Thorn EMI Computer Software explained

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.^[1] A budget label, Sparklers, was created in early 1985 to publish titles at £2.50.^[2] Later in 1985, Creative Sparks, Sparklers and the distribution company, Creative Sparks Distribution (CSD) gained independence from Thorn EMI after a management buyout.^[3]

In July 1987, six months after buying software company Mikro-Gen for a "substantial" sum,^[4] Creative Sparks went into receivership with debts estimated at up to £1.5million.^[5]

The back catalogue of the company was acquired by Tynesoft, Alternative Software and Maynard International (Top Ten Software).^[6] The former management at CSD went on to form Software Publishing Associates, owners of the Crysys and Pirate Software labels.^[7]

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^[8]
• Carnival Massacre^[9]
• Cribbage and Dominoes
• Darts
• Gold Rush^[10]
• Home Financial Management^[11]
• Mutant Herd
• Orc Attack^[12]
• River Rescue^[13]
• Road Racer^[14]
• Submarine Commander^[15]
• Snooker and Billiards
• The VIC Music Composer
• Tower of Evil
• Volcanic Planet^[16]
• 8-Ball and Tournament Pool

'Creative Sparks' label

• Black Hawk
• Computer War^[17]
• Countdown to Meltdown^[18]
• Danger Mouse In Double Trouble^[19]
• Danger Mouse In The Black Forest Chateau^[20]
• Delta Wing^[21]
• Snodgits^[22]
• Special Delivery^[23]
• Stagecoach^[24]
• Story House^[25]
• Tower of Evil
• Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee

'Sparklers' label

• Bargain Basement^[26]
• Desert Burner^[27]
• Doombase^[28]
• Quackshot^[29]
• St Crippens^[30]

Notes and References

1. News. Crash . 4 . Newsfield . May 1984. 101. 11 February 2020.
2. News. Home Computing Weekly . 4 . Argus Specialist Press. 19 March 1985. 4. 11 February 2020.
3. Management Buy-Out at Thorn EMI. Popular Computing Weekly. 4. 47. Sunshine Publications. 21–27 November 1985. 4. 11 February 2020.
4. MikroGen is sold to distributor. Popular Computing Weekly. 5. 50. Sunshine Publications. 11–17 December 1986. 6.
5. Receiver Called In At Creative Sparks. Popular Computing Weekly. 6. 29. Sunshine Publications. 24–30 July 1987. 6. 11 February 2020.
6. Equinox may see the light of day. Popular Computing Weekly. 6. 38. Focus Magazines. 25 September – 1 October 1987. 11. 11 February 2020.
7. Risen from the ashes. Popular Computing Weekly. 6. 49. Focus Magazines. 10–16 December 1987. 32. David Lester. 26 February 2020.
8. Web site: World of Spectrum - Blockade Runner. World of Spectrum.
9. Web site: Atari 400 800 XL XE Carnival Massacre : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms. www.atarimania.com.
10. Web site: World of Spectrum - Gold Rush. World of Spectrum.
11. Web site: Home Financial Management - Software - Game - Computing History. www.computinghistory.org.uk.
12. Web site: Atari 400 800 XL XE Orc Attack : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms. www.atarimania.com.
13. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20221126090736/http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-river-rescue_4391.html. 2022-11-26. Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms [Thorn EMI version]]. www.atarimania.com.
14. Web site: World of Spectrum - Road Racer. World of Spectrum.
15. Web site: Atari 400 800 XL XE Submarine Commander : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms. www.atarimania.com.
16. Web site: World of Spectrum - Volcanic Planet. World of Spectrum.
17. Web site: Computer War - Software - Game - Computing History. www.computinghistory.org.uk.
18. Web site: Countdown to Meltdown - Software - Game - Computing History. www.computinghistory.org.uk.
19. Web site: Danger Mouse in Double Trouble at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
20. Web site: Danger Mouse in The Black Forest Chateau - Software - Game - Computing History. www.computinghistory.org.uk.
21. Web site: Delta Wing at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
22. Web site: Snodgits at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
23. Web site: Special Delivery at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
24. Web site: Stagecoach at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
25. Web site: Story House - Software - Game - Computing History. www.computinghistory.org.uk.
26. Web site: Bargain Basement!!! At Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware.
27. Web site: Desert Burner at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
28. Web site: Doombase at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
29. Web site: Quackshot at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.
30. Web site: St. Crippens at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware. Spectrum Computing.