Epyx
Encyclopedia
Epyx, Inc. was a video game developer
and publisher
in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. The company was founded as Automated Simulations by Jim Connelley and Jon Freeman
, originally using Epyx as a brand name for action-oriented games before renaming the company to match in 1983. Epyx published a long series of "hits" through the 1980s, but nevertheless went bankrupt in 1989 before finally disappearing in 1993.
computer to help with the bookkeeping involved in being a dungeon master
, and came up with the idea of writing a computer game for the machine before the end of the year so he could write it off on his taxes. Freeman had written on gaming for several publications, and joined Connelley in the design of a new space-themed wargame. Starting work around August 1978, Freeman wrote the basic rules, mission sets, background stories and the manual, while Connelley coded up the system in PET BASIC
.
. Examining contemporary magazines (Byte and Creative Computing) suggests this is the first space-themed wargame for a personal computer (however, see Star Trek
). As the game was written in BASIC, it was easy to port to other home computer
s of the era, starting with the TRS-80
and then the Apple II
, the latter featuring rudimentary graphics. They followed this game with 1979's Invasion Orion
, which included a computer opponent so as not to require two human players.
The company's next release, 1979's Temple of Apshai
, was a major success, selling over 20,000 copies in an era of few computers. As the game was not a "simulation" of anything, the company introduced the Epyx brand name for these more action-oriented titles. Rated as the best computer game by practically every magazine of the era, Apshai was soon ported from the TRS-80 to additional systems, such as the Atari 400/800
and the Commodore 64
. Apshai spawned a number of similar adventure games based on the same game engine, including two direct sequels, branded under the Dunjonquest label. The games were so successful that they were later re-released in 1985 as the Temple of Apshai Trilogy.
Using the same BASIC game engine
, a series of "semi-action" games followed under the Epyx brand, including Crush, Crumble and Chomp!
, Rescue at Rigel
, and Star Warrior, each of which added twists to the Apshai engine.
in 1981, leaving Connelley to lead what was now a large company. In 1983 the company assumed its brand name, becoming known simply as Epyx. Connelley reorganized his own development team as The Connelley Group, but continued to work under the Epyx umbrella, releasing Dragonriders of Pern. However 1983 was the year that Jumpman
was released and became a big hit. Management decided the future was in action games, and Connelley eventually left the company, releasing games with other labels such as Brøderbund
.
A string of successful action games followed, including the hits Impossible Mission
and Summer Games
. The latter created a long run of successful sequels, including Winter Games
, California Games
, and World Games. The company also branched out into "Computer Activity Toys", licenses of Hot Wheels
, G.I. Joe
, and Barbie
. In Europe
, the British
home computer game company U.S. Gold
published Epyx games for the Commodore 64
, and also port
ed many of the games to other major European platforms such as the ZX Spectrum
and Amstrad CPC
.
For the bestselling Commodore 64, Epyx made the FastLoad
cartridge which enabled a fivefold speedup of floppy disk drive
accesses through Commodore's very slow "serial IEEE-488
" interface. Additionally, the FastLoad featured convenient disk access commands (for directory
listings and program loads/saves, etc.), and a disk editor
—a hacking tool allowing for direct low-level access to floppy disks. Another hardware product was the popular Epyx 500XJ Joystick, which used high-quality microswitches.
Starting in 1986, Epyx also developed a handheld game system called the Handy. Unable to continue due to high costs, it was sold to Atari
, renamed, and sold as the Atari Lynx.
lawsuit from Data East USA
regarding Epyx's Commodore 64 video game World Karate Championship. Data East thought the whole game, and particularly the depiction of the referee, looked too much like its 1984 arcade game
Karate Champ
. Data East won at the US District Court level and Judge William Ingram ordered Epyx to recall all copies of World Karate Championship. Epyx appealed the case to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, who reversed the judgment and ruled in favor of Epyx, stating that copyright protection did not extend to the idea of a tournament karate game, but specific artistic choices not dictated by that idea. The Court noted that a "17.5 year-old boy" could see clear differences between the elements of each game actually subject to copyright.
at Epyx, the company went bankrupt "because it never really understood why it had been successful in the past, and then decided to branch out in a lot of directions, all of which turned out to be failures."
At this time, Epyx moved to a smaller office in downtown Redwood City and laid off nearly everyone. Epyx still developed games, but gave up their publishing rights and all the rights to the handheld game console they were developing to Atari
(the company they owed most of the money to), eventually becoming the Atari Lynx. Epyx eventually came out of bankruptcy, but in 1993, with eight employees left, they decided just to sell off the rest of the company. Bridgestone Media Group eventually got the rights to everything else Epyx had, only Peter Engelbrite took the job offers issued to the remaining eight employees.
In 2006, British publisher System 3
announced it had acquired Epyx's assets to release games such as California Games
and Impossible Mission
for Nintendo DS
, Sony PSP, and Wii
in 2007.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
and publisher
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. The company was founded as Automated Simulations by Jim Connelley and Jon Freeman
Jon Freeman
Jon Freeman was an influential computer game industry figure of the 1980s and early 1990s. He was a co-founder of Epyx and Free Fall Associates and the spouse of game programmer, Anne Westfall...
, originally using Epyx as a brand name for action-oriented games before renaming the company to match in 1983. Epyx published a long series of "hits" through the 1980s, but nevertheless went bankrupt in 1989 before finally disappearing in 1993.
Formation
In 1977, Susan Lee-Murrow invited Jon Freeman to join a Dungeons and Dragons game hosted by Jim Connelley and Jeff Johnson. Connelley later purchased a Commodore PETCommodore PET
The Commodore PET was a home/personal computer produced from 1977 by Commodore International...
computer to help with the bookkeeping involved in being a dungeon master
Dungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
, and came up with the idea of writing a computer game for the machine before the end of the year so he could write it off on his taxes. Freeman had written on gaming for several publications, and joined Connelley in the design of a new space-themed wargame. Starting work around August 1978, Freeman wrote the basic rules, mission sets, background stories and the manual, while Connelley coded up the system in PET BASIC
Commodore BASIC
Commodore BASIC, also known as PET BASIC, is the dialect of the BASIC programming language used in Commodore International's 8-bit home computer line, stretching from the PET of 1977 to the C128 of 1985...
.
The BASIC era
The two formed Automated Simulations around Thanksgiving 1978 to market the game, and released it in December as Starfleet OrionStarfleet Orion
Starfleet Orion is a 1978 science fiction strategy game written and published by Automated Simulations . It appears to be the first space-themed strategy game sold for microcomputer systems. The game was originally written in BASIC for the Commodore PET, but later ported to other early home...
. Examining contemporary magazines (Byte and Creative Computing) suggests this is the first space-themed wargame for a personal computer (however, see Star Trek
Star Trek (text game)
Star Trek is a text-based computer game that puts the player in command of the USS Enterprise on a mission to hunt down and destroy an invading fleet of Klingon warships...
). As the game was written in BASIC, it was easy to port to other home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s of the era, starting with the TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
and then the Apple II
Apple II series
The Apple II series is a set of 8-bit home computers, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977 with the original Apple II...
, the latter featuring rudimentary graphics. They followed this game with 1979's Invasion Orion
Invasion Orion
Invasion Orion is a 1979 science fiction strategy game written and published by Automated Simulations . It was a single- or two-player sequel to the original two-player Starfleet Orion, which had been published late in 1978...
, which included a computer opponent so as not to require two human players.
The company's next release, 1979's Temple of Apshai
Temple of Apshai
The Temple of Apshai is a computer role-playing game from Epyx. The game was first released for the TRS-80 in 1979, then the Apple II and Atari home computers in 1980. In 1983, it was released for the Commodore VIC-20, Commodore 64, and IBM PC compatibles. Even later it was made available with...
, was a major success, selling over 20,000 copies in an era of few computers. As the game was not a "simulation" of anything, the company introduced the Epyx brand name for these more action-oriented titles. Rated as the best computer game by practically every magazine of the era, Apshai was soon ported from the TRS-80 to additional systems, such as the Atari 400/800
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
and the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. Apshai spawned a number of similar adventure games based on the same game engine, including two direct sequels, branded under the Dunjonquest label. The games were so successful that they were later re-released in 1985 as the Temple of Apshai Trilogy.
Using the same BASIC game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
, a series of "semi-action" games followed under the Epyx brand, including Crush, Crumble and Chomp!
Crush, Crumble and Chomp!
Crush, Crumble and Chomp! is a 1981 computer game from Epyx. In this game, the player takes control of a movie monster and attacks a famous city, such as New York or San Francisco. It resembles SPI's 1979 boardgame, The Creature That Ate Sheboygan....
, Rescue at Rigel
Rescue at Rigel
Rescue at Rigel is a 1980 science fiction computer role-playing game written and published by Automated Simulations , and later branded as part of the Starquest series. The game was released for the Apple II, DOS, as a PC Booter, TRS-80, VIC-20, and Atari 8-bit...
, and Star Warrior, each of which added twists to the Apshai engine.
Growth, action focus
Freeman left the company to start Free Fall AssociatesFree Fall Associates
Free Fall Associates was a computer game developer of the 1980s and early 1990s. It was founded in 1981 by Jon Freeman, his wife, game programmer Anne Westfall, and game designer Paul Reiche III...
in 1981, leaving Connelley to lead what was now a large company. In 1983 the company assumed its brand name, becoming known simply as Epyx. Connelley reorganized his own development team as The Connelley Group, but continued to work under the Epyx umbrella, releasing Dragonriders of Pern. However 1983 was the year that Jumpman
Jumpman
Jumpman is a platform game written by Randy Glover and released by Epyx in 1983. Originally developed for the Atari 400/800, versions were also released for the Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC....
was released and became a big hit. Management decided the future was in action games, and Connelley eventually left the company, releasing games with other labels such as Brøderbund
Brøderbund
Brøderbund Software, Inc. was an American maker of computer games, educational software and The Print Shop productivity tools. It was best known as the original creator and publisher of the popular Carmen Sandiego games. The company was founded in Eugene, Oregon, but moved to San Rafael,...
.
A string of successful action games followed, including the hits Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission is a platform computer game for several home computers. The original version for the Commodore 64 was programmed by Dennis Caswell and published by Epyx in 1984.-Description:...
and Summer Games
Summer Games
Summer Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx and released by U.S. Gold based on sports featured in the Summer Olympic Games. Released in 1984 for the Commodore 64, it was also eventually ported to the Apple II, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, Atari XL/XE and Sega Master System platforms...
. The latter created a long run of successful sequels, including Winter Games
Winter Games
Winter Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx , based on sports featured in the Winter Olympic Games....
, California Games
California Games
California Games is a 1987 Epyx sports video game for many home computers and video game consoles. Branching from their popular Summer Games and Winter Games series, this game consisted of some sports purportedly popular in California including skateboarding, freestyle footbag, surfing, roller...
, and World Games. The company also branched out into "Computer Activity Toys", licenses of Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
, G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
, and Barbie
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
. In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
home computer game company U.S. Gold
U.S. Gold
U.S. Gold was a British video game publisher and developer from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, producing numerous titles on a variety of 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit platforms.-History:...
published Epyx games for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, and also port
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
ed many of the games to other major European platforms such as the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
and Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
.
For the bestselling Commodore 64, Epyx made the FastLoad
Epyx FastLoad
The Epyx FastLoad is a floppy disk fast loader cartridge made by American software company Epyx in 1984 for the Commodore 64 home computer. It was programmed by Epyx employee Scott Nelson, who later designed the Epyx Vorpal fastloading system for the company's games.Epyx FastLoad allowed programs...
cartridge which enabled a fivefold speedup of floppy disk drive
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
accesses through Commodore's very slow "serial IEEE-488
IEEE-488
IEEE-488 is a short-range digital communications bus specification. It was created for use with automated test equipment in the late 1960s, and is still in use for that purpose. IEEE-488 was created as HP-IB , and is commonly called GPIB...
" interface. Additionally, the FastLoad featured convenient disk access commands (for directory
Directory (file systems)
In computing, a folder, directory, catalog, or drawer, is a virtual container originally derived from an earlier Object-oriented programming concept by the same name within a digital file system, in which groups of computer files and other folders can be kept and organized.A typical file system may...
listings and program loads/saves, etc.), and a disk editor
Disk editor
A disk editor is a computer program that allows its user to read, edit, and write raw data on disk drives ; as such, they are sometimes called sector editors, since the read/write routines built into the electronics of most disk drives require to read/write data in...
—a hacking tool allowing for direct low-level access to floppy disks. Another hardware product was the popular Epyx 500XJ Joystick, which used high-quality microswitches.
Starting in 1986, Epyx also developed a handheld game system called the Handy. Unable to continue due to high costs, it was sold to Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, renamed, and sold as the Atari Lynx.
Litigation
In 1987, Epyx faced an important copyright infringementCopyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
lawsuit from Data East USA
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
regarding Epyx's Commodore 64 video game World Karate Championship. Data East thought the whole game, and particularly the depiction of the referee, looked too much like its 1984 arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Karate Champ
Karate Champ
Karate Champ, known in Japan as is a arcade game developed by Technos Japan Corporation for Data East. It is one of the first fighting games, and has been believed to be the first to use today's common side-perspective...
. Data East won at the US District Court level and Judge William Ingram ordered Epyx to recall all copies of World Karate Championship. Epyx appealed the case to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, who reversed the judgment and ruled in favor of Epyx, stating that copyright protection did not extend to the idea of a tournament karate game, but specific artistic choices not dictated by that idea. The Court noted that a "17.5 year-old boy" could see clear differences between the elements of each game actually subject to copyright.
Bankruptcy and asset sales
In 1989, Epyx filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. According to Stephen Landrum, a long-time game programmerGame programmer
A game programmer is a software engineer, programmer, or computer scientist who primarily develops codebase for video games or related software, such as game development tools. Game programming has many specialized disciplines all of which fall under the umbrella term of "game programmer"...
at Epyx, the company went bankrupt "because it never really understood why it had been successful in the past, and then decided to branch out in a lot of directions, all of which turned out to be failures."
At this time, Epyx moved to a smaller office in downtown Redwood City and laid off nearly everyone. Epyx still developed games, but gave up their publishing rights and all the rights to the handheld game console they were developing to Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
(the company they owed most of the money to), eventually becoming the Atari Lynx. Epyx eventually came out of bankruptcy, but in 1993, with eight employees left, they decided just to sell off the rest of the company. Bridgestone Media Group eventually got the rights to everything else Epyx had, only Peter Engelbrite took the job offers issued to the remaining eight employees.
In 2006, British publisher System 3
System 3 (software company)
System 3 Software Ltd is a British video game developer and publisher.Founded in 1983 by Mark Cale, the company has been responsible for many critically acclaimed videogame experiences, most notably The Last Ninja series, Myth: History in the Making, Impossible Mission, Constructor, Street Wars,...
announced it had acquired Epyx's assets to release games such as California Games
California Games
California Games is a 1987 Epyx sports video game for many home computers and video game consoles. Branching from their popular Summer Games and Winter Games series, this game consisted of some sports purportedly popular in California including skateboarding, freestyle footbag, surfing, roller...
and Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission is a platform computer game for several home computers. The original version for the Commodore 64 was programmed by Dennis Caswell and published by Epyx in 1984.-Description:...
for Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, Sony PSP, and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
in 2007.
List of games
- 4x4 Off-Road Racing4x4 Off-Road Racing4x4 Off-Road Racing is a video game of the racing genre released in 1988 by Epyx and developed by Odan MicroDesign. The four maps consist of Mud, Ice, Desert and Mountains.-References and Relates Sites:...
(1988) - Alien GardenAlien GardenAlien Garden was one of the first non-game "software toys" released. It was designed in 1982 by Bernie DeKoven and programmed by virtual reality pioneer, Jaron Lanier, and it was designed with an emphasis on the need for experimentation....
(1982) - Armor Assault (1982)
- Axe of Rage (aka Barbarian II: Dungeons of Drax) (1988)
- Barbie (1984)
- Battle BugsBattle BugsBattle Bugs is a unique real-time tactics video game developed for the DOS and Windows by Epyx and released by Sierra On-Line in 1994. There was also a lesser known PlayStation version of the game that was released in Japan in 1997.-Summary:...
(1994) - Blue LightningBlue LightningBlue Lightning is a pseudo-simulation computer game in which the player controls a military airplane. The game was one of the first games for the Atari Lynx, released in 1989 and was programmed by Epyx, headed by lead programmer, Brian Bowhay, .The game is considered by many to be one of the best...
(1989) - Break DanceBreak DanceBreak Dance is a Commodore 64 computer game that relies on players making dancing moves that resemble the classic game Simon says.-Gameplay:...
(1984) - Boulder Dash Construction Kit (1986)
- California GamesCalifornia GamesCalifornia Games is a 1987 Epyx sports video game for many home computers and video game consoles. Branching from their popular Summer Games and Winter Games series, this game consisted of some sports purportedly popular in California including skateboarding, freestyle footbag, surfing, roller...
(1987) - California Games 2California Games 2California Games 2 is a sports game released by Epyx for the Amiga, MS-DOS, Sega Master System, and Super NES in 1993. This game is a sequel to California Games.The five sports events consisted of:*Hang gliding*Jet ski*Snowboarding*Bodysurfing...
(1990) - Championship WrestlingChampionship Wrestling (video game)Championship Wrestling was a wrestling game released by Epyx in 1986 for the Apple II and 1987 for the Commodore 64.-Summary:This video game was originally intended as a WWF game, but the licence never materialized....
(1986) - Chip's ChallengeChip's ChallengeChip's Challenge is a tile-based, puzzle video game for several systems, including the hand-held Atari Lynx, Amiga, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, DOS, and Windows . It has also been ported to the TI-84+ calculator and the TI-89 Titanium...
(1989) - ChipwitsChipWitsChipWits is a 1984 game for the Apple Macintosh, programmed by Doug Sharp and Mike Johnston, and published by BrainPower software.-Summary:The player uses an iconic programming language to teach a virtual robot how to navigate various mazes. The gameplay straddled the line between entertainment and...
(1984) - Crush, Crumble and Chomp!Crush, Crumble and Chomp!Crush, Crumble and Chomp! is a 1981 computer game from Epyx. In this game, the player takes control of a movie monster and attacks a famous city, such as New York or San Francisco. It resembles SPI's 1979 boardgame, The Creature That Ate Sheboygan....
(1981) - Crypt of the Undead (1982)
- Death Sword (aka Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior) (1987)
- DestroyerDestroyer (computer game)Destroyer is a naval combat simulation computer game released by Epyx in 1986. It was released on several platforms, including the Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIGS, Commodore 64, and IBM-compatible PCs.-Description:...
(1986) - Dragon's Eye (1981)
- Dragonriders of Pern (1983)
- ElectroCopElectroCopElectrocop is a 1989 video game developed by Epyx and published by Atari.-Summary:This video gamewas one of the first games developed for the Atari Lynx, and was released with the platform's launch....
(1989) - Escape from Vulcan's Isle (1982)
- Fax (1983)
- Final AssaultFinal AssaultFinal Assault, known as Chamonix Challenge in Europe, is a computer game developed by Epyx in 1987 for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIgs, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS and ZX Spectrum.-Gameplay:...
(1987) - Fore!
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985)
- The Games: Summer Edition (1988)
- The Games: Winter Edition (1988)
- Gates of ZendoconGates of ZendoconGates of Zendocon is a 1989 action video game by Epyx written by Peter Engelbrite for the Atari Lynx which was highly rated. This game is an action platform scrolling shooter where the player controls a space ship across 51 levels . During gameplay there are a number of little alien allies to aid...
(1989) - Gateway to ApshaiGateway to ApshaiGateway to Apshai is a computer game for the Commodore 64, ColecoVision, and Atari 400/800 home computers, developed by The Connelley Group and published by Epyx as a prequel to Temple of Apshai...
(1983) - Impossible MissionImpossible MissionImpossible Mission is a platform computer game for several home computers. The original version for the Commodore 64 was programmed by Dennis Caswell and published by Epyx in 1984.-Description:...
(1983) - Impossible Mission IIImpossible Mission IIImpossible Mission II is a 1988 computer game for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Enterprise 64 and 128, Nintendo Entertainment System, MS-DOS based PCs, Atari ST, Apple IIe with at least 128K, Apple IIc, Apple IIGS and Amiga computers, developed by Novotrade and published by Epyx...
(1988) - Invasion OrionInvasion OrionInvasion Orion is a 1979 science fiction strategy game written and published by Automated Simulations . It was a single- or two-player sequel to the original two-player Starfleet Orion, which had been published late in 1978...
(1979) - Jabbertalky (1982)
- JumpmanJumpmanJumpman is a platform game written by Randy Glover and released by Epyx in 1983. Originally developed for the Atari 400/800, versions were also released for the Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC....
(1983) - Jumpman JuniorJumpmanJumpman is a platform game written by Randy Glover and released by Epyx in 1983. Originally developed for the Atari 400/800, versions were also released for the Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC....
(1983) - King Arthur's Heir (1982)
- L.A. Crackdown (1988)
- Legend of Blacksilver (1988)
- Mind-Roll (1988)
- Monster Maze (1982)
- Morloc's Tower (1979)
- The Movie Monster GameThe Movie Monster GameThe Movie Monster Game is a 1986 computer game by Epyx. It was released for the Apple II and Commodore 64.The game offers a variety of scenarios, playable monsters, and cities to demolish...
(1986) - New World (1982)
- Nightmare, The (1982)
- Oil BaronsOil BaronsOil Barons is both a strategy and simulation-type, turn-based game, published by Epyx in 1983. It was released in versions compatible with the Apple II series, Commodore 64, and DOS varieties of home computer...
(1983) - Omnicron Conspiracy (1989)
- Pitstop (1983)
- Pitstop IIPitstop II-Summary:This video game allows players to race head-to-head on a split screen. It is a sequel to the 1983 Pitstop and was available on many popular platforms of the era....
(1984) - PlatterMania (1982)
- Project Neptune (1989)
- Purple Saturn Day (1989)
- Puzzle PanicPuzzle PanicPuzzle Panic, also known as Ken Uston's Puzzle Panic, was a computer game created by blackjack strategist Ken Uston, Bob Polin and Ron Karr and published by Epyx in 1984 for the Atari 400/800 and Commodore 64....
(1984) - Rad Warrior (1986)
- Rescue at RigelRescue at RigelRescue at Rigel is a 1980 science fiction computer role-playing game written and published by Automated Simulations , and later branded as part of the Starquest series. The game was released for the Apple II, DOS, as a PC Booter, TRS-80, VIC-20, and Atari 8-bit...
(1980) - Revenge of Defender (1988)
- Ricochet (1981)
- Rogue: The Adventure GameRogue (computer game)Rogue is a dungeon crawling video game first developed by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman around 1980. It was a favorite on college Unix systems in the early to mid-1980s, in part due to the procedural generation of game content. Rogue popularized dungeon crawling as a video game trope, leading...
(1983) - Showstrike (1991)
- Silicon Warrior (1984)
- Space Station Oblivion (1987)
- Spiderbot (1988)
- Starfleet OrionStarfleet OrionStarfleet Orion is a 1978 science fiction strategy game written and published by Automated Simulations . It appears to be the first space-themed strategy game sold for microcomputer systems. The game was originally written in BASIC for the Commodore PET, but later ported to other early home...
(1978) - Star WarriorStar Warrior (game)Star Warrior is a 1980 science fiction computer role-playing game written and published by Automated Simulations and released for the Apple II, TRS-80, and Atari home computers...
(1981) - Street Sports BasketballStreet Sports BasketballStreet Sports Basketball is a 1988 computer basketball game for the PC, Amstrad CPC, Amiga, Apple Inc., Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. It was developed by Epyx and published by U.S. Gold.- Gameplay :The game features a 3-a-side basketball match...
(1987) - Street Sports Soccer (1988)
- Sub Battle SimulatorSub Battle SimulatorSub Battle Simulator is a naval combat simulation computer game released by Epyx in 1987. The game was developed by Digital Illusions, Inc...
(1987) - Summer GamesSummer GamesSummer Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx and released by U.S. Gold based on sports featured in the Summer Olympic Games. Released in 1984 for the Commodore 64, it was also eventually ported to the Apple II, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, Atari XL/XE and Sega Master System platforms...
(1984) - Summer Games IISummer Games IISummer Games II is a sports video game developed by Epyx and released by U.S. Gold based on sports featured in the Summer Olympic Games. Released in 1985 for the Commodore 64, it was also eventually ported to the Apple II, IBM PC, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Sinclair Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and the Amiga...
(1985) - Super Cycle (1986)
- Sword of FargoalSword of FargoalSword of Fargoal was a computer game written in 1982 by Jeff McCord. The November 1996 anniversary issue of Computer Gaming World listed Sword of Fargoal as #147 on the "Top 150 Best Video Games of All Time."-History:...
(1982) - Dunjonquest family:
- Temple of ApshaiTemple of ApshaiThe Temple of Apshai is a computer role-playing game from Epyx. The game was first released for the TRS-80 in 1979, then the Apple II and Atari home computers in 1980. In 1983, it was released for the Commodore VIC-20, Commodore 64, and IBM PC compatibles. Even later it was made available with...
(1979) - Hellfire Warrior (1980)
- Dunjonquest: Danger in Drindisti (1981)
- Dunjonquest: The Keys of Acheron (1981)
- Upper Reaches of Apshai (1982)
- Temple of Apshai: Curse of Ra (1982)
- Gateway to ApshaiGateway to ApshaiGateway to Apshai is a computer game for the Commodore 64, ColecoVision, and Atari 400/800 home computers, developed by The Connelley Group and published by Epyx as a prequel to Temple of Apshai...
(1983) - Dunjonquest: Morloc's Tower (1979)
- Dunjonquest: The Datestones of Ryn (1979)
- Dunjonquest: Sorcerer of Siva (1981)
- Temple of Apshai Trilogy (1985)
- Temple of Apshai
- Sword of FargoalSword of FargoalSword of Fargoal was a computer game written in 1982 by Jeff McCord. The November 1996 anniversary issue of Computer Gaming World listed Sword of Fargoal as #147 on the "Top 150 Best Video Games of All Time."-History:...
(1982) - Tuesday Morning Quarterback (1980)
- Winter GamesWinter GamesWinter Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx , based on sports featured in the Winter Olympic Games....
(1985) - World GamesWorld Games (computer game)World Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx for the Commodore 64 in 1986. Versions for the Apple IIGS, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, SEGA Master System and other contemporary systems were also released...
(1986) - World Karate Championship (1986)
- Zarlor MercenaryZarlor MercenaryZarlor Mercenary was an action game for the Atari Lynx handheld console, released by Epyx. It was a vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up in which the player controlled a spacecraft destroying enemy spaceships and buildings in order to earn money which could be used to buy upgrades between levels...
(1990)
External links
- Epyx profile on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- "An Epyx Tale" – An in-depth history of Epyx
- Epyx history and game list – GOTCHA on GameSpy.
- Images of some early Epyx brochures
- Epyx 500XJ Joystick Brochure
- |Epyx 500XJ Joystick Commerical (1986)