computing History".
  18. ^ "Personal Computer Games Issue15".
  19. ^ "Tribble Trubble | Retro Gamer". 23 December 2008.
  20. ^ "More at less". ZX Computing. Argus Specialist Publications: 82. February–March 1985.


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