CDS Software (also known as CDS Micro Systems for its earlier titles) was an independent publisher and developer of computer game software based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK.

History

The company was founded by Ian Williams, a computer programmer from Doncaster who started developing games for the Sinclair ZX80 shortly after its launch. After the initial company success he employed Giles Hunter (A manager from Doncaster W.H Smiths) to help expand the business. He sold his company to Giles Hunter to pursue other interests in 1985. In 1985, the company launched the Blue Ribbon budget label. In 1988 CDS Software, under the CDS group of companies changed its name to Nimrod Holdings Ltd, also publishing games for the

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...

. Publishing continued under the CDS Software Label until the early 1990s.

Guildhall Leisure Services

The company operated as RHSCO One Limited between January 1994 and March 1994, and then as Guildhall Leisure Services between March 1994 and May 2002. As Guildhall, the company published games for the

including the well-regarded title '' Gloom''.

iDigicon

Subsequently the company operated as iDigicon Limited until its dissolution in May 2013.

Games

The first games released in 1982-3 were for the 16k ZX Spectrum consisting mainly of clones of arcade games. The company expanded to different formats with titles like ''Steve Davis Snooker'' and ''

Colossus Chess ''Colossus Chess'' is a series of chess-playing computer programs developed by Martin Bryant, commercially released for various home computers in the 1980s. History Bryant started ''Colossus Chess'' in 1983, using his '' White Knight Mk 11'' ...

'' seeing releases on most platforms of the day. The launch of the budget label ''Blue Ribbon'' saw simple arcade type games diverted to that label with CDS concentrating on full price titles, often incorporating tie-in licences such as ''

Brian Clough's Football Fortunes ''Brian Clough's Football Fortunes'' is a video game featuring Brian Clough. Reception Paul Rixon for ''Page 6'' said "C'mon CDS, you can do better than this. A great package but what about the program to go with it?" ''Your Commodore'' said "F ...

'' and ''

Sporting Triangles ''Sporting Triangles'' is a British game show that aired on ITV from 7 January 1987 to 13 August 1990. It was originally hosted by Nick Owen for the first two series and then hosted by Andy Craig for the last two series. Transmission guide *Se ...

''. They also released the computer game crossed with a board game, ''TankAttack''. ''The Complete Home Entertainment Centre'' was a compendium of games that were later split and sold as stand alone titles by Blue Ribbon (such as ''Video Card Arcade'' and ''Dominoes''). In the early 90s, CDS re-issued or picked up UK distribution of games for companies such as D&H (e.g. '' Multi-Player Soccer Manager''), MicroIllusions (e.g. '' Fire Power'') and Artworx (e.g. the ''Strip Poker'' games).

8-bit games published

* Gobble a Ghost (1982) * 3D Painter (1983) * Bozy Boa (1983) * Catterpillar (1983) * Leapfrog (1983)) *

Magic Meanies ''Magic Meanies'' is a ZX Spectrum video game developed and released by CDS Micro Systems in 1983. ''Magic Meanies'' is a clone of Universal's ''Mr. Do!'' arcade game. Gameplay The player, Meltec the Wizard, digs tunnels to collect lumps of l ...

(1983) *

French is Fun ''French is Fun'' is an educational tool for the ZX Spectrum developed and published by CDS Micro Systems in 1983. Usage ''French is Fun'' teaches some basic words and phrases. The user selects a topic ("The house", "the countryside", "the b ...

(1983) * Othello (1983) * Pool (1983) * Reversi (1983) *

Winged Warlords ''Winged Warlords'' is a ZX Spectrum game which was published by CDS Microsystems in 1983. It is a clone of '' Joust'' in terms of level design and gameplay. The graphics are different, with the ostrich mounts being replaced with winged horses. ...

(1983) *

German is Fun ''French is Fun'' is an educational tool for the ZX Spectrum developed and published by CDS Micro Systems in 1983. Usage ''French is Fun'' teaches some basic words and phrases. The user selects a topic ("The house", "the countryside", "the b ...

(1984) * Italian is Fun (1984) * Steve Davis Snooker (1984) * Timebomb (1984) * Spanish is Fun (1985) * Colossus Chess 4 (1986) * Colossus Bridge 4 (1986) *

(1987) * Tank Attack (1988) * Video Card Arcade (1988) *

(1989) *

European Superleague ''European Superleague'' is a football sports management game released for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC 6128, Atari ST, IBM PC compatibles, and ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. ...

(1990)

16-bit games published

As CDS: * Bravo Romeo Delta (1992), Frankenstein * Rugby Coach (1992),

D&H Games D&H Distributing is a privately held North American technology distributor to the IT (Information Technology) and consumer electronics supply channels, founded in 1918 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Currently headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylv ...

* Colossus Bridge X (1992) As Guildhall: *

Xtreme Racing ''XTreme Racing'' is a kart-style racing video game released in 1995 for the Amiga. The gameplay is heavily based on ''Super Mario Kart'', released for the Super NES three years prior. Players select from one of 8 possible characters, each drivi ...

(1995), Silltunna * Fears (1995), Bomb * Gloom (1995), Black Magic Software * Legends (1996),

Krisalis Krisalis Software Limited was a British video game developer and publisher founded by Tony Kavanagh, Peter Harrap, and Shaun Hollingworth in 1987 under the name Teque Software Development Limited as a subsidiary label (beginning in 1988) unti ...

* Minskies Furballs (1997), Binary Emotions

Re-release games

Spectrum Safari ''Spectrum Safari'' is a ZX Spectrum video game developed and self-released by A.J. Rushton in 1983. The game was soon signed by CDS Micro Systems who reissued it in early 1984 with a new cover and loading screen. Its cassette inlay simply read: ...

(1984) * Fire Power (1988) *

Centerfold Squares ''Centerfold Squares'', retitled ''Centrefold Squares'' in Europe, is an erotic puzzle game originally developed and self-published by Artworx and released in 1988 for the Amiga, Atari ST and DOS. The game is a variation of Reversi where rectan ...

(1988) *

Blitzkrieg at the Ardennes ''Blitzkrieg at the Ardennes'' is a 1989 video game published by Command Simulations. Gameplay ''Blitzkrieg at the Ardennes'' is a game in which the German offensive in the West in December 1944 of World War II, the "Battle of the Bulge" or "Wacht ...

(1989) * Dr. Plummet's House of Flux (1989) * Multi-Player Soccer Manager (1991)

References

External links

Companies based in Doncaster Defunct video game companies of the United Kingdom Video game development companies Video game publishers {{UK-videogame-company-stub