CDS Software

Video game publisher

For CDS, the Canadian software publisher, see Commercial Data Systems.

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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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Subsequently, the company operated as iDigicon Limited until its dissolution in May 2013.[2]

## Games

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Gobble a Ghost (1982)
* 3D Painter (1983)
* Bozy Boa (1983)
* Catterpillar (1983)
* Leapfrog (1983)
* Magic Meanies (1983)
* French is Fun (1983)
* Othello (1983)
* Pool (1983)
* Reversi (1983)
* Winged Warlords (1983)
* German is Fun (1984)
* Italian is Fun (1984)
* Steve Davis Snooker (1984)[5][6][7][8]
* Timebomb (1984)
* Spanish is Fun (1985)
* Colossus Chess 4 (1986)[8][9][10][11]
* Colossus Bridge 4 (1986)
* Brian Clough's Football Fortunes (1987)[12][13][14]
* Tank Attack (1988)[17]
* Video Card Arcade (1988)[18]
* Sporting Triangles (1989)[15][16]
* European Superleague (1990)

### 16-bit games published

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Spectrum Safari (1984)
* Fire Power (1988)
* Centerfold Squares (1988)
* Blitzkrieg at the Ardennes (1989)
* Dr. Plummet's House of Flux (1989)
* Multi-Player Soccer Manager (1991)

### Idigicon Games

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

1. ^ "CDS [Nimrod Holdings] Publisher Information". Hall of Light. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
2. ^ a b "IDIGICON LIMITED". gov.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
3. ^ "Guildhall Publisher Information". Hall of Light. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
4. ^ Bergseth, Michal (21 June 2017). "Gloom Deluxe 3D Review Revealing Unlimited Fire 3D FPS game for Amiga". Amitopia. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
5. ^ a b "Steve Davis Review". Zzap!. No. 7\. November 1985. pp. 100–101.
6. ^ a b MacMahon, Ken (February 1986). "Steve Davis Snooker Review". Commodore User. No. 29\. p. 36\. Archived from the original on 12 June 2016.
7. ^ a b "Steve Davis Snooker Review". Crash. No. 12\. January 1985. p. 156\. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018.
8. ^ a b c Borne, Chris (February 1985). "Steve Davis Snooker Review". Sinclair User. No. 35\. p. 29.
9. ^ a b 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 `40 [Mode 4's screen memory starts at X00]."
10. ^ a b Bryant, Martin. "Colossus Chess". Archived from the original on 24 November 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
11. ^ a b Colossus Chess 4 for Sinclair ZX Spectrum. CDS Software. Retrieved 2 June 2008. (product manual)
12. ^ a b "Brian Clough's Football Fortunes". Lemon Amiga. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
13. ^ a b "Brian Clough's Football Fortunes at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
14. ^ a b "Brian Clough's Football Fortunes". bbcmicro.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
15. ^ a b "Sporting Triangles". World of Spectrum. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
16. ^ a b "Sporting Triangles". Ysrnry.co.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
17. ^ a b "Tank Attack at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
18. ^ a b "The Complete Home Entertainment Centre at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
19. ^ "Video Card Arcade at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
20. ^ "Dominoes at Spectrum Computing - Sinclair ZX Spectrum games, software and hardware". Spectrum Computing. Retrieved 11 April 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

CDS Micro Systems

Original games|

* French is Fun
* German is Fun
* Magic Meanies
* Winged Warlords
* Colossus Chess 2.0
* Timebomb
* Italian is Fun
* Spanish is Fun
* Steve Davis Snooker
* Colossus Chess 4
* Colossus Bridge 4
* Brian Clough's Football Fortunes
* Colossus Chess X
* Sporting Triangles
* European Superleague
* Xtreme Racing
* Gloom

Re-release games|

* Spectrum Safari
* Blitzkrieg at the Ardennes
* Centerfold Squares
* Fire Power
* Dr. Plummet's House of Flux
* Multi-Player Soccer Manager

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