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| Company type | Computer software,Video game developer,publisher andretailer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer software,video games |
| Headquarters | Leeds,United Kingdom |
| Products | Killer Gorilla,Felix in the Factory,Cybertron Mission,Castle Quest,Imogen |
Micro Power was a British company established in the early 1980s by former accountant Bob Simpson. The company was best known as avideo game publisher, originally under the nameProgram Power. It also sold many types ofcomputer hardware andsoftware (both its own and third-party) through itsLeeds 'showroom' or viamail order.
From 1980 to 1987 the company published a number ofvideo games and othersoftware for varioushome computers. The earliest programs were released for theAcorn Atom but Micro Power is best remembered for its games for that machine's successor, Acorn'sBBC Micro (with all but two of its post-Atom games running on that machine). A large selection of games that could be (and weren't considered 'too old') were ported to theAcorn Electron after its release in 1983 and most new games were now released for these 2 machines in 1984. A few were also ported to other8-bit platforms includingCommodore 64,Amstrad CPC andZX Spectrum but these never achieved the success of the Acorn originals.
Most of these were basic single screen games, typically arcadeclones (see the list of notable games below). While mostly well received and popular at the time (especially on the Acorn platforms), by the mid 1980s, video games were becoming increasingly complex. While simple early arcade-style games still sold well, it was usually at a budget price. Micro Power themselves released twoMicro Power Magic compilations in 1986[1] and 1987,[2] each featuring ten of their games that had previously sold at up to £7.95 each (some only two years earlier), for £7.95.
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 thearcade adventureCastle Quest (BBC only) by Tony Sothcott,[3] billed as"Probably the most challenging game ever devised for the BBC Micro". This game was successful and a sequel was started which becameDoctor Who and the Mines of Terror (BBC, C64, CPC), a huge arcade adventure that required its ownROM chip to run on the BBC Micro. Another later release waspuzzle/platform gameImogen (BBC only, later ported to Electron bySuperior Software and more recently remade for PC[4]) by Michael St. Aubyn which was noted for its witty, original puzzles and cute high-resolution monochrome graphics.
There were also two32-bit games,Chess 3D[5] andZelanites the Onslaught (aSpace Invaders clone) for theAcorn Archimedes, released in 1991.
Notable earlier games include:
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 theDraw art package (BBC, Electron),Basic Extensions[6] andConstellationastronomy program (Atom, BBC, later ported to Electron bySuperior Software).
Micro Power also released hardware such as the 'Micro Power Add-On' for theZX Spectrum which added 2 joystick ports and 3-channel sound capability.[7]
Micro Power had a store on the corner of North Street and Meanwood Road in Leeds. They primarily soldAcorn hardware and software. Also they sold software for other computers includingC64,ZX Spectrum, andQL. In the 1990sMicro Power downsized and moved further up Meanwood Road to reduce outgoings.
There is still the originalMicro Power sign at the back of their first premises.[8]