Imagine Software still remains one of the gaming industry’s biggest cautionary tales. Set up in 1982 by Mark Butler and David Lawson, the Liverpool-based developer quickly earned a (rightful) reputation for its high-quality games and its unique, forward-thinking approach to packaging and advertising. Despite its outward appearance, all wasn’t as it seemed at Imagine Software and even by December 1983 rumours were circulating that the company might be in some sort of financial trouble due to unpaid advertising bills.
Everything sadly came to a head for Imagine when it was chosen by BBC television director Paul Anderson to be the focus of its latest Commercial Breaks episode. Although there was initial reluctance, Imagine eventually agreed to participate and the documentary remains one of the only ways that you can still see footage of its legendary ‘MegaGames’, Bandersnatch and Psyclapse. Anderson was expecting to get a glimpse into the exciting and up-and-coming videogame industry, but instead he famously managed to film a company in tatters.
Imagine Software was unable to pay its huge debts and Ocean Software acquired the label, primarily using it for its numerous arcade conversions. Eventually though, even Ocean tired of the branding and quietly closed the label down after the release of the dire Victory Road. The original Imagine Software burned briefly but brightly, but its legacy lives on due in no small part to a truly cracking collection of great early games that entertained many a VIC-20 and ZX Spectrum owner.
ARCADIA 1982
VARIOUS
■ Imagine’s first game by co-owner Dave Lawson highlights a technical proficiency that would lead to its many arcade conversions. Arcadia is a tough but fair shooter with you gunning down wave upon wave of deadly aliens that diagonally descend towards you. Graphically it’s a little on the basic side, but the simplistic-looking sprites allow for some extremely hectic gameplay. We love how the player’s ship looks like an X-wing.
FRANTIC 1982
COMMODORE VIC-20
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