Electric Dreams Software
Encyclopedia
Electric Dreams Software was a video game publisher
established in 1985
by ex-managing director of Quicksilva
, Rod Cousens and ex Software Manager of Quicksilva
, Paul Cooper. The company published video games for the ZX Spectrum
, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC
between 1985 and 1989, becoming one of the top eight UK software houses of that decade.
was Software Studios, set up in April 1986 and run by John Dean and Dave Cummings. Software Studios also handled Activision
's products marketed in countries outside the United States. The concept behind this team was to pool resources and ideas between all Electric Dream projects, but they were also directly responsible for two film tie-in licenses, Aliens: The Computer Game (1986) and Big Trouble in Little China
.
Other software titles were chosen for release by Paul Cooper, also formerly of Quicksilva. The company's initial releases were Riddler's Den and I, Of the Mask.
.
In addition, the strategy game RMS Titanic was previewed by the gaming press in 1986, but was never published.
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
established in 1985
1985 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* Brøderbund releases Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, the first game of the prolific Carmen Sandiego series* Nintendo releases Super Mario Bros. on September 13, 1985, which eventually sells 40 million copies making it the best-selling video game of all time until 2008.*...
by ex-managing director of Quicksilva
Quicksilva
Quicksilva was a British games software publisher active during the early 1980s.Amongst the company's successes were Jeff Minter's Gridrunner and Bugaboo , a title licenced from Spanish software house Indescomp S.A....
, Rod Cousens and ex Software Manager of Quicksilva
Quicksilva
Quicksilva was a British games software publisher active during the early 1980s.Amongst the company's successes were Jeff Minter's Gridrunner and Bugaboo , a title licenced from Spanish software house Indescomp S.A....
, Paul Cooper. The company published video games for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
between 1985 and 1989, becoming one of the top eight UK software houses of that decade.
Software Studios
The publisher's in-house video game developerVideo game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
was Software Studios, set up in April 1986 and run by John Dean and Dave Cummings. Software Studios also handled Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
's products marketed in countries outside the United States. The concept behind this team was to pool resources and ideas between all Electric Dream projects, but they were also directly responsible for two film tie-in licenses, Aliens: The Computer Game (1986) and Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China is a 1986 American martial arts comedy film directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell as truck driver Jack Burton, who helps his friend Wang Chi rescue Wang's green-eyed fiancee from bandits in San Francisco's Chinatown...
.
Other software titles were chosen for release by Paul Cooper, also formerly of Quicksilva. The company's initial releases were Riddler's Den and I, Of the Mask.
Logo
Electric Dreams Software's logo design is identical to the logo for Disney's Captain EOCaptain EO
Captain EO is a 3-D science fiction film starring Michael Jackson and directed by Francis Ford Coppola that was shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through the 1990s...
.
List of releases
- Riddler's Den (1985), David Harper
- I, of the Mask (1985), Spaceman Ltd
- Back to the Future (1985), Software Images
- Winter Sports (video game) (1985), Software Images
- ZaxxonZaxxonZaxxon is a 1982 arcade game developed and released by Sega. Some sources claim that Japanese electronics company Ikegami Tsushinki also worked on the development of Zaxxon...
(1985); under license from Sega - Aliens: The Computer Game (1986), Software Studios
- Big Trouble in Little ChinaBig Trouble in Little ChinaBig Trouble in Little China is a 1986 American martial arts comedy film directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell as truck driver Jack Burton, who helps his friend Wang Chi rescue Wang's green-eyed fiancee from bandits in San Francisco's Chinatown...
(1986), Software Studios - Dandy (1986), The RamJam Corporation
- Explorer (1986), The RamJam Corporation
- Hijack (1986), Paradise Software
- Mermaid Madness (1986), Soft Design
- Prodigy (1986), MD Software
- Spindizzy (1986), Paul Shirley and Phil Churchyard
- Super Hang-OnSuper Hang-Onis a 1987 motorcycle racing arcade game from Sega, and the sequel to the acclaimed Hang-On. A version of this game, in the full simulated-motorcycle cabinet used by the original Hang-On was released in 1991 as Limited Edition Hang-On....
(1986), Software Studios; under license from Sega - Xarq (1986), The RamJam Corporation
- Aliens: The Computer Game (1987), Mr. Micro
- FiretrackFiretrackFiretrack is a vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up computer game programmed by Nick "Orlando" Pelling and released for the BBC Micro and Commodore 64 platforms in 1987 by Electric Dreams Software. It was also ported to the Acorn Electron by Superior Software in 1989 as part of the Play It Again Sam 7...
(1987), Aardvark Software - FireTrapFiretrapFiretrap is a British clothing company, founded in 1991, specialising in premium menswear and accessories. It is the main brand within the WDT company , which also owns its sister brand Fullcircle along with previous brands SC51 and Sonnetti.Firetrap is firmly established internationally and is...
(1987), Source Software; under license from Data East USA - Nihilist (1987), Shahid Ahmad
- Star Raiders 2Star Raiders 2Star Raiders II is a video game released in for the Atari 8-bit home computers, and later several other home computers and game consoles. The game was originally developed as part of a tie-in with the movie The Last Starfighter, which featured an arcade game of the same name as part of its plotline...
(1987), Simon Freeman, Gary Stark and Bruce Poelman; under license from Atari - Super SprintSuper SprintSuper Sprint is a 1986 arcade game by Atari Games. The player drives a Formula One-like car on a circuit that is viewed from above.-Gameplay:...
(1987), as developer, published by Activision; under license from Atari - Tempest (1987), David Pridmore; under license from Atari
- Championship SprintChampionship SprintChampionship Sprint is an arcade game that was released in 1986 and was the sequel to Super Sprint. It was later ported to ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64...
(1988), Catalyst Coders; under license from Atari - KarnovKarnovis a 1987 platform arcade game developed and published by Data East. It is the debut of Data East's mascot of the same name. After Data East became defunct due to bankruptcy in 2003, Paon, a company comprised with former Data East staff, acquired the rights to Karnov, along with multiple other Data...
(1988), Mr. Micro; under license from Data East USA - R-TypeR-Typeis a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game produced by Irem in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin...
(1988), Bob Pape and Mark A. Jones; under license from Irem Corporation - Incredible Shrinking Sphere (1989), Foursfield
In addition, the strategy game RMS Titanic was previewed by the gaming press in 1986, but was never published.