CDS Software
Encyclopedia
CDS Software was an independent publisher and developer of computer game software based in Doncaster
, South Yorkshire, UK.
newsagent store.
In 1985, the company launched the Blue Ribbon
budget label.
In 1988 CDS Software, under the CDS group of companies changed its name to Nimrod Holdings Ltd. Publishing continued under the CDS Software Label until the early 1990s. The company name eventually changed to Guildhall Leisure Services and from 2002 to the present day it is known as iDigicon Ltd.
consisting mainly of clones of arcade games. The company expanded to different formats with titles like Steve Davis Snooker and Colossus Chess
seeing releases on most platforms of the day. The launch of the budget label Blue Ribbon saw simple arcade type games diverted to that label with CDS concentrating on full price titles, often incorporating tie-in licences such as Brian Clough's Football Fortunes and Sporting Triangles. They also released the computer game crossed with a board game, TankAttack. The Complete Home Entertainment Centre was a compendium of games that were later spilt and sold as stand alone titles by Blue Ribbon (such as Video Card Arcade and Dominoes).
In the early 90s, CDS re-issued or picked up UK distribution of games for companies such as D&H (eg Multi-Player Soccer Manager
), MicroIllusions
(eg Fire Power) and Artworx
(eg the Strip Poker games).
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, South Yorkshire, UK.
History
The company was founded by Giles Hunter, an entrepreneur and former manager of the local W H SmithW H Smith
WHSmith plc is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It is best known for its chain of high street, railway station, airport, hospital and motorway service station shops selling books, stationery, magazines, newspapers, and entertainment products...
newsagent store.
In 1985, the company launched the Blue Ribbon
Blue Ribbon (software house)
Blue Ribbon was the budget computer software publishing label of CDS Micro Systems.The label launched in 1985 mostly made up of games from the MRM Software back catalogue. MRM had been a label producing games for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. Blue Ribbon reissued these and also converted them...
budget label.
In 1988 CDS Software, under the CDS group of companies changed its name to Nimrod Holdings Ltd. Publishing continued under the CDS Software Label until the early 1990s. The company name eventually changed to Guildhall Leisure Services and from 2002 to the present day it is known as iDigicon Ltd.
Games
The first games released in 1982-3 were for the 16k ZX SpectrumZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
consisting mainly of clones of arcade games. The company expanded to different formats with titles like Steve Davis Snooker and Colossus Chess
Colossus Chess
Colossus Chess is a series of chess-playing computer programs developed by Martin Bryant, commercially available for various home computers in the 1980s.- Colossus Chess :...
seeing releases on most platforms of the day. The launch of the budget label Blue Ribbon saw simple arcade type games diverted to that label with CDS concentrating on full price titles, often incorporating tie-in licences such as Brian Clough's Football Fortunes and Sporting Triangles. They also released the computer game crossed with a board game, TankAttack. The Complete Home Entertainment Centre was a compendium of games that were later spilt and sold as stand alone titles by Blue Ribbon (such as Video Card Arcade and Dominoes).
In the early 90s, CDS re-issued or picked up UK distribution of games for companies such as D&H (eg Multi-Player Soccer Manager
Multi-Player Soccer Manager
Multi-Player Soccer Manager is football management computer game released for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC in 1991.-Gameplay:...
), MicroIllusions
MicroIllusions
MicroIllusions, based in Granada Hills, California was a computer game developer and publisher of the home computer era . MicroIllusions, as a company, was a strong supporter of the Commodore Amiga and would typically release a title on that platform before porting it to others...
(eg Fire Power) and Artworx
Artworx
Artworx is a Naples, Florida software company that has been producing computer games since 1982, primarily specializing in poker and other card games. While in their early days they published a variety of games, including titles in the adventure and arcade-action genres...
(eg the Strip Poker games).