Thorn EMI Computer Software

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Template:Short description Thorn EMI Computer Software[1] (also known as Thorn EMI Video Programmes)[2] 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 using the same "Thorn EMI Video" label[3] as their home video releases. Initially these were for the Atari 8-bit computers, and later for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and VIC-20 formats.

In 1984, the Thorn EMI name was dropped in favour of Creative Sparks as the company felt its "big corporate" associations were inappropriate for the video games market.[4] A budget label, Sparklers, was created in early 1985 to publish titles at £2.50.[5] Later in 1985, Creative Sparks, Sparklers and the distribution company, Creative Sparks Distribution (CSD) gained independence from Thorn EMI after a management buyout.[6]

In July 1987, six months after buying software company Mikro-Gen for a "substantial" sum,[7] Creative Sparks went into receivership with debts estimated at up to £1.5million.[8]

The back catalogue of the company was acquired by Tynesoft, Alternative Software and Maynard International (Top Ten Software).[9] The former management at CSD went on to form Software Publishing Associates, owners of the Crysys and Pirate Software labels.[10]

Releases

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,[11] then later sold (with updated artwork) under the Creative Sparks brand.[12] This was followed by a budget release on the company's own Sparklers label[13] then- after Creative Sparks' demise- another budget reissue by Alternative Software.[14]

'Thorn EMI' label

'Creative Sparks' label

  • Black Hawk
  • Computer War[21]
  • Countdown to Meltdown[22]
  • Danger Mouse In Double Trouble[23]
  • Danger Mouse In The Black Forest Chateau[24]
  • Delta Wing[25]
  • Snodgits[26]
  • Special Delivery[27]
  • Stagecoach[28]
  • Story House[29]
  • Tower of Evil
  • Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee

'Sparklers' label

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."River Rescue [title page screenshot]". Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. © 1984 THORN EMI COMPUTER SOFTWARE
  2. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Atari 400 800 XL XE Submarine Commander : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com. [screenshot] Copyright 1982 Thorn EMI Video Programmes Ltd.
  3. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Atari 400 800 XL XE Carnival Massacre : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com. [screenshot] "Thorn EMI Video presents" [cover] Logo:"Thorn EMI Video"
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."News". Crash. No. 4. Newsfield. May 1984. p. 101. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."News". Home Computing Weekly. Argus Specialist Press. 19 March 1985. p. 4. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Management Buy-Out at Thorn EMI". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 4, no. 47. Sunshine Publications. 21–27 November 1985. p. 4. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."MikroGen is sold to distributor". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 5, no. 50. Sunshine Publications. 11–17 December 1986. p. 6. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Receiver Called In At Creative Sparks". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 29. Sunshine Publications. 24–30 July 1987. p. 6. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Equinox may see the light of day". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 38. Focus Magazines. 25 September – 1 October 1987. p. 11. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.David Lester (10–16 December 1987). "Risen from the ashes". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 49. Focus Magazines. p. 32. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  11. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."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.
  12. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [ Creative Sparks version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03.
  13. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Sparklers version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26.
  14. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Alternative Software version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."World of Spectrum - Blockade Runner". World of Spectrum.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."World of Spectrum - Gold Rush". World of Spectrum.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Home Financial Management - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Atari 400 800 XL XE Orc Attack : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."World of Spectrum - Road Racer". World of Spectrum.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."World of Spectrum - Volcanic Planet". World of Spectrum.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Computer War - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Countdown to Meltdown - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Danger Mouse in Double Trouble at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Danger Mouse in The Black Forest Chateau - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Delta Wing at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Snodgits at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Special Delivery at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Stagecoach at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Story House - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bargain Basement!!! At Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware".
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Desert Burner at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Doombase at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Quackshot at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."St. Crippens at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
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