First Star Software
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First Star Software
First Star Software, Inc. was a Chappaqua, New York based video game development, publishing and licensing company, founded by Richard Spitalny (who remains the company's president), Billy Blake, Peter Jablon, and Fernando Herrera in 1982. It is best known for the series' ''Boulder Dash'', which began on the Atari 8-bit family, and '' Spy vs. Spy'', which first appeared on the Commodore 64. Games were ported to or written for home computers, consoles, and later for Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, and portable devices. Millions of units have been sold in both the ''Boulder Dash'' and ''Spy vs. Spy'' series of games. As of January 1, 2018 the First Star Software name and website are owned by BBG Entertainment GmbH which also purchased all intellectual property rights pertaining to ''Astro Chase'', ''BOiNG!'', ''Boulder Dash'', ''Bristles'', ''Flip & Flop'', ''Millennium Warriors'', '' Omnicron Conspiracy'', ''Panic Button'', ''Rent Wars'' and ''Security Alert''. History Fernando ...
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New York (state)
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. state by area. With 20.2 million people, it is the fourth-most-populous state in the United States as of 2021, with approximately 44% living in New York City, including 25% of the state's population within Brooklyn and Queens, and another 15% on the remainder of Long Island, the most populous island in the United States. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the east; it has a maritime border with Rhode Island, east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest. New York City (NYC) is the most populous city in the United States, and around two-thirds of the state's popul ...
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Omnicron Conspiracy
''Omnicron Conspiracy'' is a 1989 video game published by Epyx in the United States and by Image Works in the UK and German markets. Gameplay ''Omnicron Conspiracy'' is a game in which a graphic adventure stars Ace Powers, Intergalactic Star Policeman Extraordinaire. Reception Dennis Owens reviewed the game for ''Computer Gaming World'', and stated that "''Omnicron Conspiracy'', because of its logical puzzles, ease of interaction, and humorous (sometimes, downright sweet, small touches), can certainly be recommended. It makes an interesting change of pace and offers an entertaining story for anyone who likes graphic adventures." Reviews *''Computer and Video Games'' - Dec, 1989 *''CU Amiga'' - Nov, 1990 *''ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)'' - Dec, 1989 *''Amiga Action'' - Dec, 1989 *''ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) ''Aktueller Software Markt'' (literally ''Current Software Market''), commonly known by its acronym, ''ASM'', was a German multi-platform video game magazine t ...
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The Man Of Steel (1989 Video Game)
Man of Steel may refer to: Comics * Superman, a DC Comics superhero nicknamed "Man of Steel" * ''The Man of Steel'' (comics), a 1986 comic book limited series * '' Superman: The Man of Steel'', a monthly comic book series about Superman from 1991 to 2003 Film and television * ''The Man of Steel'' (1922 film), a 1922 German silent drama film * ''Man of Steel'' (film), a 2013 Superman film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Henry Cavill * "Man of Steel" (''Supergirl''), a 2018 episode of ''Supergirl'' * "Man of Steel" (''Superman & Lois''), a 2021 episode of ''Superman & Lois'' Music * ''Man of Steel'' (album), a 1983 album by Hank Williams, Jr. * "Man of Steel" (Hank Williams Jr. song), 1984 * "Man of Steel" (Meat Loaf song), a 2003 song on Meat Loaf's album ''Couldn't Have Said It Better'' * ''Man of Steel'' (soundtrack), the soundtrack to the film of the same name People * Joseph Stalin (1878–1953), Soviet revolutionary and leader whose ''nom de guerre'' (Stalin) ...
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Flip & Flop
''Flip and Flop'' is an isometric platform game for the Atari 8-bit family designed by Jim Nangano and published in 1983 by First Star Software. Statesoft released a Commodore 64 port the following year. The Commodore 64 box cover, which features a photo of acrobats that does not relate to the game itself, changes the name to ''Flip & Flop''; it remains ''Flip and Flop'' on the title screen. Gameplay The isometric, scrolling playfield consists platforms connected by ladders. Players alternately control Flip, a kangaroo who jumps around on the platforms, and Mitch, an ape who hangs under the platforms. Flip is chased by a zookeeper and Mitch is chased by a net, both of which are lured by sticky squares that delay them for several seconds. The player loses a life for being caught or falling off the playfield. The goal is to flip over all of the marked squares by moving over them. Every five levels there is a short sequence with a small circus presentation. Levels become progre ...
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Bristles (video Game)
''Bristles'' is a video game by Fernando Herrera for the Atari 8-bit family and published by the company he cofounded, First Star Software, in 1983. It was ported to the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Exidy's Max-A-Flex arcade system. In ''Bristles'', the player uses ladders and elevators to move Peter the Painter through a cutaway view of a house to paint all the walls. Gameplay The player controls Peter the Painter with the goal of painting the walls of eight different houses within a time limit. To move between the different floors Peter can ride an elevator or climb a ladder. If he gets caught in an open elevator shaft, Peter is sent to the bottom of the building. Dangerous objects that hinder Peter's task include "flying half pints" that knock him down and "dumb buckets" that steal Peter's brush. Later levels add "Brenda the Brat", who leaves handprints all over the freshly painted walls, and the "Bucket Chucker" who never stops chasing Peter. Brenda can be pacified with ...
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The Game
The Game or The Games may refer to: Sports and games * The Game (dice game) (German: ''Das Spiel''), a dice game designed by Reinhold Wittig * The Game (mind game), a mind game, the objective of which is to avoid thinking about The Game itself * Charades (c. WWII American name) * The Game (treasure hunt), a 24- to 48-hour treasure hunt / puzzlehunt / road rally * The Game Headwear, a sports apparel and equipment company * The Game, a nickname of American professional wrestler Triple H College sports * The Game (Harvard–Yale), an annual American college football game * The Game (Michigan–Ohio State), an annual American college football game * The Game (Hampden–Sydney vs. Randolph–Macon), an annual American college football game * The Game (Cornell–Harvard), an annual American college ice hockey game Literature * ''The Game'' (Dryden book), a 1983 memoir by ice hockey player Ken Dryden * ''The Game'' (London novel), a 1905 novel by Jack London * ''The Game'' (King ...
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Bristles
A bristle is a stiff hair or feather (natural or artificial), either on an animal, such as a pig, a plant, or on a tool such as a brush or broom. Synthetic types Synthetic materials such as nylon are also used to make bristles in items such as brooms and sweepers. Bristles are often used to make brushes for cleaning purposes, as they are strongly abrasive; common examples include the toothbrush and toilet brush. The bristle brush and the scrub brush are common household cleaning tools, often used to remove dirt or grease from pots and pans. Bristles are also used on brushes other than for cleaning, notably paintbrushes. Bristles are distinguished as ''flagged'' (split, bushy ends) or ''unflagged;'' these are also known as ''flocked'' or ''unflocked'' bristles. In cleaning applications, flagged bristles are suited for dry cleaning (due to picking up dust better than unflagged), and unflagged suited for wet cleaning (due to flagged ends becoming dirty and matted when wet). In painti ...
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Parker Brothers
Parker Brothers (known by Parker outside of North America) was an American toy and game manufacturer which in 1991 became a brand of Hasbro. More than 1,800 games were published under the Parker Brothers name since 1883. Among its products were ''Monopoly (game), Monopoly'', Cluedo, Clue (licensed from the British publisher and known as ''Cluedo'' outside of North America), ''Sorry! (game), Sorry!'', ''Risk (game), Risk'', ''Trivial Pursuit'', ''Ouija'', ''Aggravation (board game), Aggravation'', ''Bop It'', ''Scrabble'' (under a joint partnership with Milton Bradley Company, Milton Bradley in North America and Canada), and ''Probe (parlor game), Probe''. The trade name became defunct with former products being marketed under the "Hasbro Gaming" label with the logo shown on Monopoly (game), Monopoly games. History Parker Brothers was founded by George Swinnerton Parker, George S. Parker. Parker's philosophy deviated from the prevalent theme of board game design; he believed th ...
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Astro Chase
''Astro Chase'' is a multidirectional shooter written by Fernando Herrera for the Atari 8-bit family. It was published by First Star Software in 1982 as the company's first game. Parker Brothers licensed it, releasing cartridge versions for the Atari 8-bit family and Atari 5200 console in 1983 and a Commodore 64 version in 1984. Exidy licensed it for arcade use with its Max-A-Flex cabinet. Gameplay takes place on a 2D scrolling map of space around Earth, which the player has to defend from an alien force. The primary target is a number of Mega-Mines, which approach the Earth and must be destroyed. Gameplay The game opens with the player looking at a scene at a spaceport, in a simulated 3D view. A flying saucer is hovering just to the right of center, and the player's character is seen exiting a terminal building on the left, walking to the spaceship, waving goodbye, and then beaming aboard. The view then cuts to space, where the player uses the joystick to cause the screen to ...
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Shoot 'em Up
Shoot 'em ups (also known as shmups or STGs ) are a sub-genre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain types of character movement, while others allow a broader definition including characters on foot and a variety of perspectives. The genre's roots can be traced back to earlier shooting games, including target shooting electro-mechanical games of the mid-20th-century and the early mainframe game '' Spacewar!'' (1962). The shoot 'em up genre was established by the hit arcade game ''Space Invaders'', which popularised and set the general template for the genre in 1978, and spawned many clones. The genre was then further developed by arcade hits such as ''Asteroids'' and ''Galaxian'' in 1979. Shoot 'em ups were popular throughout the 1980s to early 1990s, diversifying into a variety of subgenres such as scrolling shooters, run and gun games and rail shoote ...
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Atari Program Exchange
Atari Program Exchange (APX) was a division of Atari, Inc. that sold software via mail-order for the Atari 8-bit family of home computers. Quarterly APX catalogs were sent to all registered Atari 8-bit owners. APX encouraged any programmer, not just professionals, to submit software for commercial distribution. If selected, a program was added to the catalog, with credit given to the programmer. The top submissions in each category were awarded, and several popular APX titles, such as ''Caverns of Mars'', were moved to Atari's official product line. The brainchild of Dale Yocum, the Atari Program Exchange started in February 1981. In 1982 its management was taken over by Fred Thorlin, who operated it until it closed. APX published quarterly catalogs until 1984, when new Atari CEO James J. Morgan closed down the mail-order division. History When Atari first launched the Atari 8-bit family in late 1979, the company kept most of the hardware details secret. It intended to be the pr ...
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My First Alphabet
''My First Alphabet'' is an educational game for the Atari 8-bit family of home computers. It was programmed by Fernando Herrera and published by the Atari Program Exchange in 1981. The game won the first Atari Star Award and was moved to Atari Inc.'s product line. The award led to the creation of First Star Software and a string of games from Herrera. Development Herrera's son, Steve, was born with severe cataracts and was pronounced blind by medical specialists. Refusing to place his son in remedial classes, Herrera wrote a program to help his son learn the alphabet. After several months, his son made rapid progress, overcoming his handicap. The program later evolved into ''My First Alphabet''. Reception When Atari began recognizing the top APX submissions in 1981, ''My First Alphabet'' was the first Atari Star Award winner, including a $25,000 prize. Herrera used the money to found First Star Software. Herrerra wrote First Star's initial title, ''Astro Chase'' (1982), as w ...
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