Software Projects

Software Projects

Industry	Video games
Founded	1983
Founder	Matthew Smith, Alan Maton [1]
Headquarters	Bear Brand Complex, Allerton Road, Woolton, Liverpool L25 7SF
Key people	Matthew Smith, Alan Maton, Tommy Barton, [2] Colin Roach
Products	Computer games

Software Projects was a computer game development company which was started by Manic Miner developer Matthew Smith, Alan Maton and Liverpool businessman Tommy Barton. After leaving Bug-Byte as a freelance developer, Smith was able to take the rights to his recently developed Manic Miner game with him, due to an oversight in his freelance contract. ^[1] Software Projects was then able to market and publish the ZX Spectrum hit game separately from Bug-Byte. Their logo was a Penrose triangle.

In 1987, Software Projects released Special FX Software's first title Hysteria. ^[3]

Released games

• Anaconda
• Astronut ^[4]
• BC's Quest for Tires ^[5]
• Binky ^[6]
• Crazy Balloon ^[7]
• Crypt Capers ^[8]
• Dinky Doo ^[9]
• Dodo Lair ^[10]
• Dragon's Lair ^[11]
• Dragon's Lair Part II - Escape from Singe's Castle ^[11]
• Ewgeebez ^[12]
• Fatty Henry
• Galactic Gardener ^[13]
• Harvey Smith Showjumper ^[14]
• Hunchback at the Olympics
• Hysteria
• Jet Set Willy ^[1]
• Jet Set Willy II
• Karls Kavern ^[15]
• Learning with Leeper
• Ledgeman
• Legion
• Lode Runner ^[16]
• McKensie
• Manic Miner
• Nutcraka ^[17]
• Ometron ^[18]
• Orion
• Project Graphics Language
• Push Off
• Space Swarm
• Space Joust
• Star Paws
• The Perils of Willy
• Thrusta ^[19]
• Tribble Trubble ^[20]

In 1984 and 1985 they released a number of budget titles at £2.99 on the Software Supersavers label. ^[21]

References

1. Graham Taylor (April 1984). "And pigs will fly... Graham Taylor talks to Matthew Smith and Alan Maton of Software Projects". Popular Computing Weekly .
2. "Bug-Byte loses claim to fame". Popular Computing Weekly. No. 49. Sunshine Publications. 8 December 1983. p. 5. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
3. "NEWS". Crash . Newsfield. March 1988. p. 8. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
4. "World of Spectrum - Astronut".
5. "BC's Quest for Tires".
6. "Amstrad Action-001-Binky-AMS.JPG".
7. "Crazy Balloon (1983 Software Projects) [388]". 1983.
8. "Crypt Capers - Software - Game - Computing History".
9. "Dinky Doo - Software - Game - Computing History".
10. "Dodo Lair - Software - Game - Computing History".
11. "Commodore User Magazine Issue 41". February 1987.
12. "Ewgeebez - Software - Game - Computing History".
13. "Galactic Gardener - Software - Game - Computing History".
14. "Harvey Smith Showjumper - Software - Computing History".
15. "Karls Kavern - Software - Game - Computing History".
16. "Lode runner". Archived from the original on 8 September 2015.
17. "Nutcraka".
18. "Ometron - Software - Game - Computing History".
19. "Personal Computer Games Issue15".
20. "Tribble Trubble | Retro Gamer". 23 December 2008.
21. "More at less". ZX Computing. Argus Specialist Publications: 82. February–March 1985.