A year after creating the real-time strategy game Galactic Empire, Doug Carlston started Brøderbund with his brother Gary in order to market his debut title. Further success was found with the 1981 Space Panic tribute Apple Panic and the 1982 helicopter rescue title Choplifter. Doug Smith’s multisystem platformer/puzzler Lode Runner followed in 1983, as did the popular platform games Spelunker and Drol.
In 1984, the publisher diversified its output with the top-down shooter Raid On Bungeling Bay and Jordan Mechner’s stylish brawler Karateka. Then in 1985 it released the first of a hugely popular series in the form of the edutainment title Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?
Innovative games continued to be Brøderbund’s focus throughout the late-Eighties, with highlights being the ambitious third-person shooter Airheart, the construction simulator SimCity and Jordan Mechner’s puzzle-based platformer Prince Of Persia.
During the Nineties, Brøderbund impressed with the polygon-powered daredevil driving game Stunts, the Prince Of Persia sequel The Shadow And The Flame and the beautifully crafted adventure Myst. It then rounded off the decade with the immersive point-and-click title The Last Express.
In 1998, Brøderbund was sold, and by 2001 the firm’s IP was owned by Ubisoft, which released Myst and Prince Of Persia titles until 2013. However, other firms continued Brøderbund series like Choplifter and Lode Runner.
In terms of legacy, Brøderbund’s back catalogue ensures that it’s a byword for quality, as proven by the continued appeal of the ongoing franchises that began with its releases.
APPLE PANIC 1981
APPLE II, VARIOUS
In a rare case of an unofficial adaptation of an arcade game outselling its inspiration, Apple Panic did far better outside of Japan than its inspiration Space Panic. To give credit where credit is due, Space Panic did lead to the creation of one of gaming’s most popular genres – the platformer. But it doesn’t require the player character to jump, so it can’t really be described as the first platform game. However, it did influence the design of later games like Donkey Kong that have a more convincing claim to that title.
In respect of Brøderbund’s homage, replicates its
