Sirius Software
Encyclopedia
Sirius Software was a video game publisher
of Apple II
, Commodore 64
and Atari
computer games in the early 1980s.
. It gained attention for its dramatically quick rise to prominence and its equally quick collapse in 1984 after 20th Century Fox
(Fox Video Games) failed to pay over USD$
18 Million in owed royalties. Sirius Software designed and marketed more than 160 computer video games, software products and hardware devices worldwide. Jewell was profiled by author Steven Levy
in his book Hackers
.
Sirius' quick rise was due in part to a chain of hits by programmer
Nasir Gebelli
. Gebelli's breakthrough game was Gorgon
, which brought the gameplay of the arcade's Defender
to the Apple II. His creativity and Jewell's sales and marketing skills combined to create in a single year a multi-million dollar enterprise operating out of a rented apartment.
Sirius also published a line of graphical adventure games in an attempt to compete with Sierra On-Line
, but without much success. Most of the company's games were launched on the Apple II line of computers, but they also released some titles for other platforms, notably the Atari 400/800
machines and Commodore 64
.
that teaches teens teamwork and leadership skills through challenging performing arts projects. The Jewell Performing Arts Center, Inc. produces "Scary U", the nation's only haunted house
school. Scary U won the coveted "Golden Bucky" award in 2004 for the best professional haunted house in the country. Jewell also designs and manufactures professional animatronics
for the Halloween
industry. He has one child, a daughter, Kathryn.
The Smithsonian Museum produced a "living history" video of Jewell's role in the early personal computer industry.
_title.png)
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....
of Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
, 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$595...
and Atari
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
computer games in the early 1980s.
Founding and early history
The company was founded in the early 1980s by Jerry Jewell and Nasir GebelliNasir Gebelli
Nasir Gebelli is an Iranian-American programmer and video game developer. Gebelli co-founded Sirius Software, created his own company Gebelli Software, and worked for Square .-Sirius Software:...
. It gained attention for its dramatically quick rise to prominence and its equally quick collapse in 1984 after 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
(Fox Video Games) failed to pay over USD$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
18 Million in owed royalties. Sirius Software designed and marketed more than 160 computer video games, software products and hardware devices worldwide. Jewell was profiled by author Steven Levy
Steven Levy
Steven Levy is an American journalist who has written several books on computers, technology, cryptography, the Internet, cybersecurity, and privacy.-Career:...
in his book Hackers
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution is a book by Steven Levy about hacker culture. It was published in 1984 in Garden City, New York by Anchor Press/Doubleday...
.
Sirius' quick rise was due in part to a chain of hits by programmer
Game 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"...
Nasir Gebelli
Nasir Gebelli
Nasir Gebelli is an Iranian-American programmer and video game developer. Gebelli co-founded Sirius Software, created his own company Gebelli Software, and worked for Square .-Sirius Software:...
. Gebelli's breakthrough game was Gorgon
Gorgon (computer game)
Gorgon is a horizontally-scrolling shoot 'em up Apple II computer game released in 1981 developed by Sirius Software, Inc.-Summary:This video game is an early monochrome clone of the arcade game Defender...
, which brought the gameplay of the arcade's Defender
Defender (game)
Defender is an arcade video game developed released by Williams Electronics in 1980. A shooting game featuring two-dimensional graphics, the game is set on a fictional planet where the player must defeat waves of invading aliens while protecting astronauts...
to the Apple II. His creativity and Jewell's sales and marketing skills combined to create in a single year a multi-million dollar enterprise operating out of a rented apartment.
Sirius also published a line of graphical adventure games in an attempt to compete with Sierra On-Line
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
, but without much success. Most of the company's games were launched on the Apple II line of computers, but they also released some titles for other platforms, notably 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...
machines and 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...
.
Jerry Jewell
Jewell currently runs a children's non-profit organization in Rancho Cordova, CaliforniaRancho Cordova, California
Rancho Cordova is a city in Sacramento County, California, USA, that incorporated in 2003. It is part of the Sacramento Metropolitan Area. The population was 64,776 at the 2010 census. Rancho Cordova is the Sacramento area's largest employment sub-center, with a daily influx of over 45,000...
that teaches teens teamwork and leadership skills through challenging performing arts projects. The Jewell Performing Arts Center, Inc. produces "Scary U", the nation's only haunted house
Haunted house
A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
school. Scary U won the coveted "Golden Bucky" award in 2004 for the best professional haunted house in the country. Jewell also designs and manufactures professional animatronics
Animatronics
Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than robotic. Animatronic creations include animals , plants and even mythical creatures...
for the Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
industry. He has one child, a daughter, Kathryn.
The Smithsonian Museum produced a "living history" video of Jewell's role in the early personal computer industry.
Arcade-style games
- Both Barrels (1980)
- Cyber Strike (1980)
- Star Cruiser (1980)
- Phantoms Five (1980)
- Autobahn (1981)
- GorgonGorgon (computer game)Gorgon is a horizontally-scrolling shoot 'em up Apple II computer game released in 1981 developed by Sirius Software, Inc.-Summary:This video game is an early monochrome clone of the arcade game Defender...
(1981) - OutpostOutpost (1981 computer game)Outpost is an arcade game programmed by Tom Orlando McWilliams and published by Sirius Software in 1981....
(1981) - Pulsar II (1981)
- SneakersSneakers (Apple video game)Sneakers is a 1981 video game for the Apple II computer, created by Mark Turmell and published by Sirius Software.- Description :The premise of Sneakers is similar to Space Invaders or Sirius's Space Eggs — to use either paddles or the keyboard to move a ship left or right across the bottom of the...
(1981) - Space EggsSpace EggsSpace Eggs is a video game for the Apple II computer, created by Nasir Gebelli and published by Sirius Software in 1981.-Description:Space Eggs is an unofficial port of the arcade game Moon Cresta to the Apple II...
(1981) - Beany Bopper (1982)
- Deadly DuckDeadly DuckDeadly Duck is an Atari 2600 game released on January 20, 1982 in North America. The game was programmed by Sirius Software and released by 20th Century Fox Games....
(1982) - Fantastic Voyage (1982)
- Fast EddieFast EddieFast Eddie , is an American House producer from Chicago, Illinois.-Career:Prior to his entry into the realm of production, Fast Eddie was one of the premier DJs of the early Chicago House movement....
(1982) - Bandits (1982)
- Turmoil (1982)
- Type Attack (1982)
- Worm War I (1982)
- Snake ByteSnake ByteSnake Byte is a 1982 computer game published by Sirius Software Inc. for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64.-Summary:The player controls a snake, crawling into a rectangular area. At the start of the game the snake has three lives and gains a life when it successfully exits a...
(1982) - Bandits (1983)
- Flash Gordon (1983)
- Plasmania (1983)
- The Earth Dies Screaming (1983)
- ReptonRepton (1983 computer game)Repton is a Defender-inspired game written by Dan Thompson and Andy Kaluzniacki and published by Sirius Software in 1983. It was written for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit, and Commodore 64 computers.-External links:* *...
(1983) - SpaceMaster X-7 (1983)
Adventure games
- Blade of Blackpoole (1982)
- Critical Mass (1982)
- Escape from RungistanEscape from RungistanEscape from Rungistan is an interactive fiction computer game by Sirius Software's Bob Blauschild and released in 1982 for the Apple II.-Summary:Rungistan is an adventure game similar to other such as Mystery House and Gruds in Space....
(1982) - Kabul Spy (1982)
- Gruds in Space (1983)
Strategy games
- Dark Forest (1981)
- Call to Arms (1982)
- Cyclod (1982)