Short description: Video game publisher
CDS Software (also known as CDS Micro Systems for its earlier titles) was an independent publisher and developer of computer game software based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK.
History
The company was founded by Ian Williams, a computer programmer from Doncaster who started developing games for the Sinclair ZX80 shortly after its launch. After the initial company success he employed Giles Hunter (a manager from Doncaster W.H Smiths) to help expand the business. He sold his company to Giles Hunter to pursue other interests in 1985.
In 1985, the company launched the Blue Ribbon budget label.
In 1988 CDS Software, under the CDS group of companies changed its name to Nimrod Holdings Ltd, also publishing games for the Amiga.[1] Publishing continued under the CDS Software Label until the early 1990s.
Guildhall Leisure Services
The company operated as RHSCO One Limited between January and March 1994, and then as Guildhall Leisure Services between March 1994 and May 2002.[2] As Guildhall, the company published games for the Amiga[3] including the well-regarded title Gloom.[4]
iDigicon
Subsequently, the company operated as iDigicon Limited until its dissolution in May 2013.[2]
Games
The first games released in 1982-3 were for the 16k ZX Spectrum consisting mainly of clones of arcade games. The company expanded to different formats with titles like Steve Davis Snooker and Colossus Chess seeing releases on most platforms of the day.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
The launch of the budget label Blue Ribbon saw simple arcade type games diverted to that label with CDS concentrating on full price titles, often incorporating tie-in licences such as Brian Clough's Football Fortunes and Sporting Triangles.[12][13][14][15][16] They also released the computer game crossed with a board game, TankAttack.[17] The Complete Home Entertainment Centre was a compendium of games that were later split and sold as stand alone titles by Blue Ribbon (such as Video Card Arcade and Dominoes).[18][19][20]
In the early 90s, CDS re-issued or picked up UK distribution of games for companies such as D&H Games (e.g. Multi-Player Soccer Manager), MicroIllusions (e.g. Fire Power) and Artworx (e.g. the Strip Poker games).
8-bit games published
16-bit games published
As CDS:
- Bravo Romeo Delta (1992), Frankenstein
- Rugby Coach (1992), D&H Games
- Colossus Bridge X (1992)
As Guildhall:
- Xtreme Racing (1995), Silltunna
- Fears (1995), Bomb
- Gloom (1995), Black Magic Software
- Legends (1996), Krisalis
- Minskies Furballs (1997), Binary Emotions
Re-release games
Idigicon Games
- Platypus (2002)
- Binman (2002)
- Mah Jong (2003)
- Mumble Jumble (2003)
- Beep the Bunny Sheep (2004)
- Battle Batz (2005)
- Farmerama (2005)
- NUX (2006)
- Mah Jong Deluxe (2006)
- Polar Kubes (2006)
- Hamsters (2006)
- Platypus II (2007)
References
- ↑ "CDS [Nimrod Holdings Publisher Information"]. http://hol.abime.net/hol_search.php?N_ref_publisher=94. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "IDIGICON LIMITED". https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02887277. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ↑ "Guildhall Publisher Information". http://hol.abime.net/hol_search.php?N_ref_publisher=261. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ↑ Bergseth, Michal (2017-06-21). "Gloom Deluxe 3D Review Revealing Unlimited Fire 3D FPS game for Amiga". https://amitopia.com/gloom-deluxe-retro-review/.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Steve Davis Review". Zzap! (7): 100–101. Nov 1985. https://archive.org/stream/zzap64-magazine-007/ZZap_64_Issue_007_1985_Nov#page/n99/mode/2up.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 MacMahon, Ken (February 1986). "Steve Davis Snooker Review". Commodore User (29): 36. https://archive.org/stream/commodore-user-magazine-29/Commodore_User_Issue_29_1986_Feb#page/n35/mode/2up.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Steve Davis Snooker Review". Crash (12): 156. Jan 1985. http://live.worldofspectrum.org/infoseek/magazines/crash/12#188.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Borne, Chris (Feb 1985). "Steve Davis Snooker Review". Sinclair User (35): 29. https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-035/SinclairUser_035_Feb_1985#page/n28/mode/1up.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Bernard Hill (March 1987). "New Chess grandmaster for the Beeb? (Colossus 4 review)". Beebug 5 (9): 12. "The manual indicates that the program version which loads in to a Model B or Electron is different to that for the Master or B+, and the board display shows this very clearly. The 32k program displays less than a full mode 4 screen as the program loads right up to %6040 [Mode 4's screen memory starts at %5800].".
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bryant, Martin. "Colossus Chess". Archived from the original on 2013-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20131124083132/http://www.colossusgames.co.uk/chess/colossuschess.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Colossus Chess 4 for Sinclair ZX Spectrum. CDS Software. http://www.secarica.ro/zx/colossus.html. Retrieved 2008-06-02. (product manual)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Brian Clough's Football Fortunes" (in en). https://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=3251.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Brian Clough's Football Fortunes at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware" (in en). https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/696/ZX-Spectrum/Brian_Cloughs_Football_Fortunes.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Brian Clough's Football Fortunes" (in en). http://bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=1568&h=h.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Sporting Triangles". World of Spectrum. http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0010663. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Sporting Triangles". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/sportingtriangles.htm. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Tank Attack at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware" (in en). https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/5132.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "The Complete Home Entertainment Centre at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware" (in en). https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/11230/ZX-Spectrum/The_Complete_Home_Entertainment_Centre.
- ↑ "Video Card Arcade at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware" (in en). https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/5562/ZX-Spectrum/Video_Card_Arcade.
- ↑ "Dominoes at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware" (in en). https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1432/ZX-Spectrum/Dominoes.
External links
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 | Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDS Software. Read more |