Imagine Software

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The Imagine Software logo with the famous tagline "..the name of the game".

For the American company, see Imagine Software (US)

Imagine Software was a British video games developer based in Liverpool which existed briefly in the early 1980s, initially producing software for the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20.

It was founded in 1982 by former members of Bug-Byte including Mark Butler, David Lawson and Eugene Evans. Mark and Eugene had previously worked at Microdigital, one of the first computer stores in the UK. Imagine Software produced several very successful games, including Arcadia for the Vic 20 and ZX- Spectrum, before running into financial trouble in late 1983. The company achieved nationwide notoriety when it was filmed by a BBC documentary crew while in the process of going spectacularly bust early the following year.

Former programmers went on to establish Psygnosis and Denton Designs. The company's back catalogue was bought by Beau Jolly, while rights to the Imagine label were acquired by Ocean Software, which then used it to publish home computer conversions of popular arcade games under the name of 'Imagine Studios'. The final games released under the Imagine name appeared in 1989.

[edit] Notable games

Arcadia, 1982
Catcha Snatcha, 1983
Ah Diddums, 1983
Stonkers, 1983
Zip Zap, 1983
Zzoom, 1983
Alchemist, 1983
Schizoids, 1983
Molar Maul, 1983
Jumping Jack, 1983
Bewitched, 1983
BC Bill, 1984
Pedro, 1984
Cosmic Cruiser, 1984
Wizadore, 1984
Bandersnatch (unreleased but later renamed and released by Psygnosis as Brataccas)
Hyper Sports, 1985
Mikie, 1985
World Series Baseball, 1985
Yie Ar Kung-Fu, 1985
Green Beret, 1986
Psycho Soldier, 1987
Renegade, 1987
Arkanoid, 1987
Target: Renegade, 1988
Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja, 1988