Ocean Software
From Sega Retro
| ||
| Ocean Software | ||
|---|---|---|
| Founded: 1983 (as Spectrum Games) | ||
| T-series code: T-164 | ||
| Merged into: Infogrames (1996), Bandai Namco (2009) | ||
Headquarters:
|
Ocean Software was a British video game developer and publisher which existed throughout the 1980s and 1990s. At it peak, it was one of the biggest publishers in Europe, developing hundreds of games for home computers and game consoles.
Contents
History
Ocean Software was founded by David Ward and Jon Woods in Manchester in early 1983, initially as Spectrum Games before switching to Ocean Software Ltd. within a year. Initially advertising its range of arcade game clones for UK 8-bit home computers (such as the ZX81, ZX Spectrum and Commmodore VIC-20). In 1984, Ocean would prop-up U.S. Gold by producing Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro and Spectrum conversions of the Commodore 64 games it was importing[1], before going on to become a major publishing force in its own right.
Ocean initially took cues from rival Imagine Software, a Liverpool-based video game company which had set up in September 1982. Imagine had set a precident for UK video game companies with its use of professional packaging and advertising campaigns, but unbenownst to Ocean at the time, had racked up huge debts in the process. When Imagine ceased trading a mere 18 months after launch, Ocean picked up the brand and kept it as a publishing label until 1989.
The company began acquiring film and television licenses in the mid-80s, with early notable hits including Daley Thompson's Decathlon (1984) and its computer game interpretation of Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985). It also signed deals with the likes of Data East, Konami and Taito to bring their range of arcade titles to home computers. Ocean would start producing games for consoles (starting with the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990 with the release of RoboCop 2[2]) with its first Sega games arriving in 1993.
Such was the extent of Ocean's business, a dedicated Ocean gaming magazine, Ocean Power was published for a short period in the early 1990s.
While huge in the 16-bit markets, Ocean Software struggled in the transition to 32-bit and CD-ROM-based media, and was acquired by Infogrames in 1996. The name continued to be used until 1998 when the studio was renamed Infogrames United Kingdom Ltd., followed by Atari United Kingdom Ltd. in 2003. After being sold to Bandai Namco in 2009, the remnants of Ocean Sofware now trade as Bandai Namco Entertainment UK Ltd..
Softography
Master System
- The Addams Family (1993)
- The Smurfs (1995) (as Infogrames)
- The Smurfs Travel the World (1996) (as Infogrames)
Mega Drive
- Fantasia (1991) (as Infogrames)
- Toxic Crusaders (1992) (as Infogrames)
- The Addams Family (1993)
- The Adventures of Mighty Max (1994)
- Mr. Nutz (1994)
- Spirou (1995) (as Infogrames)
- The Smurfs (1995) (as Infogrames)
- Addams Family Values (1995)
- The Smurfs Travel the World (1996) (as Infogrames)
- Tintin in Tibet (1996) (as Infogrames)
- Worms (1996)
- The Flintstones (199x)
- Jelly Boy (unreleased)
- Lobo (unreleased)
- Manchester United Championship Soccer (unreleased)
- Mission: Impossible (unreleased)
- Mr. Nutz: Hoppin' Mad (unreleased)
- Putty Squad (unreleased)
- Soccer Kid (unreleased)
- Tank Girl (unreleased)
- The Shadow (unreleased)
- Waterworld (unreleased)
Game Gear
- Slider (1991) (as Infogrames)
- The Addams Family (1993)
- The Smurfs (1995) (as Infogrames)
- The Smurfs Travel the World (1996) (as Infogrames)
- Tintin in Tibet (1996) (as Infogrames)
- Spirou (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
Mega-CD
- The Smurfs (1995) (as Infogrames)
32X
- Alone in the Dark (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- Mission: Impossible (unreleased)
- Waterworld (unreleased)
Saturn
- Chaos Control (1995) (as Infogrames)
- Alone in the Dark 2 (1996) (as Infogrames)
- Le Duo Saturn (1996)
- True Pinball (1996)
- Tunnel B1 (1996)
- Worms (1996)
- Break Point (1996)
- Chaos Control Remix (1996) (as Infogrames)
- Prisoner of Ice: Jashin Kourin (1997) (as Infogrames)
- Addiction Pinball (unreleased)
- Allegiance (unreleased)
- Blades of Rage (unreleased)
- Dawn of Darkness (unreleased)
- Death Race (unreleased)
- HMS Dreadnaught (unreleased)
- Inferno (unreleased)
- Mission: Impossible (unreleased)
- Offensive (unreleased)
- Project X2 (unreleased)
- Viper (unreleased)
- Waterworld (unreleased)
- Zoiks! (unreleased)
Dreamcast
- Pen Pen TriIceLon (1998) (as Infogrames)
- Expendable (1999) (as Infogrames)
- Slave Zero (1999) (as Infogrames)
- UEFA Striker (1999) (as Infogrames)
- Coaster Works (1999) (as Infogrames)
- Demolition Racer: No Exit Demo Disc (2000) (as Infogrames)
- Le Mans 24 Hours (2000) (as Infogrames)
- Wacky Races (2000) (as Infogrames)
- V-Rally 2: Expert Edition (2000) (as Infogrames)
- Iron Aces (2000) (as Infogrames)
- Sega Extreme Sports (2000) (as Infogrames)
- Looney Tunes: Space Race (2000) (as Infogrames)
- UEFA Dream Soccer (2000) (as Infogrames)
- Unreal Tournament (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Boarder Zone (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- Driver 2 (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- Independence War 2: Edge of Chaos (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- La Femme Nikita (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- Outcast (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- Test Drive Cycles (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- UEFA 2001 (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
- Worms Pinball (unreleased) (as Infogrames)
Amstrad CPC
- Micro Club 4 (1990)
Game Boy Advance
- ChuChu Rocket! (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Puyo Pop (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Columns Crown (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Sonic Advance (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Shining Soul (2002) (as Infogrames)
- The Pinball of the Dead (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Sega Smash Pack (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Virtua Tennis (2002) (as Infogrames)
- The Revenge of Shinobi (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Super Monkey Ball Jr. (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Phantasy Star Collection (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Sega Rally Championship (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Sonic Advance 2 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Crazy Taxi: Catch a Ride (2003) (as Infogrames)
- Space Channel 5: Ulala's Cosmic Attack (2003) (as Infogrames)
- Sega Arcade Gallery (2003) (as Infogrames)
- Jet Set Radio (2003) (as Infogrames)
PlayStation 2
- Sega Soccer Slam (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Le Mans 24 Hours (2002) (as Infogrames)
- NBA 2K3 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- NHL 2K3 (2002) (as Infogrames)
GameCube
- Super Monkey Ball (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (2001) (as Infogrames)
- Beach Spikers: Virtua Beach Volleyball (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Sega Soccer Slam (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Virtua Striker 3 Ver. 2002 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Super Monkey Ball 2 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (2002) (as Infogrames)
- NBA 2K3 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Sonic Mega Collection (2002) (as Infogrames)
- NHL 2K3 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Skies of Arcadia (2002) (as Infogrames)
Xbox
- Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Gunvalkyrie (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Jet Set Radio Future (2002) (as Infogrames)
- NHL 2K3 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Sega GT 2002 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Sega Soccer Slam (2002) (as Infogrames)
- NBA 2K3 (2002) (as Infogrames)
- The House of the Dead III (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Panzer Dragoon Orta (2002) (as Infogrames)
- Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (2003) (as Infogrames)
Xbox 360
- Sega Soccer Slam (2008) (as Infogrames)
Gallery
Logo
"Flat" logo
