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| Industry | Video games Productivity software |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Pat Ketchum |
| Headquarters | Chatsworth, California , United States |
Datasoft, Inc. (also written as DataSoft and Data Soft) was a software developer and publisher for home computers founded in 1980 by Pat Ketchum and based out of Chatsworth, California. Datasoft primarily published video games, including home ports of arcade games, games based on licenses from movies and TV shows, and original games. Like competitor Synapse Software, the company also published other software: development tools, word processors, and utilities. Text Wizard, written by William Robinson and published by Datasoft when he was 16, was the basis for AtariWriter.[1] Datasoft initially targeted the Atari 8-bit family, Apple II, and TRS-80 Color Computer, then later the Commodore 64, IBM PC, Atari ST, and Amiga. Starting in 1983, a line of lower cost software was published under the name Gentry Software.[2]
Datasoft went into bankruptcy, and its name and assets were purchased by two Datasoft executives, Samuel L. Poole and Ted Hoffman. They renamed the company IntelliCreations and distributed Datasoft games until it closed.
Software
Games
- 1982
- Canyon Climber
- Clowns and Balloons
- Dung Beetles
- Pacific Coast Highway
- Shooting Arcade
- The Sands of Egypt
- 1983
- Genesis
- Juno First, arcade port
- Moon Shuttle, arcade port
- Nibbler, arcade port
- O'Riley's Mine
- Pooyan, arcade port
- Zaxxon, arcade port
- 1984
- Conan
- Bruce Lee
- Lost Tomb, arcade port
- The Dallas Quest
- Mancopter
- Mr. Do!, arcade port
- Pac-Man, arcade port
- Pole Position, arcade port
- 1985
- Alternate Reality: The City
- The Goonies
- Tomahawk
- Zorro
- 1986
- Crosscheck
- Mercenary
- Mind Pursuit
- 1987
- 221B Baker Street
- Alternate Reality: The Dungeon
- Bismarck
- Black Magic
- Dark Lord
- Force 7
- Gunslinger[3]
- Saracen
- 1988
- Napoleon in Russia: Borodino 1812 (MS-DOS)
Education
- Bishop's Square / Maxwell's Demon (1982)[4]
Word processing
- Text Wizard (1981)
- Spell Wizard (1982)
- Letter Wizard (1984)
Other software
- Micro-Painter (1982)[5]
References
- ^ Cohen, Frank (June 1987). "The Making of AtariWriter Plus". ANALOG Computing (55): 9–10.
- ^ "New Products". ANALOG Computing (13): 17. September 1983.
- ^ "Gunslinger". Atari Mania.
- ^ "Bishop's Square / Maxwell's Demon". Atari Mania.
- ^ "Micropainter". Atari Mania.