Thorn EMI Computer Software
Thorn EMI Computer Software (also known as Thorn EMI Video Programmes) 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 using the same "Thorn EMI Video" label as their home video releases. Initially these were for the Atari 8-bit computers, and later for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and VIC-20 formats. In 1984, the Thorn EMI name was dropped in favour of Creative Sparks as the company felt its "big corporate" associations were inappropriate for the video games market. A budget label, Sparklers, was created in early 1985 to publish titles at £2.50. Later in 1985, Creative Sparks, Sparklers and the distribution company, Creative Sparks Distribution (CSD) gained independence from Thorn EMI after a management buyout. In July 1987, six months after buying software company Mikro-Gen for a "substantial" sum, Creative Sparks went into receivership with debts estimated at up to £1.5million. The back catalogue of the company was acquired by Tynesoft, Alternative Software and Maynard International (Top Ten Software). The former management at CSD went on to form Software Publishing Associates, owners of the Crysys and Pirate Software labels.
Thorn EMI Computer Software[1] (also known as Thorn EMI Video Programmes)[2] 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 using the same "Thorn EMI Video" label[3] as their home video releases. Initially these were for the Atari 8-bit computers, and later for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and VIC-20 formats.
In 1984, the Thorn EMI name was dropped in favour of Creative Sparks as the company felt its "big corporate" associations were inappropriate for the video games market.[4] A budget label, Sparklers, was created in early 1985 to publish titles at £2.50.[5] Later in 1985, Creative Sparks, Sparklers and the distribution company, Creative Sparks Distribution (CSD) gained independence from Thorn EMI after a management buyout.[6]
In July 1987, six months after buying software company Mikro-Gen for a "substantial" sum,[7] Creative Sparks went into receivership with debts estimated at up to £1.5million.[8]
The back catalogue of the company was acquired by Tynesoft, Alternative Software and Maynard International (Top Ten Software).[9] The former management at CSD went on to form Software Publishing Associates, owners of the Crysys and Pirate Software labels.[10]
Releases
[edit]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,[11] then later sold (with updated artwork) under the Creative Sparks brand.[12] This was followed by a budget release on the company's own Sparklers label[13] then- after Creative Sparks' demise- another budget reissue by Alternative Software.[14]
'Thorn EMI' label
[edit]- Blockade Runner[15]
- Carnival Massacre[3]
- Cribbage and Dominoes
- Darts
- Gold Rush[16]
- Home Financial Management[17]
- Mutant Herd
- Orc Attack[18]
- River Rescue[11]
- Road Racer[19]
- Submarine Commander[2]
- Snooker and Billiards
- The VIC Music Composer
- Tower of Evil
- Volcanic Planet[20]
- 8-Ball and Tournament Pool
'Creative Sparks' label
[edit]- Black Hawk
- Computer War[21]
- Countdown to Meltdown[22]
- Danger Mouse In Double Trouble[23]
- Danger Mouse In The Black Forest Chateau[24]
- Delta Wing[25]
- Snodgits[26]
- Special Delivery[27]
- Stagecoach[28]
- Story House[29]
- Tower of Evil
- Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee
'Sparklers' label
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "River Rescue [title page screenshot]". Archived from the original on 2024-03-26.
© 1984 THORN EMI COMPUTER SOFTWARE
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE Submarine Commander : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com.
[screenshot] Copyright 1982 Thorn EMI Video Programmes Ltd.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE Carnival Massacre : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com.
[screenshot] "Thorn EMI Video presents" [cover] Logo:"Thorn EMI Video"
- ^ "News". Crash. No. 4. Newsfield. May 1984. p. 101. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "News". Home Computing Weekly. Argus Specialist Press. 19 March 1985. p. 4. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "Management Buy-Out at Thorn EMI". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 4, no. 47. Sunshine Publications. 21–27 November 1985. p. 4. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "MikroGen is sold to distributor". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 5, no. 50. Sunshine Publications. 11–17 December 1986. p. 6. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Receiver Called In At Creative Sparks". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 29. Sunshine Publications. 24–30 July 1987. p. 6. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ "Equinox may see the light of day". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 38. Focus Magazines. 25 September – 1 October 1987. p. 11. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ David Lester (10–16 December 1987). "Risen from the ashes". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 49. Focus Magazines. p. 32. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms [Thorn EMI version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [ Creative Sparks version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Sparklers version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26.
- ^ a b "Atari 400 800 XL XE River Rescue [Alternative Software version]". www.atarimania.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Blockade Runner". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Gold Rush". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "Home Financial Management - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Atari 400 800 XL XE Orc Attack : scans, dump, download, screenshots, ads, videos, catalog, instructions, roms". www.atarimania.com.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Road Racer". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Volcanic Planet". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "Computer War - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Countdown to Meltdown - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Danger Mouse in Double Trouble at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Danger Mouse in The Black Forest Chateau - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Delta Wing at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Snodgits at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Special Delivery at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Stagecoach at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Story House - Software - Game - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk.
- ^ "Bargain Basement!!! At Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware".
- ^ "Desert Burner at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Doombase at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "Quackshot at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.
- ^ "St. Crippens at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing.