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Datasoft
Datasoft, Inc. (also written as DataSoft and Data Soft) was a software developer and publisher for home computers founded in 1980 by Pat Ketchum and based out of Chatsworth, California. Datasoft primarily published video games, including home ports of arcade games, games based on licenses from movies and TV shows, and original games. Like competitor Synapse Software, the company also published other software: development tools, word processors, and utilities. Text Wizard, written by William Robinson and published by Datasoft when he was 16, was the basis for AtariWriter. Datasoft initially targeted the Atari 8-bit family, Apple II, and TRS-80 Color Computer, then later the Commodore 64, IBM PC, Atari ST, and Amiga. Starting in 1983, a line of lower cost software was published under the name Gentry Software. Datasoft went into bankruptcy, and its name and assets were purchased by two Datasoft executives, Samuel L. Poole and Ted Hoffman. They renamed the company IntelliCreations and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
AtariWriter
AtariWriter is a word processor program for the Atari 8-bit family released by Atari as a 16 kB ROM cartridge in 1983. The program was fast and easy to use, while still allowing the creation of fairly complex documents. It was a huge success for the platform, with at least 800,000 examples sold not including international versions and later updates. Atari had introduced its first branded word processor in 1981, Atari Word Processor. Reviews invariably lauded its features but concluded it was too difficult to use and its system requirements were too demanding. During the process of introducing new models of the computers, the XL series, the decision was made to abandon Word Processor in favour of a simpler program that would run on any machine. This led to them hiring William Robinson, author of Datasoft's Text Wizard, and having him to modify the program to run from a cartridge. Highly positive reviews in all major magazines quickly followed its release. The only major concer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dung Beetles (video Game)
''Dung Beetles'' is an Apple II maze game by Bob Bishop published in 1982 by Datasoft. The gameplay is similar to ''Pac-Man'', but a portion of the maze around the player-controlled character is enlarged as if being viewed through a square magnifying lens. ''Dung Beetles'' was ported to Atari 8-bit family and the TRS-80 Color Computer. The Color Computer version was sold by Tandy and renamed ''Mega-Bug''. The Mega-Bug port was programmed by Steve Bjork. Later versions for both the Apple II and Atari were named ''Tumble Bugs''. In 1983, Datasoft moved the game to its Gentry Software label with another name change: ''Magneto Bugs''. In Australia, the game was sold as ''Bug Attack''. It was also released for the NEC PC-6001. Gameplay The game concept and gameplay are based on ''Pac-Man'', but features a much larger, randomly-generated maze and a moving "magnifying rectangle" that shows the player's character, maze details, and nearby enemies close-up. The objective of the game is t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shooting Arcade
''Shooting Arcade'' is a fixed shooter written by Mark Riley for the Atari 8-bit family and published in 1982 by Datasoft. It was later released under Datasoft's Gentry Software budget label as ''Target Practice''. It was ported to the TRS-80 Color Computer by James Garon and released as ''Shooting Gallery''. The game is similar to the 1980 Sega arcade game ''Carnival_(video_game), Carnival''. Gameplay ''Shooting Arcade'' is based on an amusement park shooting gallery. The player controls a pistol which moves along the bottom of the screen. Targets moving right and left appear in six rows before the player, and the goal of the game is to shoot them all down before the player runs out of bullets. The directions in which the rows of targets move alternate from row to row. The targets move off one edge of the screen and reappear on the other edge. Each target has a different point value and some also have special features: the diamonds give an extra bullet when hit, the bull's eyes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Sands Of Egypt
''The Sands of Egypt'' is a 1982 graphic adventure game written by James Garon, Ralph Burris, and Steve Bjork of Datasoft for the TRS-80 Color Computer. It was licensed to Tandy Corporation and was the first disk-only game for the Color Computer sold by RadioShack. Ports to the Atari 8-bit family in 1982 and Apple II in 1983 were published by Datasoft. Set in 1893, the game follows a British explorer and archaeologist who is lost in the desert. Text commands are entered in the lower half of the screen, while a sometimes animated image of the current location is displayed in the upper half. Gameplay The top half of the screen shows an image of the current location. The player interacts with the game by typing commands in the bottom half, as in an interactive fiction game. Commands are either in a "VERB NOUN" format or single words such as N for "move north". The number of moves made is tracked as the score and can be displayed via the SCORE command. The player needs to periodical ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Canyon Climber
''Canyon Climber'' is a video game designed by Steve Bjork and James Garon for the TRS-80 Color Computer and published by Tandy Corporation in 1982. Ports to other home computers were published by Datasoft. ''Canyon Climber'' is a three-screen platform game with an American Southwest theme. Two of the screens are direct analogs of those in ''Donkey Kong''. The game was ported to the Atari 8-bit family by Tim Ferris, the Apple II by Brian Mountford, and PC-6001. The box art is by Scott Ross. Gameplay ''Canyon Climber'' consists of three non-scrolling screens that are endlessly cycled through. In the first, similar to the rivet screen from ''Donkey Kong'', the goal is to place explosive charges on both ends of each of four bridges, using ladders to climb between them, then trigger a detonator. Goats pursue the player and can be jumped over. The second screen resembles ''Donkey Kong's'' opening level, with angled platforms and connecting ladders. Native Americans in the United ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pacific Coast Highway (video Game)
''Pacific Coast Highway'' (stylized as ''Pacific Coast Hwy'') is a video game written by Ron Rosen for the Atari 8-bit family and published by Datasoft in 1982. It is a clone of ''Frogger,'' with the key gameplay differences being that ''Pacific Coast Highway'' allows two-player simultaneous play, and the road and water segments are split into separate, alternating, screens. Ron Rosen later wrote the 1983 platform game ''Mr. Robot and His Robot Factory'' Gameplay Each player starts at the bottom of the screen and the goal is to reach the top. Player one is a rabbit and player two, if present, is a tortoise. The difference between the two is entirely visual, and the tortoise and hare theme is not present elsewhere. The first screen is the highway from the title, with eight lanes of traffic to avoid, divided in the center by a median strip (called a "rolling sidewalk" in the manual). The second screen is water-themed, and players must hop on the boats and rafts to reach the top. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
O'Riley's Mine
''O'Riley's Mine'' is an action game designed by Mark Riley and published in 1983 by Datasoft for the Atari 8-bit family, Atari 8-bit home computer. The game was ported to Apple II by Larry Lewis and to Commodore 64 by Al Rubin. Both ports were also released in 1983. Gameplay O'Riley must travel through his mine to capture all the buried treasure and return safely home again at the top of the mine shaft. He can be drowned by the onrushing water or eaten by the river monsters. Dynamite charges can be used to block the monsters' pathway, but it will be cleared again by the incoming water. Explosions can be timed so that a monster is blown away to gain extra points. The number of dynamite charges is dependent on the level of difficulty. There is no time limit, but the speed of water increases in higher levels. When the moon rises the monsters move faster through the mine shafts. The oncoming water rises to the highest level the player digs in the mine, so it is possible the wat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Dallas Quest
''The Dallas Quest'' is a graphic adventure game based on the soap opera ''Dallas''. The game was programmed by James Garon for the TRS-80 Color Computer and published by Tandy Corporation in 1984. It was the second game in the "Animated Adventure" series, following '' The Sands of Egypt'', and uses the same split-screen display. Datasoft published versions for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, and Commodore 64 in the same year. The player takes the role of a detective. After an initial sequence at Southfork Ranch, the setting moves to South America, and the game has little to do with the TV show. Development Lorimar Productions, the studio that produced ''Dallas'', licensed the rights to its characters to Datasoft and provided a script by two "screenwriter's assistants" for the show. James Garon adapted the script into a text adventure game, with graphics provided by professional artists. Reception A five star ''Your Commodore'' review praised the graphics as some of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bruce Lee (video Game)
''Bruce Lee'' is a platform game written by Ron J. Fortier for the Atari 8-bit family and published in 1984 by Datasoft. The graphics are by Kelly Day and music by John A. Fitzpatrick. The player takes the role of Bruce Lee, while a second player controls either Yamo or alternates with player one for control of Bruce Lee. Commodore 64 and Apple II versions were released the same year. The game was converted to the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC and published by U.S. Gold. It was the first U.S. Gold release featuring a famous individual. An MSX version was published in 1985 by Comptiq. Gameplay The plot involves the eponymous martial artist advancing from chamber to chamber in a wizard's tower, seeking to claim infinite wealth and the secret of immortality. There are twenty chambers, each represented by a single screen with platforms and ladders. To progress, the player must collect a number of lanterns suspended from various points in the chamber. Most chambers are guarded by t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lost Tomb
''Lost Tomb'' is an overhead-view multidirectional shooter written by Dan Lee and released in arcades by Stern Electronics in 1982. Armed with a gun and whip, the player uses dual joystick controls to explore the chambers of a South American pyramid looking for treasure and fighting off mummies and other occupants. The game was Stern's first arcade conversion kit and was intended for use with earlier machines from the company. In 1984, Datasoft published home ports for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, and a self-booting disk for IBM PC compatibles. Gameplay The object of the game is to move through the rooms of the tomb, from the top of the pyramid to the base, collecting treasure and looking for the exit. Between rooms is an isometric-view hallway, where the player must run for the entrance of the next room before being attacked by bats. One joystick moves the player and the other fires the gun A gun is a ranged weapon designed to use a shooting ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clowns And Balloons
''Clowns and Balloons'' is a circus-themed video game written by Frank Cohen for the Atari 8-bit family and published in 1982 by Datasoft. It is a clone of the 1977 arcade game ''Circus''. A variant of '' Breakout'', the player moves a trampoline to catch a bouncing clown who pops rows of balloons at the top of the screen with his head. Gameplay The object of ''Clowns and Balloons'' is to move a trampoline under a clown and bounce him high enough into the air to burst all the balloons. The player controls the trampoline's left and right movement with the joystick or paddles. There is a bonus to score by clearing each row of balloons completely starting from the bottom and working up. If the balloons are not cleared in order, the row will refill. Clowns bounce at different angles depending on where they land on the trampoline. Reception Charles Brannon, who reviewed the game for ''Compute!'' magazine, liked the game: "The animation remains fairly simple, though smooth. The sound ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pooyan
is a fixed shooter arcade game released by Konami in Japan in 1982. It was manufactured in North America by Stern Electronics. The player controls "Mama", a pig whose babies have been kidnapped by a group of wolves. Gameplay The player controls Mama Pig, whose babies have been kidnapped by a pack of wolves and who must rescue them using a bow and arrow and slabs of meat. Controls consist of a two-position up/down joystick, which moves an elevator in which Mama Pig rides; and a button, which fires arrows and throws meat. Each level consists of two rounds. In the first, wolves descend slowly from a high ledge using balloons, which the player must shoot in order to drop them to the ground. Any wolves who reach the ground safely will climb up a set of ladders behind the elevator and try to eat Mama Pig if she moves in front of them. During the second round, the wolves start on the ground and inflate balloons in order to ascend to a cliff on which a boulder is resting so they can pu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |