Elite® Announce ‘Elite Collection’ of 8-bit Home Computer Games
- for Apple iPhone / iPod Touch & iPad - all in their near-100% original form.
Date: September 2011
Elite Systems, the long established UK based developer and electronic publisher of games for portable, mobile and other devices has announced, exclusively to Touch Arcade, the launch of the ‘Elite Collection’ of 8-bit home computer games - a range of stand-alone Apps for all* iOS devices.
Initially the ‘Elite Collection’ of stand-alone iOS Apps comprises of nine, 8-bit home computer games; three of which originated in North America, three that originated in the UK and three that originated in Germany. Elite expect the range to grow quickly, to include dozens and eventually hundreds of 8-bit home computer games - all in their near-100% original form.
The launch games of North American origin are:
“Black Magic” (the action-adventure, published by Datasoft in 1987) // “M.U.L.E” (the seminal multiplayer game from Ozark Softscape, published in 1983) // “Alternate Reality: The City” (the first in the cult RPG series, published by Datasoft in 1987)
The launch games from the UK are:
“First Samurai” (the platform game, published by Image Works in 1992) // “Uridium” (the sci-fi side-scrolling shoot \'em up from Hewson, published in 1986) // “Paradroid” (Andrew Breybrook’s puzzle-shooter, published by Hewson in 1985)
The launch games from Germany are:
“Enforcer” (the shooter from revered German programmer Manfred Trenz, published by CP Verlag in 1992) // “Bundesliga Manager” (the football (soccer) management simulation, developed by Werner Krahe and Jens Onnen, published by Software 2000 in 1989) // “Denaris” (the modified Katakis, an R-Type clone, again from Manfred Trenz, published by Rainbow Arts in 1989).
All of the games from Germany will be launched with German-language in-app text. Versions with English-language in-app text will be launched separately.
Manfred Trenz is the designer and programmer of the acclaimed 8-bit home computer game, “Turrican”. He was also responsible for the graphics in the controversial and highly acclaimed, “Great Giana Sisters”.
A unique feature of the Apps (which will go live on the iTunes App Store on a date to be announced) is Elite’s much-vaunted iDaptive Controls (i.e. user-definable, game-specific joystick, keypad & canvass controls), an instructional video for which can be found by Googling “Tiny URL 22qh8hl” and here: http://tinyurl.com/22qh8hl
Other features of all of the Apps include:
- ‘auto save’ on exiting any game
- a separate cheat version, where appropriate.
Speaking about the Apps, Elite® MD Steve Wilcox said,
- for more than twelve months, we’ve been communicating with the current owners and players of the very best 8-bit home computer games with one aim - facilitating their re-launch, in their near-100% original form, as Apps for all* iOS devices
- the launch of the ‘Elite Collection’ of 8-bit home computer games, as stand-alone iOS Apps, has been made possible as a result of recent advances in Elite’s proprietary technology
- we’re immensely proud of Elite’s proprietary technology, which we call a “facilitator” - since it doesn’t incorporate, reference or in any other way rely upon third-party property, including but not limited to third-party trademark, copyright, patent, trade-dress or good will - yet it makes it possible for games originally devised for one platform to be played on another with the minimum of costly and time consuming porting, or other forms of re-engineering *: some games require iOS device support for OpenGL ES 2.0
- initially the Apps will be priced at £0.69 (Euro0.79, US$0.99)
- at some future date it’s hope that an ‘Elite Collection’ iOS App, including both bundled 8-bit home computer games and an in-app ‘Shop’ will be launched
- to locate the Apps, just search for “8-bit” (or “8 bit”) at the iTunes App Store
Steve Wilcox, Elite®
Tel. + 44 (0) 154 326 8826 Mail paperboy@elite-systems.co.uk Web www.elite-systems.co.uk
About Elite®: Elite Systems Ltd was incorporated in England in 1984 and is one of Europe’s most long established developers and publishers of entertainment software. ... a previous iteration of Elite’s technology, was behind the successful launch of some 150 ZX Spectrum games as iOS Apps.
About ZX Spectrum: The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the UK in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. It sold in excess of 5 million units worldwide. The ZX Spectrum software library currently consists of some 10,000 games.
Elite recently updated its ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection / HD apps, adding a further 42 ZX Spectrum games as in-app purchases, bringing the total available (including 137 as in-app purchases) to 150.
ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection (for iPhone / iPod Touch)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zx-spectrum-elite-collection/id391336343?mt=8
ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection HD (for iPad)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zx-spectrum-elite-collection/id401767708?mt=8
Incorporated in England in 1984, Elite was originally
a leading developer and publisher of ground-breaking games for the
Sinclair Spectrum and Commodore 64 home computer systems...
Today Elite is a highly-specialised developer AND publisher of game
software products for handheld, mobile and wireless systems and
a designer and developer of hardware devices including the innovative
Recreated ZX Spectrum.
Whether you're looking for the latest ground-breaking new title
releases, or the ultimate retro gaming apps and devices for your
mobile / handheld or connected TV, welcome to Elite!
