Micro Power
Imogen |
Micro Power was a British company established in the early 1980s by former accountant Bob Simpson. The company was best known as a video game publisher, originally under the name Program Power. It also sold many types of computer hardware and software (both its own and third-party) through its Leeds 'showroom' or via mail order.
Games
From 1980 to 1987 the company published a number of
but these never achieved the success of the Acorn originals.Most of these were basic single screen games, typically arcade
From 1985 onwards, Micro Power began to produce a few advanced games as opposed to a high quantity of simpler games. The first of these was the
There were also two
Notable earlier games include:
- Adventure– a text adventure (Atom, BBC, Electron)
- Alien Destroyers – a Space Invaders clone (BBC only)
- Bandits at 3 O'Clock – a 2-player World War II dogfight (BBC, Electron)
- Block Buster – a Q*bert clone (BBC only)
- Bumble Bee – a Lady Bugclone (BBC, Electron, C64)
- Cabman – an overhead view taxi driving game (Spectrum only)
- Cowboy Shootout – a Boot Hillclone (Atom, BBC, Spectrum)
- Croaker – a Frogger clone (BBC, Electron)
- Berzerkclone (BBC, Electron, C64)
- Danger UXB – a Check Man clone (BBC, Electron)
- Dune Rider – a Moon Patrol clone (BBC only)
- Electron Invaders – a Space Invaders clone (Electron only)
- Escape from Moonbase Alpha – a graphic adventure (BBC, Electron)
- Felix and the Fruit Monsters – a Pac-Man style overhead maze game (BBC, Electron)
- Felix in the Factory – a platform game (BBC, Electron, C64, Memotech MTX)
- Felix Meets the Evil Weevils – a platform game (BBC, Electron)
- Frenzy – a Qixclone (BBC, Electron, C64)
- Galactic Commander – a Lunar Landerclone (BBC, Electron)
- Defenderclone (BBC, Electron, CPC)
- Ghouls – a platform game with Pac-Man-like characters (BBC, Electron, C64, CPC)
- Hell Driver – an overhead view driving game (BBC only)
- Intergalactic Trader – a text-based space trading game (BBC, Electron)
- Invasion Force – a Space Invaders clone (Atom only)
- Jet Power Jack - a platform game (BBC, Electron, C64)
- Donkey Kongclone (BBC, Electron, CPC)
- Laser Command – a Missile Command clone (BBC only)
- The Mine – a Dig Dug clone (BBC, Electron)
- Mr. Ee! – a Mr. Do! clone (BBC only)
- Moon Raider – a Scrambleclone (BBC, Electron)
- Nemesis – a Centipedeclone (BBC only)
- Plutonium Plunder – a Pengo-style overhead maze game (BBC only)
- Positron – a fast-paced Space Invaders style shoot 'em up (BBC, Electron)
- Rubble Trouble – a Pengo-style overhead maze game (BBC, Electron)
- Starfleet Encounter – a text-based strategy game for 2-8 players (BBC only)
- Stock Car – an overhead view racing game (BBC, Electron, C64)
- Swag – a 2-player arcade game involving bank robbery (BBC, Electron)
- Swoop – a Galaxianclone (BBC, Electron, C64)
- Zarm – a Lunar Rescue clone (BBC only)
Educational / Utility Software
As well as games, Micro Power released a number of educational programs (covering subjects such as science and geography) as well as utility software such as the Draw art package (BBC, Electron), Basic Extensions[5] and Constellation astronomy program (Atom, BBC, later ported to Electron by Superior Software).
Hardware
Micro Power also released hardware such as the 'Micro Power Add-On' for the ZX Spectrum which added 2 joystick ports and 3-channel sound capability.[6]
Leeds Store
Micro Power had a store on the corner of North Street and Meanwood Road in Leeds. They primarily sold Acorn hardware and software. Also they sold software for other computers including C64, ZX Spectrum, and QL. In the 1990s Micro Power downsized and moved further up Meanwood Road to reduce outgoings.
There is still the original Micro Power sign at the back of their first premises.[7]
References
- ^ "Micro Power Magic review". Electron User (issue 4.03, Dec 1986). Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
- ^ Skinner, Bryan (23 February 1985). "Gameplay". Personal Computer News. p. 35. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ "Imogen 2004 credits". Ovine by Design. Archived from the original on 2006-08-11. Retrieved 2006-07-11.
- ^ "New 3D Chess Game From Micro Power". Acorn User. No. 105. Redwood Publishing. April 1991. p. 10. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ Alan Webster (May 1985). "Basic Extensions review (in "More ROMS For Your Beeb")". Beebug. 4 (1): 20.
- ^ "Micro Power Add-On". World Of Spectrum. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
- ^ "Google Street View - North Street, Leeds". Retrieved 2020-07-22.