Thorn EMI Computer Software

{{Short description|Software house division of Thorn EMI}}

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.{{cite magazine |title=News|magazine=Crash |issue=4 |publisher=Newsfield |date=May 1984|page=101|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=971&page=101|access-date=11 February 2020}} A budget label, Sparklers, was created in early 1985 to publish titles at £2.50.{{cite magazine|title=News|magazine=Home Computing Weekly |issue=4 |publisher=Argus Specialist Press|date=19 March 1985|page=4|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=2670&page=4|access-date=11 February 2020}} Later in 1985, Creative Sparks, Sparklers and the distribution company, Creative Sparks Distribution (CSD) gained independence from Thorn EMI after a management buyout.{{cite magazine|title=Management Buy-Out at Thorn EMI|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|volume=4|issue=47|publisher=Sunshine Publications|date=21–27 November 1985|page=4|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=2884&page=4|access-date=11 February 2020}}

In July 1987, six months after buying software company Mikro-Gen for a "substantial" sum,{{cite magazine|title=MikroGen is sold to distributor|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|volume=5|issue=50|publisher=Sunshine Publications|date=11–17 December 1986|page=6|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=2938&page=6}}

Creative Sparks went into receivership with debts estimated at up to £1.5million.{{cite magazine|title=Receiver Called In At Creative Sparks|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|volume=6|issue=29|publisher=Sunshine Publications|date=24–30 July 1987|page=6|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=2968&page=6|access-date=11 February 2020}}

The back catalogue of the company was acquired by Tynesoft, Alternative Software and Maynard International (Top Ten Software).{{cite magazine|title=Equinox may see the light of day|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|volume=6|issue=38|publisher=Focus Magazines|date=25 September – 1 October 1987|page=11|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=2977&page=11|access-date=11 February 2020}}

The former management at CSD went on to form Software Publishing Associates, owners of the Crysys and Pirate Software labels.{{cite magazine|title=Risen from the ashes|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|volume=6|issue=49|publisher=Focus Magazines|date=10–16 December 1987|page=32|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=2988&page=32|author=David Lester|access-date=26 February 2020}}

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

='Thorn EMI' label=

  • Blockade Runner{{Cite web|url=https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/software/games/blockade-runner-thorn-emi-video-ltd|title=World of Spectrum - Blockade Runner|website=World of Spectrum}}
  • Carnival Massacre{{Cite web|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-carnival-massacre_902.html|title=Atari 400 800 XL XE Carnival Massacre : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms|website=www.atarimania.com}}
  • Cribbage and Dominoes
  • Darts
  • Gold Rush{{Cite web|url=https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/software/games/gold-rush-thorn-emi-video-ltd|title=World of Spectrum - Gold Rush|website=World of Spectrum}}
  • Home Financial Management{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/61947/Home-Financial-Management/|title=Home Financial Management - Software - Game - Computing History|website=www.computinghistory.org.uk}}
  • Mutant Herd
  • Orc Attack{{Cite web|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-orc-attack_3816.html|title=Atari 400 800 XL XE Orc Attack : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms|website=www.atarimania.com}}
  • River Rescue{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126090736/http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_4391.html|archivedate=2022-11-26|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_4391.html|title=Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms [Thorn EMI version]|website=www.atarimania.com}}
  • Road Racer{{Cite web|url=https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/software/games/road-racer-thorn-emi-video-ltd|title=World of Spectrum - Road Racer|website=World of Spectrum}}
  • Submarine Commander{{Cite web|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-submarine-commander_5129.html|title=Atari 400 800 XL XE Submarine Commander : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms|website=www.atarimania.com}}
  • Snooker and Billiards
  • The VIC Music Composer
  • Tower of Evil
  • Volcanic Planet{{Cite web|url=https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/software/games/volcanic-planet-thorn-emi-video-ltd|title=World of Spectrum - Volcanic Planet|website=World of Spectrum}}
  • 8-Ball and Tournament Pool

='Creative Sparks' label=

  • Black Hawk
  • Computer War{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/30762/Computer+War/|title=Computer War - Software - Game - Computing History|website=www.computinghistory.org.uk}}
  • Countdown to Meltdown{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/11759/Countdown-to-Meltdown/|title=Countdown to Meltdown - Software - Game - Computing History|website=www.computinghistory.org.uk}}
  • Danger Mouse In Double Trouble{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1247/ZX-Spectrum/Danger_Mouse_in_Double_Trouble|title=Danger Mouse in Double Trouble at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • Danger Mouse In The Black Forest Chateau{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/30603/Danger-Mouse-in-The-Black-Forest-Chateau/|title=Danger Mouse in The Black Forest Chateau - Software - Game - Computing History|website=www.computinghistory.org.uk}}
  • Delta Wing{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1337/ZX-Spectrum/Delta_Wing|title=Delta Wing at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • Snodgits{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4597/ZX-Spectrum/Snodgits|title=Snodgits at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • Special Delivery{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4700/ZX-Spectrum/Special_Delivery|title=Special Delivery at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • Stagecoach{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4805/ZX-Spectrum/Stagecoach|title=Stagecoach at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • Story House{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/11720/Story-House/|title=Story House - Software - Game - Computing History|website=www.computinghistory.org.uk}}
  • Tower of Evil
  • Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee

='Sparklers' label=

  • Bargain Basement{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/420/ZX-Spectrum/Bargain_Basement|title = Bargain Basement!!! At Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware}}
  • Desert Burner{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1354/ZX-Spectrum/Desert_Burner|title=Desert Burner at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • Doombase{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1447/ZX-Spectrum/Doombase|title=Doombase at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • Quackshot{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/3965/ZX-Spectrum/Quackshot|title=Quackshot at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}
  • St Crippens{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4800/ZX-Spectrum/St_Crippens|title=St. Crippens at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware|website=Spectrum Computing}}

References

{{reflist|

{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003121042/http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_20762.html|archivedate=2022-10-03|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_20762.html|title=Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [ Creative Sparks version]|website=www.atarimania.com}}

{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126091006/http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_6585.html|archivedate=2022-11-26|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_6585.html|title=Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Sparklers version]|website=www.atarimania.com}}

{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206014907/http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_6040.html|archivedate=2022-12-06|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_6040.html|title=Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Alternative Software version]|website=www.atarimania.com}}

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Category:Defunct video game companies of the United Kingdom

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