Thorn EMI Computer Software was a British

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software house A software company is a company whose primary products are various forms of software, software technology, distribution, and software product development. They make up the software industry. Types There are a number of different types of softw ...

set up in the early 1980s as part of the now-defunct British conglomerate

Thorn EMI Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * '' Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Com ...

. They released a number of games in the early 1980s, initially for the

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, and later for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as the ''ZX81 Colou ...

, Commodore 64 and

VIC-20 The VIC-20 (known as the VC-20 in Germany and the VIC-1001 in Japan) is an 8-bit home computer that was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the ...

computers. In 1984, the Thorn EMI name was dropped in favour of Creative Sparks as the company were reportedly unhappy with their image in the video games market. A budget label, Sparklers, was created in early 1985 to publish titles at £2.50. Later in 1985, Creative Sparks, Sparklers and the distribution company, Creative Sparks Distribution (CSD) gained independence from Thorn EMI after a

management buyout A management buyout (MBO) is a form of acquisition in which a company's existing managers acquire a large part, or all, of the company, whether from a parent company or individual. Management-, and/or leveraged buyout became noted phenomena of ...

. In July 1987, six months after buying software company Mikro-Gen for a "substantial" sum, Creative Sparks went into

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with debts estimated at up to £1.5million. The back catalogue of the company was acquired by

Tynesoft Tynesoft Computer Software was a software developer and publisher in the 1980s and early 1990s. History The company was originally set up in 1983 to release educational software but soon moved into the video games market on which it concentra ...

, Alternative Software and Maynard International (Top Ten Software). The former management at CSD went on to form Software Publishing Associates, owners of the Crysys and Pirate Software labels.

Releases

Many of the company's games listed below were issued on more than one label over the years. A typical example is River Rescue, first released under the ''Thorn EMI'' label, then later sold (with updated artwork) under the ''Creative Sparks'' brand. This was followed by a budget release on the company's own ''Sparklers'' label then- after Creative Sparks' demise- another budget reissue by Alternative Software.

'Thorn EMI' label

* ''Blockade Runner'' * ''Carnival Massacre'' * ''Gold Rush'' * ''Home Financial Management'' * ''

Orc Attack Orc Attack is a fixed shooter video game written by Dean Lock for Atari 8-bit computers and published in 1983 by Thorn EMI. The game was re-released, along with Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum ports, when Thorn rebranded as Creative Sparks, and ...

'' * '' River Rescue'' * ''Road Racer'' * ''

Submarine Commander ''Submarine Commander'' is a 1982 simulation video game for the Atari 8-bit family written by Dean Lock and published by Thorn EMI Computer Software. A VIC-20 port by Gary York was released in 1983, and an Apple II version by Patrick Buckland ...

'' * ''The VIC Music Composer'' * ''Tower of Evil'' * ''Volcanic Planet''

'Creative Sparks' label

* ''Black Hawk'' * ''Computer War'' * ''Countdown to Meltdown'' * ''Danger Mouse In Double Trouble'' * ''Danger Mouse In The Black Forest Chateau'' * ''Delta Wing'' * ''Snodgits'' * ''Special Delivery'' * ''Stagecoach'' * ''Story House'' * ''Tower of Evil'' * ''Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee''

'Sparklers' label

* ''Bargain Basement'' * ''Desert Burner'' * ''Doombase'' * ''Quackshot'' * ''St Crippens''

References

Defunct video game companies of the United Kingdom {{europe-videogame-company-stub