AMSOFT
The software wing of Amstrad, Amsoft was created with one very specific goal: to get software on the shelves for the launch of the CPC 464. Amstrad owner Alan Sugar viewed this as a key element in the succesful launch of the machine was determined not to make similar mistakes to the Dragon 32, Oric, Enterprise and dozens of other would be competitors to the BBC, ZX Spectrum and C64 and first and foremost amongst them was taking on successful brands with a large back catalogue of software.
To do this, Amsoft were given a very simple brief of getting as many games on to the shelves as possible to support the launch and first years of the machine's life, regardless of how good the programme was. The Amsoft priority in the early years was very much quantity over quality, famously refusing to bid for prestigious games like Elite because they could knock out a dozen other games for the price of buying the rights to that one game.
Strictly a third party publisher, Amsoft did no coding in house, instead franchising out to a number of other developers including Indescomp (who published the titles in Spain on behalf of Amsoft), Mr Micro and James Software to name only a few.
In this time the distinctively bright Amsoft branding did it's job and the early games sold well thanks to some savvy marketing and an eye for a good opportunity.
The earliest success for Amsoft, and it's biggest legacy, was the Roland series. Named after Roland Perry the character was used as the basis for a number of games none of which (with the exception of Roland in Time and Roland in Space had anything to do with each other! Instead, the Roland brand was added almost arbitrarily to a selection of games from different developers and despite the generally poor quality of these titles, they still sold by the bucket load!
As games became more advanced and the bigger companies like US Gold, Mikro-Gen and Ocean broke away from the Amsoft branding to publish for the machine under their own labels, Amsoft tried re-branding itself by introducing the Amsoft Gold label. Despite an encouraging start by re-releasing disk versions of Sorcery and Strangeloop (by adding the moniker '+' to both games and including additional areas of gameplay) not to mention a few good original titles like Doors of Doom, it became all too clear that Amsoft Gold had little or no distinction in terms of quality control from plain old Amsoft and the company was quietly disbanded, it's last releases Tapper and Hardball despite being potentially high-profile arcade ports, were sneaked out with little fanfare. Indeed the last game in development for the company, a conversion of the coin-op Spy Hunter, was never actually released by Amsoft, eventually being released on US Gold's budget label Kixx.
Contents
Games
This is a list of Amsoft games in chronological order.
- Friss Man (1985)
- Seesaw (1985)
- Supertripper (1985)
- Rock Hopper (1985)
- Kingdoms (1985)
- Overlord 2 (1985)
- Campeones (1985)
| Title | House | Year | Soft N. UK | Soft N. FR | Soft N. SP |
| 3D Boxing | James Software | 1985 | 06025 / 07025 | 46025 / 47025 | |
| 3D Chess/Cyrus II Chess | Intelligent Software | 1985 | 06026 / 07026 | - / 47026 | |
| 3D Grand Prix | Exopal Software | 1985 | 961 / 1961 | - / 41961 | |
| 3D Invaders | Quark Data | 1985 | 136 | 436 | |
| 3D Stunt Rider | DJL Software | 1985 | 183 / 1183 | 4183 / - | |
| 6128 Games Collection | 1986 | ||||
| Admiral Graf Spee | Temptation Software | 1984 | 146 | 446 | |
| Airwolf | Elite Systems | 1985 | 06011 / 07011 | - / 47011 | |
| Alex Higgins World Pool | Gem Software | 1985 | 964 / 1964 | ||
| Alex Higgins World Snooker | Gem Software | 1985 | 978 / 1978 | - / 41190 | |
| Alien | Argus Press Software | 1985 | 956 / 1956 | ||
| Alien Break In | Romik | 1985 | 137 | 437 | |
| American Football | Argus Press Software | 1984 | 901 | ||
| Amsgolf | Computersmith | 1984 | 185 / 1185 | 485 / 41185 | |
| Assault on Port Stanley | Shirekilo | 1985 | 06022 / 07022 | ||
| Astro Attack | Ian Beynon | 1984 | 175 | ||
| Atom Smasher | Romik | 1984 | 139 | ||
| Beach Head | US Gold/Access | 1985 | 07001 | ||
| Blagger | Alligata Software | 1984 | 926 | ||
| Braxx Bluff | Micromega | 1985 | 955 / 1955 | ||
| Bridge-It | Epicsoft | 1984 | 913 | ||
| Catastrophes | Andromeda Software | 1985 | 934 / 1934 | 4934 / 41934 | |
| Centre Court | Epicsoft | 1984 | 921 / 1921 | ||
| Classic Adventure | Abersoft | 1984 | 187 | ||
| Classic Racing | Paul Neil | 1985 | 928 / 1928 | ||
| Codename MAT | Micromega | 1984 | 129 | ||
| Crazy Golf | Mr. Micro | 1984 | 149 | ||
| Cubit | Mr. Micro | 1985 | 166 | ||
| Cyrus II Chess/3D Chess | Intelligent Software | 1985 | 06026 / 07026 | - / 47026 | |
| Detective | Argus Press Software | 1984 | 902 | 4902 | |
| Doors of Doom/Les Portes du Destin | Gem Software | 1985 | 06047 / 07047 | ||
| Dragons/The Game of Dragons | O. Goodman | 1985 | 977 / 1977 | ||
| Dragon's Gold | Romik | 1985 | 935 / 1935 | ||
| Electro Freddy | Softspot Software | 1984 | 144 / 1144 | ||
| Fantastic Voyage | Edmonds Software | 1985 | 984 / 1984 | ||
| Frank 'n' Stein | PSS Software | 1985 | 907 | ||
| Fruit Machine | Paul Aitman | 1984 | 919 | ||
| Fu-Kung in Las Vegas | Romik | 1985 | 979 / 1979 | ||
| Gatecrasher | Exopal Software | 1985 | 958 | ||
| Gems of Stradus | Kuma Computers | 1985 | 121 | ||
| Glen Hoddle Soccer | Shirekilo | 1985 | 06021 / 07021 | ||
| Golden Path | Magic Logic | 1986 | 07055 | ||
| Grand Prix Driver | Britannia Software | 1984 | 110 | ||
| Grand Prix Rally II/Rally II | Loriciels | 1985 | 06012 / 07012 | ||
| Hard Ball | Accolade | 1986 | 06063 / 07063 | ||
| Harrier Attack | Durell Software | 1984 | 112 / 1112 | 412 / 41112 | |
| Haunted Hedges | Micromega | 1984 | 128 | ||
| Home Runner | Britannia Software | 1984 | 109 | ||
| Hunchback | Ocean | 1985 | 132 / 1132 | 432 | |
| Hunter Killer | Protek Computing | 1984 | 135 / 1135 | 435 / 41135 | |
| Jammin | Taskset | 1985 | 911 / 1911 | ||
| Jet-Boot Jack | English Software | 1984 | 172 | ||
| Laserwarp | Micro-Gem Software | 1984 | 126 | ||
| Les Portes du Destin/Doors of Doom | Gem Software | 1985 | 06047 / 07047 | ||
| Lords of Midnight | Beyond software | 957 / 1957 | |||
| Macrocosmica | Datacom | 1986 | 06042 / 07042 | ||
| Manic Miner | Software Projects | 1984 | 173 | ||
| Master Chess | Mikro-Gen | 1984 | 125 | 425 | |
| Mr. Wong's Loopy Laundry | Artic Computing | 1984 | 923 | ||
| Mutant Monty | Artic Computing | 1984 | 922 / 1922 | ||
| Nuclear Defence | James Software | 1986 | 06031 / 07031 | ||
| Oh Mummy | Gem Software | 1984 | 115 | ||
| Punchy | Mr. Micro | 1985 | 150 / 1150 | 450 / 41150 | |
| Pyjamarama | Micro-Gen | 1984 | 943 / 1943 | ||
| Qabbalah | Gem Software | 1986 | 06062 / 07062 | ||
| Quack a Jack | Paul Shirley | 1984 | 181 / 1181 | 481 / 41181 | |
| Raid | US Gold/Access | 07002 | |||
| Roland Ahoy! | Computersmith | 1984 | 192 / 1192 | ||
| Roland goes Digging | Gem Software | 1984 | 169 / 1169 | ||
| Roland goes Square Bashing | Durrell Software | 1984 | 937 / 1937 | ||
| Roland in Space | Gem Software | 1985 | 927 / 1927 | ||
| Roland in the Caves | Indescomp | 1984 | 117 / 1117 | ||
| Roland in Time | Gem Software | 1984 | 170 / 1170 | 470 / 41170 | |
| Roland on the Ropes | Indescomp | 1984 | 118 / 1118 | 418 / 41118 | |
| Roland on the Run | Epicsoft | 1984 | 199 / 1199 | ||
| Satellite Warrior | D. M. Lock | 1985 | 949 / 1949 | ||
| Scalextric | 1984 | ||||
| Snooker | Gem Software | 1984 | 190 | ||
| Sorcery + | Virgin Games | 1985 | 1983 | 41983 | |
| Space Hawks | Durell Software | 1984 | 177 / 1177 | ||
| Spannerman | Gem Software | 1984 | 114 / 1114 | ||
| Spitfire 40 | Mirrorsoft | 07052 | |||
| Splat! | Incentive Software | 1984 | 909 | ||
| Star Commando | Terminal Software | 1984 | 147 | ||
| Stockmarket | Argus Press Software | 1985 | 903 | ||
| Strangeloop + | Virgin Games | 1985 | 07058 | ||
| Subterranean Stryker | Insight Software | 1985 | 06010 / 07010 | ||
| Sultan's Maze | Gem Software | 1984 | 113 | ||
| Super Pipeline II | Taskset | 1985 | 987 / 1987 | ||
| Tank Command | Magic Logic | 1986 | 06023 / 07023 | ||
| Tapper | Bally Midway/Sega | 1984 | 06007 / 07007 | ||
| The Galactic Plague | Indescomp | 1984 | 196 | ||
| The Key Factor | Paul Aitman | 1985 | 975 | ||
| The Prize | Arcade Software | 1985 | 952 | ||
| The Scout Steps Out | H.R. Software | 1985 | 988 / - | - / 41988 | |
| Tombstowne | Premier Software | 1985 | 06040 / 07040 | ||
| Traffic | Andromeda Software | 1985 | 929 / 1929 |
Educational Software
- Le Géographe France (1984)
- Le Géographe Monde (1984)
- L'Apprenti Sorcier (1985)
| Title | House | Year | Soft N. UK |
| Animal, Vegetable, Mineral | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 104 |
| Happy Letters / Les Lettres Magiques | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 105 / 1105 |
| Happy Numbers / Les Chiffres Magiques | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 102 / 1102 |
| Happy Writing / L'Ardoise Magique | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 106 / 1106 |
| Map Rally | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 148 / 1148 |
| Osprey! | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 947 / 1947 |
| Pitman Typing Tutor | Pitman Publishing | 1984 | 924 / 1924 |
| Star Watcher | Triptych Publishing | 1984 | 915 / 1915 |
| Teach Yourself Amstrad Basic - A Tutorial Guide - Part I | Amsoft | 1984 | 111 |
| Timeman One / L'Horloger 1 | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 107 / 1107 |
| Timeman Two / L'Horloger 2 | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 108 / 1108 |
| Wordhang / Le Pendu | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 101 / 1101 |
| World - Wise | Bourne Educational Software | 1984 | 103 / 1103 |
| Xanagrams | Dean Software | 1984 | 133 |
Utilities
| Title | House | Year | Soft N. UK | Soft N. SP |
| Amsbase | S-501 | |||
| Ams Calc / Easi Amscalc | Saxon Computing | 153 | S-153 | |
| Amsdraw | AMC-703 | |||
| Amstest | 06017 | |||
| Amsword | Tasman Software | 1984 | 164 / 1164 | S-164 |
| Cashbook Accounts | Saxon Computing | 07014 | ||
| Decision Maker | Triptych Publishing | 918 / 1918 | ||
| DFM Database + Labels | Dialog Software | 941 / 1941 | ||
| Easi-Amsword / Procesador de Texto | Juniper Computing | 154 | S-154 / AMC-502 | |
| Easi Amscalc / Ams Calc | Saxon Computing | 153 | S-153 | |
| Entrepreneur | Triptych Publishing | 917/1917 | ||
| Forth | Abersoft | 188 / 1188 | AMC-705 | |
| Hisoft Devpac | Hisoft | 1984 | 116 / 1116 | S-116 |
| Hisoft Pascal 4T | Hisoft | 1984 | 155 / 1155 | S-155 |
| Home Accounts Manager | DJL Software | 942 / 1942 | ||
| Invostat | Dialog Software | 1984 | 939 / 1939 | |
| Mastercalc | Campbell Systems | 1985 | 905 / 1905 | AMC-510 |
| Masterfile 464 | Campbell Systems | 1984 | 914 / 07060 | |
| Microfile / Microword | Saxon Computing | 07053 | ||
| Micrograph | Saxon Computing | 1014 | ||
| Micropen | Intelligence | 1011 | ||
| Microscript | Intelligence | 1010 | ||
| Microspread | Saxon Computing | 1012 | ||
| Procesador de Texto / Easi-Amsword | Juniper Computing | 154 | S-154 / AMC-502 | |
| Project Planner | Triptych Publishing | 916 / 1916 | ||
| Screen Designer | DJL Software | 197 / 1197 | ||
| Shape and Sound | Gem Software | 06037 / 07037 | ||
| Stock-Aid | Dialog Software | 940 / 1940 | ||
| Transact | Dialog Software | 938 / 1938 |
Links
- http://amsoft.cpcwiki.eu/ (New Link)
