Magnussoft

Last updated
magnussoft Deutschland GmbH
Company typeGmbH
Industry Video games
Founded1991 (magnussoft) [1]
2004 (magnussoft Deutschland GmbH)
Headquarters
Kesselsdorf
,
Germany
Website www.magnussoft.biz

magnussoft Deutschland GmbH is a German computer game developer and publisher. The company is seated in Kesselsdorf, close to the Saxon capital of Dresden.

Contents

In the 1980s magnussoft released collections of software for popular 8-Bit computer systems: Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, Atari XL/XE, and Atari ST. The games can also run on newer computer systems, such as Intel PCs, using emulators. There are collections of magnussoft games, one is called Retro-Classix [2] that covers games available on multiple platforms, and other collections that specialize on one particular system, like the Amiga Classix or the C64 Classix.

The company released more than 160 products over the past ten years.[ when? ] Among their assortment are adventure games, board games, strategic games as well as shoot’em up games and jump and runs. On the other hand, magnussoft also released computer applications and educational software. The software was brought under varied labels to the market in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Benelux countries, France, Great Britain, and the United States of America.

By 2008 magnussoft, had gained access to the software market, especially in the lower budget and middle price range. They cooperate with acquainted German partners like for example "ak tronik Software & Services", "KOCH Media", and the "Verlagsgruppe Weltbild". In addition magnussoft has founded more subsidiaries in other parts of Europe. However, magnussoft does not publish outside of Europe, they leave that work to local companies.

magnussoft have created their profile through the release of ZETA, a broad range of retro games, and classic computer games like Aquanoid, Barkanoid or Plot's.

The headquarters of Magnussoft in Kesselsdorf Magnussoft Firmensitz Kesselsdorf-20110402.jpg
The headquarters of Magnussoft in Kesselsdorf

Games (selection)

Applications (selection)

Educational software (selection)

Criticism

In 2007 magnussoft incurred public criticism for ceasing the distribution and the funding of BeOS replacement Magnussoft Zeta OS because of its uncertain legal status. [3]

Trademarks

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore 64</span> 8-bit home computer introduced in 1982

The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International. It has been listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest-selling single computer model of all time, with independent estimates placing the number sold between 12.5 and 17 million units. Volume production started in early 1982, marketing in August for US$595. Preceded by the VIC-20 and Commodore PET, the C64 took its name from its 64 kilobytes(65,536 bytes) of RAM. With support for multicolor sprites and a custom chip for waveform generation, the C64 could create superior visuals and audio compared to systems without such custom hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore International</span> American home computer and electronics manufacturer

Commodore International was an American home computer and electronics manufacturer founded by Jack Tramiel. Commodore International (CI), along with its subsidiary Commodore Business Machines (CBM), was a significant participant in the development of the home computer industry in the 1970s to early 1990s. In 1982, the company developed and marketed the world's second-best selling computer, the Commodore 64, and released its Amiga computer line in July 1985. Commodore was one of the world's largest personal computer manufacturers, with sales peaking in the last quarter of 1983 at $49 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Minter</span> British video game designer

Jeff Minter is an English video game designer and programmer who often goes by the name Yak. He is the founder of software house Llamasoft and has created dozens of games during his career, which began in 1981 with games for the ZX80. Minter's games are shoot 'em ups which contain titular or in-game references demonstrating his fondness of ruminants. Many of his programs also feature something of a psychedelic element, as in some of the earliest "light synthesizer" programs including Trip-a-Tron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Huelsbeck</span> Musical artist

Christopher Hülsbeck, known internationally as Chris Huelsbeck, is a German video game music composer. He gained popularity for his work on game soundtracks for The Great Giana Sisters and the Turrican series.

<i>Boulder Dash</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Boulder Dash is a 2D maze-puzzle video game released in 1984 by First Star Software for Atari 8-bit computers. It was created by Canadian developers Peter Liepa and Chris Gray. The player controls Rockford, who collects treasures while evading hazards.

<i>Wizball</i> 1987 video game

Wizball is a horizontally scrolling shooter written by Jon Hare and Chris Yates and released in 1987 for the Commodore 64 and later in the year for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. Versions for the Amiga and Atari ST were released in the following year. Wizball was also ported to IBM PC compatibles and the Thomson MO5.

Novagen Software Ltd was a British software developer which released a number of computer games on a variety of platforms from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore 64 Games System</span> Video game console

The Commodore 64 Games System is the cartridge-based home video game console version of the popular Commodore 64 home computer. It was released in December 1990 by Commodore into a booming console market dominated by Nintendo and Sega. It was only released in Europe and was a considerable commercial failure. The C64GS came bundled with a cartridge containing four games: Fiendish Freddy's Big Top O'Fun, International Soccer, Flimbo's Quest, and Klax.

<i>Last Ninja</i> Series of video games

Last Ninja is a series of video games published by System 3. The first game in the series titled The Last Ninja, was released in 1987 for the Commodore 64 and was one of the most successful games for the system. In 1988, System 3 released Last Ninja 2, and in 1991 the third game in the series, Last Ninja 3. In 1990, Last Ninja Remix was released for 8-bit systems. This was Last Ninja 2 with new music, a new introductory sequence, slightly changed graphics and fixed bugs. Confusingly, the 16-bit versions of the original The Last Ninja game were also released in 1990 as Ninja Remix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tynesoft</span> Former software developer and publisher

Tynesoft Computer Software was a software developer and publisher in the 1980s and early 1990s.

<i>Trailblazer</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Trailblazer is a racing video game developed by Mr. Chip Software and published by Gremlin Graphics for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit family, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 16/Plus/4 in 1986. It was ported to the Amiga and Atari ST.

Amiga software is computer software engineered to run on the Amiga personal computer. Amiga software covers many applications, including productivity, digital art, games, commercial, freeware and hobbyist products. The market was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s but then dwindled. Most Amiga products were originally created directly for the Amiga computer, and were not ported from other platforms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eutechnyx</span> Video game development studio

Eutechnyx Limited is a British video game developer based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Since 1997, the company has focused on racing games. They are known for their largely panned video game Ride to Hell: Retribution, work with the NASCAR The Game franchise, and as a developer on various other racing titles and games.

<i>Gridrunner</i> 1982 video game

Gridrunner is a fixed shooter video game written by Jeff Minter and published by Llamasoft for the VIC-20 in 1982. It was ported to the Atari 8-bit family, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Commodore PET and Dragon 32. Many remakes and sequels have followed, including versions for the Atari ST, Amiga, Pocket PC, Microsoft Windows, and iOS.

Atlantis Software was a London-based UK computer games publisher that released a number of games during the 1980s and early 1990s.

<i>Encounter!</i> (video game) 1983 video game

Encounter! is a first person shoot 'em up video game released in 1983 for the Atari 8-bit family and Commodore 64 programmed by Paul Woakes for Novagen Software. It was published by Novagen in the UK and Europe and by Synapse Software in North America. The gameplay is similar to that of Atari, Inc.'s 1980 arcade game Battlezone, but with large, sometimes screen-filling, scaled bitmaps instead of wireframe models.

Runesoft GmbH, stylised as RuneSoft, is a German publisher founded in 2000 that ports games to alternative platforms such as Linux, Mac OS X, AmigaOS, MorphOS, and magnussoft ZETA. Alongside their own published games, they also ported Software Tycoon and Knights and Merchants: The Shattered Kingdom for Linux Game Publishing.

<i>Scene World Magazine</i>

Scene World Magazine is a disk magazine for the Commodore 64 home computer. The magazine has been released regularly since February 2001.

References

  1. ↑ "Die 25 ältesten Games-Studios in Deutschland 2023". GamesWirtschaft (in German). 2023-04-25. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  2. ↑ Beck, Jürgen (2006-02-14). "Test: Retro Classix". 4Players (in German). Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  3. ↑ "Magnussoft cease distribution of Zeta". ZETA-OS.com. 2007-04-05. Archived from the original on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.