Thorn EMI Computer Software was a British

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

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

Thorn EMI Thorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. Created when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI in October 1979, it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituen ...

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

Atari 8-bit computers The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 650 ...

, and later for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

and

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

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 buyouts became noted phenomena of 19 ...

. In July 1987, six months after buying software company

Mikro-Gen Mikro-Gen was a UK software company based in Bracknell, Berkshire that produced games for home computers in the early to mid-1980s. The company was formed by Mike Meek and Andrew Laurie in 1981, in order to capitalise on the growing boom of mic ...

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, 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'' * ''Cribbage and Dominoes'' * ''Darts'' * ''Gold Rush'' * ''Home Financial Management'' * '' Mutant Herd'' * '' Orc Attack'' * '' River Rescue'' * ''Road Racer'' * ''

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

'' * ''Snooker and Billiards'' * ''The VIC Music Composer'' * ''Tower of Evil'' * ''Volcanic Planet'' * ''8-Ball and Tournament Pool''

'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