Difference between revisions of "Ocean Software"
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| − | '''Ocean Software''', founded in 1982 by David Ward and Jon Woods, was one of the biggest developers | + | '''Ocean Software''', founded in 1982 by David Ward and Jon Woods, was one of the biggest European games developers across all home computing platforms. |
| − | + | As well as an impressive back catalogue of CPC games, Ocean's has left a legacy touching every major gaming platform of the 1980s including the [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Atari ST]], [[Amiga]], [[PC]], [[NES]], [[SNES]], [[Master System]] and [[Mega Drive]] | |
| − | + | Although they developed and supported a number of original games and ideas, they will be forever associated in the mind of the casual game with their [[Licenced games|TV & Movie licence games]] and ports of the latest arcade hits from [[Konami]] and [[Taito]], the latest of which Ocean always seemed to be advertising up to six months in advance of release in the magazines of the day! | |
| − | + | By the time the CPC had arrived on the scene, Ocean had already beaten their North-East rivals '''Imagine''' who had overreached themselves in the battle for supremacy. Ocean took on the brand name for themselves and made a number of key releases on the label in the following years. Simply put, however, every release on the Imagine label for the CPC was in fact made by Ocean. | |
| − | + | As well as Imagine, Ocean developed the '''Hit Squad''' label as a budget house to re-release their old titles (along with a number of other titles by third parties). | |
| − | + | ||
| − | * Arkanoid 2 - Revenge of Doh | + | Their position as one of the key CPC developers is secured thanks to their involvement with the Plus range. Chosen by Amstrad as an ideal partner to provide launch software, it was Ocean who developed and produced [[Burnin' Rubber]], the game included with the GX4000 and the Plus range of machines. |
| − | * Batman | + | |
| − | * Batman | + | A short-lived serious software arm, '''Ocean IQ''', published the [[Laser Basic|Laser Basic]], [[Laser Genius|Laser Genius]] and [[Laser BASIC Compiler|Laser Compiler]] titles. |
| − | * Batman the Caped Crusader | + | |
| − | * Battle Command | + | As with all games developers, and particularly true of a group with the huge output of Ocean, the quality can vary wildly from game to game but thanks to their savvy maketing and more than a few classic games, Ocean will always tend to be remembered favourably. |
| − | * Beach Volley | + | |
| − | * [[Burnin' Rubber]] | + | In 1998 the Ocean name finally disappeared when the group, who had been unable to move with the times into the 32-bit era was bought out by [[Infogrames]]. |
| − | * Cabal | + | |
| − | * Chase HQ | + | == Releases for CPC == |
| − | * | + | |
| − | + | *[[Arkanoid 2 - Revenge of Doh|Arkanoid 2 - Revenge of Doh]] | |
| − | * | + | |
| − | + | *[[Batman|Batman]] | |
| − | + | *[[Batman The Movie|Batman The Movie]] (1989) | |
| − | + | *[[Batman The Movie ( Cartridge )|Batman The Movie ( Cartridge )]] (1989) | |
| − | * Donkey Kong | + | *[[Batman the Caped Crusader|Batman the Caped Crusader]] |
| − | * Frankie goes to Hollywood | + | |
| − | * Galvan | + | *[[Battle Command|Battle Command]] |
| − | * Ghengis Khan | + | *[[Beach Volley|Beach Volley]] |
| − | * Gilligan's Gold | + | *[[Burnin' Rubber|Burning Rubber (Cartridge )]] (1990) |
| − | * Gryzor | + | *[[Cabal|Cabal]] |
| − | * Head Over Heels | + | *[[Chase HQ|Chase HQ]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Combat School|Combat School]] |
| − | + | *[[Darkman|Darkman]] | |
| − | + | *[[Donkey Kong|Donkey Kong]] | |
| − | * Hunchback | + | *[[Frankie goes to Hollywood|Frankie goes to Hollywood]] |
| − | * Hunchback the Adventure | + | *[[Galvan|Galvan]] |
| − | * It's a Knockout | + | *[[Ghengis Khan|Ghengis Khan]] |
| − | * Knight Bride | + | *[[Gilligan's Gold|Gilligan's Gold]] |
| − | + | *[[The Great Escape|The Great Escape]] | |
| − | * Kong Strikes Back | + | *[[Gryzor|Gryzor]] Known as Contra too on other systems. |
| − | * Madballs | + | *[[Head Over Heels|Head Over Heels]] |
| − | * Mario Bros. | + | *[[Hunchback|Hunchback]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Hunchback II - Quasimodo's Revenge|Hunchback II - Quasimodo's Revenge]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Hunchback the Adventure|Hunchback the Adventure]] |
| − | * | + | *[[It's a Knockout|It's a Knockout]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Knight Bride|Knight Bride]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Kong Strikes Back|Kong Strikes Back]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Madballs|Madballs]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Mario Bros.|Mario Bros.]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Midnight Resistance|Midnight Resistance]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Mutants|Mutants]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Narc|Narc]] |
| − | * | + | *[[The New Zealand Story|The New Zealand Story]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Nomad|Nomad]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Phantom Club|Phantom Club]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Platoon|Platoon]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Plotting|Plotting]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Puzznic|Puzznic]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Rainbow Islands|Rainbow Islands]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Renegade]] |
| − | * Rambo - First Blood 2 | + | *[[Run for Gold|Run for Gold]] |
| − | * Rambo 3 | + | *[[Run the Gauntlet|Run the Gauntlet]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Super Wondeboy in Monsterland|Super Wondeboy in Monsterland]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Tai-Pan]] |
| − | * Robocop | + | *[[Tank|Tank]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Target Renegade|Target Renegade]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Top Gun|Top Gun]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Track & Field|Track & Field]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Typhoon (Ocean)|Typhoon]] |
| − | * | + | *[[The Vindicator|The Vindicator]] |
| − | * Short Circuit | + | *[[Where Time Stoods Still|Where Time Stoods Still]] |
| − | * Short Circuit 2 | + | *[[Wizball|Wizball]] |
| − | * Simpsons: Bart vs. The Space Mutants | + | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | '''Movies or TV Licenses :''' | |
| − | + | ||
| − | * Street Hawk | + | *[[The Addams Family|The Addams Family]] (1991) |
| − | + | *[[Cobra Stallone|Cobra Stallone]] | |
| − | + | *[[Highlander|Highlander]] | |
| − | * | + | *[[Hudson Hawk|Hudson Hawk]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Knight Rider|Knight Rider]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Miami Vice|Miami Vice]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Navy Seals (cartridge)|Navy Seals (Cartridge)]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Never Ending Story|Never Ending Story]] |
| − | * [[ | + | *[[Night Breed|Night Breed]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Red Heat|Red Heat]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Rambo - First Blood 2|Rambo - First Blood 2]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Rambo 3|Rambo 3]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Robocop|Robocop]] (1987) |
| − | * | + | *[[Robocop 2 (cartridge)|Robocop 2 (Cartridge)]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Robocop 3|Robocop 3]] Unreleased. |
| − | * | + | *[[Terminator 2|Terminator 2]] |
| − | * | + | *[[The Untouchables|The Untouchables]] |
| − | * | + | *[[V - The Visitors|V - The Visitors]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Top Gun|Top Gun]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Total Recall|Total Recall]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Short Circuit|Short Circuit]] |
| − | * World Cup Carnival 86 | + | *[[Short Circuit 2|Short Circuit 2]] |
| − | * WWF Wrestlemania Challenge | + | *[[Simpsons: Bart vs. The Space Mutants|Simpsons: Bart vs. The Space Mutants]] |
| + | *[[Street Hawk|Street Hawk]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Arcade Licenses :''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | *[[Operation Thunderbolt|Operation Thunderbolt]] | ||
| + | *[[Operation Wolf|Operation Wolf]] | ||
| + | *[[Pang|Pang]] | ||
| + | *[[Rastan|Rastan]] | ||
| + | *[[Shadow Warriors|Shadow Warriors]] | ||
| + | *[[Smash TV|Smash TV]] | ||
| + | *[[Space Gun|Space Gun]] | ||
| + | *[[Toki|Toki]] (Cartridge) unreleased VaporWare. | ||
| + | *[[Sly Spy|Sly Spy]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | '''Sport Licenses''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | *[[Adidas Championship Football|Adidas Championship Football]] | ||
| + | *[[Adidas Championship Tie Break|Adidas Championship Tie Break]] | ||
| + | *[[Daley Thompson's Decathlon|Daley Thompson's Decathlon]] | ||
| + | *[[Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge|Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge]] | ||
| + | *[[Daley Thompson's Supertest|Daley Thompson's Supertest]] | ||
| + | *[[Match Day|Match Day]] | ||
| + | *[[Matchday 2|Matchday 2]] | ||
| + | *[[Super Test Decathlon|Super Test Decathlon]] | ||
| + | *[[Superbowl|Superbowl]] | ||
| + | *[[World Cup Carnival 86|World Cup Carnival 86]] | ||
| + | *[[WWF Wrestlemania Challenge|WWF Wrestlemania Challenge]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | == Gallery == | ||
| + | |||
| + | <gallery> caption="screenshots"> | ||
| + | Image:SOTB Comparatif 2.png| Shadow of the Beast by Psygnosis/[[Ocean]] | ||
| + | Image:Ocean.png| Various [[Ocean]] intro pages | ||
| + | Image:Divers 01.png| Various [[Ocean]](mostly) intro pages | ||
| + | </gallery> | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:CPC_related_companies]] [[Category:Computer_and_video_game_companies]][[Category:UK companies]] | ||
Latest revision as of 20:59, 4 February 2017
Ocean Software, founded in 1982 by David Ward and Jon Woods, was one of the biggest European games developers across all home computing platforms.
As well as an impressive back catalogue of CPC games, Ocean's has left a legacy touching every major gaming platform of the 1980s including the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga, PC, NES, SNES, Master System and Mega Drive
Although they developed and supported a number of original games and ideas, they will be forever associated in the mind of the casual game with their TV & Movie licence games and ports of the latest arcade hits from Konami and Taito, the latest of which Ocean always seemed to be advertising up to six months in advance of release in the magazines of the day!
By the time the CPC had arrived on the scene, Ocean had already beaten their North-East rivals Imagine who had overreached themselves in the battle for supremacy. Ocean took on the brand name for themselves and made a number of key releases on the label in the following years. Simply put, however, every release on the Imagine label for the CPC was in fact made by Ocean.
As well as Imagine, Ocean developed the Hit Squad label as a budget house to re-release their old titles (along with a number of other titles by third parties).
Their position as one of the key CPC developers is secured thanks to their involvement with the Plus range. Chosen by Amstrad as an ideal partner to provide launch software, it was Ocean who developed and produced Burnin' Rubber, the game included with the GX4000 and the Plus range of machines.
A short-lived serious software arm, Ocean IQ, published the Laser Basic, Laser Genius and Laser Compiler titles.
As with all games developers, and particularly true of a group with the huge output of Ocean, the quality can vary wildly from game to game but thanks to their savvy maketing and more than a few classic games, Ocean will always tend to be remembered favourably.
In 1998 the Ocean name finally disappeared when the group, who had been unable to move with the times into the 32-bit era was bought out by Infogrames.
Releases for CPC
- Battle Command
- Beach Volley
- Burning Rubber (Cartridge ) (1990)
- Cabal
- Chase HQ
- Combat School
- Darkman
- Donkey Kong
- Frankie goes to Hollywood
- Galvan
- Ghengis Khan
- Gilligan's Gold
- The Great Escape
- Gryzor Known as Contra too on other systems.
- Head Over Heels
- Hunchback
- Hunchback II - Quasimodo's Revenge
- Hunchback the Adventure
- It's a Knockout
- Knight Bride
- Kong Strikes Back
- Madballs
- Mario Bros.
- Midnight Resistance
- Mutants
- Narc
- The New Zealand Story
- Nomad
- Phantom Club
- Platoon
- Plotting
- Puzznic
- Rainbow Islands
- Renegade
- Run for Gold
- Run the Gauntlet
- Super Wondeboy in Monsterland
- Tai-Pan
- Tank
- Target Renegade
- Top Gun
- Track & Field
- Typhoon
- The Vindicator
- Where Time Stoods Still
- Wizball
Movies or TV Licenses :
- The Addams Family (1991)
- Cobra Stallone
- Highlander
- Hudson Hawk
- Knight Rider
- Miami Vice
- Navy Seals (Cartridge)
- Never Ending Story
- Night Breed
- Red Heat
- Rambo - First Blood 2
- Rambo 3
- Robocop (1987)
- Robocop 2 (Cartridge)
- Robocop 3 Unreleased.
- Terminator 2
- The Untouchables
- V - The Visitors
- Top Gun
- Total Recall
- Short Circuit
- Short Circuit 2
- Simpsons: Bart vs. The Space Mutants
- Street Hawk
Arcade Licenses :
- Operation Thunderbolt
- Operation Wolf
- Pang
- Rastan
- Shadow Warriors
- Smash TV
- Space Gun
- Toki (Cartridge) unreleased VaporWare.
- Sly Spy
Sport Licenses
- Adidas Championship Football
- Adidas Championship Tie Break
- Daley Thompson's Decathlon
- Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge
- Daley Thompson's Supertest
- Match Day
- Matchday 2
- Super Test Decathlon
- Superbowl
- World Cup Carnival 86
- WWF Wrestlemania Challenge
