Micro Power
Encyclopedia
Micro Power was a British
company established in the early 1980s, best known as a video game publisher (originally under the name Program Power - they continued using 'Program Power' as a trading name and often both names would appear on their releases) but they also produced and sold many types of computer hardware
and software (both their own and third-party) through their Leeds
'showroom' or via mail order
.
From 1980 to 1987 the company published a number of video games and other software for various home computers. The earliest programs were released for the Acorn Atom
but they are best remembered for their games for that machine's successor, Acorn's BBC Micro
(with all but two of their post-Atom games running on that machine). All games that could be (and weren't considered 'too old') were ported to the Acorn Electron
after its release in 1983 and almost all new games were now released for these 2 machines. A few were also ported to other 8-bit
platforms including Commodore 64
, Amstrad CPC
and ZX Spectrum
but these never achieved the success of the Acorn originals.
From 1985 onwards, Micro Power began to produce a few advanced games as opposed to a high quantity of simpler games. These include the arcade adventure Castle Quest (BBC only) by Tony Sothcott, billed as "Probably the most challenging game ever devised for the BBC Micro" (it was never converted for the Electron, probably because it used near full-screen scrolling in an 8-colour mode), Doctor Who and the Mines of Terror
(BBC, C64, CPC), a huge arcade adventure that required its own ROM
chip to run on the Model B BBC Micro, and the puzzle
/platform game
Imogen (BBC only, later ported to Electron by Superior Software
and more recently remade for PC) by Michael St. Aubyn which was noted for its witty, original puzzles and cute high-resolution monochrome graphics.
These games took more money and time to produce and with significantly fewer releases per year, probably contributed to the downfall of the company. The Doctor Who game in particular is often cited as crippling the company with a number of problems such as the added cost of producing the ROM chips for the BBC version and the unreleased (but heavily previewed and advertised) ZX Spectrum version which would have required an add-on cartridge.
There were also two 32-bit
games, Chess 3D and Zelanites the Onslaught (a Space Invaders
clone) for the Acorn Archimedes
, released under the Micro Power name in 1991. It is unknown how these releases relate to the original company as there hadn't been a Micro Power release for four years.
Notable earlier games include:
program (Atom, BBC, later ported to Electron by Superior Software
).
which added 2 joystick ports and 3-channel sound capability.
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...
company established in the early 1980s, best known as a video game publisher (originally under the name Program Power - they continued using 'Program Power' as a trading name and often both names would appear on their releases) but they also produced and sold many types of computer hardware
Computer hardware
Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...
and software (both their own and third-party) through their Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
'showroom' or via mail order
Mail order
Mail order is a term which describes the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. The buyer places an order for the desired products with the merchant through some remote method such as through a telephone call or web site. Then, the products are delivered to the customer...
.
From 1980 to 1987 the company published a number of video games and other software for various home computers. The earliest programs were released for the Acorn Atom
Acorn Atom
The Acorn Atom was a home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd from 1980 to 1982 when it was replaced by the BBC Micro and later the Acorn Electron....
but they are best remembered for their games for that machine's successor, Acorn's BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
(with all but two of their post-Atom games running on that machine). All games that could be (and weren't considered 'too old') were ported to the Acorn Electron
Acorn Electron
The Acorn Electron is a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. It has 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM includes BBC BASIC along with its operating system....
after its release in 1983 and almost all new games were now released for these 2 machines. A few were also ported to other 8-bit
8-bit
The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
platforms including 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...
, 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,...
and 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...
but these never achieved the success of the Acorn originals.
Games
Most of Micro Power's early games were basic single screen games, typically arcade clones (see the list of notable games below). While mostly well received and popular at the time (especially on the Acorn platforms), by the mid 1980s, video games were becoming increasingly complex. While simple early arcade-style games still sold well, it was usually at a budget price. Micro Power themselves released Micro Power Magic compilations in 1986, each featuring ten of their games that had previously sold at up to £7.95 each (some only two years earlier), for £7.95.From 1985 onwards, Micro Power began to produce a few advanced games as opposed to a high quantity of simpler games. These include the arcade adventure Castle Quest (BBC only) by Tony Sothcott, billed as "Probably the most challenging game ever devised for the BBC Micro" (it was never converted for the Electron, probably because it used near full-screen scrolling in an 8-colour mode), Doctor Who and the Mines of Terror
Doctor Who and the Mines of Terror
Doctor Who and the Mines of Terror is a game for the Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro and Commodore 64. It was first released by Micro Power on the BBC Micro in 1985, and on the Amstrad CPC & C64 in 1986.thumb|left|In-game screenshot...
(BBC, C64, CPC), a huge arcade adventure that required its own ROM
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
chip to run on the Model B BBC Micro, and the puzzle
Computer puzzle game
Puzzle video games are a genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles to be solved can test many problem solving skills including logic, strategy, pattern recognition, sequence solving, and word completion....
/platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
Imogen (BBC only, later ported to Electron by Superior Software
Superior Software
Superior Software is a video game publisher. It was established in 1982 by Richard Hanson and John Dyson, two graduates of the University of Leeds, England...
and more recently remade for PC) by Michael St. Aubyn which was noted for its witty, original puzzles and cute high-resolution monochrome graphics.
These games took more money and time to produce and with significantly fewer releases per year, probably contributed to the downfall of the company. The Doctor Who game in particular is often cited as crippling the company with a number of problems such as the added cost of producing the ROM chips for the BBC version and the unreleased (but heavily previewed and advertised) ZX Spectrum version which would have required an add-on cartridge.
There were also two 32-bit
32-bit
The range of integer values that can be stored in 32 bits is 0 through 4,294,967,295. Hence, a processor with 32-bit memory addresses can directly access 4 GB of byte-addressable memory....
games, Chess 3D and Zelanites the Onslaught (a Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
clone) for the Acorn Archimedes
Acorn Archimedes
The Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer to be based on their own ARM architecture.Using a RISC design with a 32-bit CPU, at its launch in June 1987, the Archimedes was stated as running at 4 MIPS, with a claim of 18 MIPS during tests.The name is commonly...
, released under the Micro Power name in 1991. It is unknown how these releases relate to the original company as there hadn't been a Micro Power release for four years.
Notable earlier games include:
- AdventureAdventure (Micro Power video game)Adventure is an 8-bit computer game published in the UK by Micro Power. It was released on the Acorn Atom sometime around 1982 and on the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro in 1983....
- a text adventure (Atom, BBC, Electron) - Alien Destroyers - a Space InvadersSpace Invadersis an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
clone (BBC only) - Bandits at 3 O'Clock - a 2-player World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
dogfight (BBC, Electron) - Block Buster - a Q*bert clone (BBC only)
- Bumble Bee - a Lady BugLady Bug (arcade game)Lady Bug is a Pac-Man-like maze-based insect-themed arcade game produced by Universal Games and released in 1981.-Description:The goal of Lady Bug is to eat all dots, hearts and letters in the maze while avoiding other insects. The player is represented by a red, yellow, and green character...
clone (BBC, Electron, C64) - Cabman - an overhead view taxi driving game (Spectrum only)
- Cowboy Shootout - a Boot HillBoot Hill (arcade game)Boot Hill is a shooter arcade game released by Midway in 1977. The game is a sequel to Gun Fight.-Description:A classic one or two-player western gunfight game. Each player uses a small joystick to move their cowboy up and down the play area, while a second, much larger joystick is used to aim the...
clone (Atom, BBC, Spectrum) - Croaker - a FroggerFroggerFrogger is an arcade game introduced in 1981. It was developed by Konami, and licensed for worldwide distribution by Sega/Gremlin. The object of the game is to direct frogs to their homes one by one. To do this, each frog must avoid cars while crossing a busy road and navigate a river full of...
clone (BBC, Electron) - Cybertron MissionCybertron MissionCybertron Mission is a two-dimensional shooter game, released by Micro Power in 1984 for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and later ported to the Commodore 64 in the same year...
- a BerzerkBerzerkBerzerk is a multi-directional shooter video arcade game, released in 1980 by Stern Electronics of Chicago.-Gameplay:The player controls a green stick-figure, representing a "humanoid." Using a joystick , the player navigates a simple maze filled with many robots, who fire lasers back at the...
clone (BBC, Electron, C64) - Danger UXB - a Check ManCheck ManCheck Man is an arcade game released by Zilec-Zenitone in 1982. While being a fast paced action game, there are puzzle elements to the gameplay. The game uses the Namco Galaxian arcade board.-Gameplay:...
clone (BBC, Electron) - Dune Riders - a Moon PatrolMoon Patrolis a classic arcade game by Irem that was first released in 1982. It was licensed to Williams for distribution in North America.The player controls a moon buggy, viewing it from the side, that travels over the moon's surface. While driving it, obstacles such as craters and mines must be avoided....
clone (BBC only) - Electron Invaders - a Space InvadersSpace Invadersis an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
clone (Electron only) - Escape from Moonbase Alpha - a graphic adventure (BBC, Electron)
- Felix and the Fruit MonstersFelix and the Fruit MonstersFelix and the Fruit Monsters is a video game released by Micro Power for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron in 1983. It is a sequel to the earlier game Felix in the Factory. The game is a sort of Pac-Man clone, in which the player moves around a maze collecting fruit and avoiding the fruit monsters....
- a Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
style overhead maze game (BBC, Electron) - Felix in the FactoryFelix in the FactoryFelix in the Factory is a platform game for home computers published by Micro Power . The game was first released in 1982 for the BBC Micro. It was ported to the Acorn Electron , Commodore 64 and Memotech MTX...
- a platform game (BBC, Electron, C64, Memotech MTX) - Felix Meets the Evil Weevils - a platform game (BBC, Electron)
- FrenzyFrenzy (Micro Power video game)Frenzy is an 8-bit computer game published in the UK by Micro Power in 1984.It is a version of the arcade game Qix.The game was released for the Acorn Electronand BBC Microin 1984 and for the Commodore 64 in 1985.-Description:...
- a QixQixQix is an arcade game, released by Taito America Corporation in 1981.-Gameplay:The objective of Qix is to fence off, or “claim”, a supermajority of the playfield...
clone (BBC, Electron, C64) - Galactic Commander - a Lunar Lander clone (BBC, Electron)
- Gauntlet - a Defender clone (BBC, Electron, CPC)
- GhoulsGhouls (video game)Ghouls is an 8-bit computer game written by David Hoskins and published in the UK by Micro Power. It was released on the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC in 1984Ghouls is a platform game, set in a creepy mansion on top of a hill...
- a platform game with Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
-like characters (BBC, Electron, C64, CPC) - Hell Driver - an overhead view driving game (BBC only)
- Intergalactic Trader - a text-based space trading game (BBC, Electron)
- Invasion Force - a Space InvadersSpace Invadersis an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
clone (Atom only) - Jet Power Jack - a platform game (BBC, Electron, C64)
- Killer GorillaKiller Gorilla (video game)Killer Gorilla is a computer game written by Adrian Stephens and originally published by Micro Power for the BBC Micro in 1983 and ported to the Acorn Electron and Amstrad CPC computers in 1984. It is a clone of Nintendo's Donkey Kong....
- a Donkey KongDonkey Kong (video game)is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
clone (BBC, Electron, CPC) - Laser Command - a Missile CommandMissile CommandMissile Command is a 1980 arcade game by Atari, Inc. that was also licensed to Sega for European release. It is considered one of the most notable games from the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games...
clone (BBC only) - The Mine - a Dig DugDig Dugis an arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan in 1982 for Namco Galaga hardware. It was later published outside of Japan by Atari. A popular game based on a simple concept, it was also released as a video game on many consoles.-Objective:...
clone (BBC, Electron) - Mr. Ee! - a Mr. Do!Mr. Do!Mr. Do! is an arcade game created by Universal in 1982. Remotely similar in gameplay to Namco's popular Dig Dug title, Mr. Do! was also popular and saw release on a variety of home video game consoles and systems. It is the first game in the Mr...
clone (BBC only) - Moon Raider - a ScrambleScramble (arcade game)Scramble is a 1981 horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up, arcade game. It was developed by Konami, and manufactured and distributed by Stern in North America. It was the first side-scrolling shooter with forced scrolling and multiple distinct levels...
clone (BBC, Electron) - Nemesis - a Centipede clone (BBC only)
- Plutonium Plunder - a Pengo-style overhead maze game (BBC only)
- PositronPositron (video game)Positron is a video game which was published for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers by Micro Power in 1983. It was developed on a pre-release Electron and was one of the few games available for the machine on its launch.-Gameplay:The player controls a laser base which can move left and...
- a fast-paced Space InvadersSpace Invadersis an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
style shoot 'em up (BBC, Electron) - Rubble Trouble - a Pengo-style overhead maze game (BBC, Electron)
- Starfleet Encounter - a text-based strategy game for 2-8 players (BBC only)
- Stock CarStock Car (video game)Stock Car is an 8-bit computer game written by A. W. Halse and published in the UK by Micro Power. The game was released in 1984 for the BBC Micro, Acorn Electron and Commodore 64 computers....
- an overhead view racing game (BBC, Electron, C64) - Swag - a 2-player arcade game involving bank robbery (BBC, Electron)
- SwoopSwoop (8-bit computer game)Swoop is an 8-bit computer game written by David Elliot and published in the UK by Micro Power. It was first released on the BBC Micro in 1982 and ported to the Acorn Electron for its launch in 1983 and the Commodore 64 in 1984.-Summary:...
- a GalaxianGalaxianis an arcade game developed by Namco in 1979. It was published by Namco in Japan and was imported to North America by Midway in 1980. A fixed shooter-style game in which the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen and shoots enemies descending in various directions, it was designed...
clone (BBC, Electron, C64)
Educational / Utility Software
As well as games, Micro Power released a number of educational programs (covering subjects such as science and geography) as well as utility software such as the Draw art package (BBC, Electron) and Constellation astronomyAstronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
program (Atom, BBC, later ported to Electron by Superior Software
Superior Software
Superior Software is a video game publisher. It was established in 1982 by Richard Hanson and John Dyson, two graduates of the University of Leeds, England...
).
Hardware
Micro Power also released hardware such as the 'Micro Power Add-On' for the ZX SpectrumZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
which added 2 joystick ports and 3-channel sound capability.