THE MAKING OF Trivial Pursuit
Retro Gamer|Issue 263
IN 1986, A SMALL SOFTWARE HOUSE ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY LICENSED THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BOARD GAME FOR HOME COMPUTERS. IT CHANGED DOMARK – AND THE UK GAMES INDUSTRY – FOREVER
Graeme Mason
THE MAKING OF Trivial Pursuit

Formed in 1984 by two advertising executives who had noticed how poorly computer games were often promoted, Domark’s place in the games industry cannot be underestimated. But it almost didn’t happen. “We did a game called Eureka!,” begins Dominic Wheatley, the ‘Do’ or ‘Dom’ of Domark. “And it didn’t do [the business] we thought it would do. We thought it would either be a big success and we’d make a fortune or nothing, and we’d go bankrupt.” In the end, Eureka!, a graphic adventure set across time and written by Domark investor Ian Livingstone, did neither, despite frequent promotion, especially regarding its competition and an enormous £25,000 prize. Undeterred, Dominic had a brainwave. Roger Moore’s final outing as 007, A View To A Kill, was in the cinemas and proving popular despite its star’s advancing years. Having acquired the rights to a homecomputer version of the movie, Domark put all its promotional powers into gear, hiring Tigress Marketing and Softstone to design and program the game, respectively. A View To A Kill was decently received on the ZX Spectrum but savaged on the Commodore 64. “After the mega publicity, I thought this game was going to be something special. Unfortunately, it isn’t… highly disappointing considering its hype,” remarked an acerbic Julian Rignall in Zzap!64 magazine.

A View To A Kill was Domark’s sole release in 1985. “At this point, our company was seriously on the skids,” says Dominic. “It was really grim stuff – my mother was paying my mortgage. But we still thought we were really onto something.” Domark had gambled on A View To A Kill and, like Eureka! before it, it secured middling sales. Then, another timely brainwave. “My family and I were playing this board game at home all the time,” he recalls. “So I wondered – could we license this too?”

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 263-Ausgabe von Retro Gamer.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 263-Ausgabe von Retro Gamer.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS RETRO GAMERAlle anzeigen
EVERCADE EXPANDS
Retro Gamer

EVERCADE EXPANDS

We go hands-on with Blaze’s upcoming releases

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Issue 263
Rock Band Unplugged
Retro Gamer

Rock Band Unplugged

WHO NEEDS PLASTIC PERIPHERALS?

time-read
2 Minuten  |
Issue 263
Super Woden GP II
Retro Gamer

Super Woden GP II

In a world where additional extras are often hidden behind microtransactions and downloadable content it’s rather refreshing to find a game that comes loaded with an obscene amount of extras.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Issue 263
THE MAKING OF MICKEY MANIA
Retro Gamer

THE MAKING OF MICKEY MANIA

THERE WERE SEVERAL GAMES ON THE MEGA DRIVE FEATURING THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS MOUSE, SOME VERY GOOD (CASTLE OF ILLUSION), SOME VERY BAD (FANTASIA). AND THEN THERE WAS MICKEY MANIA, AN IMPRESSIVE TECHNICAL SHOWCASE FROM TRAVELLER'S TALES

time-read
9 Minuten  |
Issue 263
PARKER BROS
Retro Gamer

PARKER BROS

BY USING ITS CONTACTS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR AND FORMIDABLE MARKETING CLOUT, PARKER BROTHERS BROUGHT TITLES LIKE STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, SPIDER-MAN AND FROGGER TO THE ATARI 2600 AND ITS RIVALS. RETRO GAMER HIGHLIGHTS THE FIRM’S BEST RELEASES

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 263
SNATCHER
Retro Gamer

SNATCHER

AS HIDEO KOJIMA HAS BECOME A RARE CELEBRITY IN THE GAMING WORLD, SO HIS OLDER WORKS ARE INCREASINGLY REVISITED. BUT HIS 1988 CYBERPUNK ADVENTURE SNATCHER IS ALMOST UNPLAYABLE TODAY, LEGALLY, AND ONLY RECEIVED ONE ENGLISH PORT – WHICH HAS ONLY INCREASED ITS CULT APPEAL, AND COST

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Issue 263
ULTIMATE GUIDE TARGET:RENEGADE
Retro Gamer

ULTIMATE GUIDE TARGET:RENEGADE

THE CITY STREETS ARE NEVER SAFE FOR LONG, ESPECIALLY IN THE DELIGHTFUL-SOUNDING SCUMVILLE, WHERE IT'S KILL OR BE KILLED. JOIN US AS WE REVEAL HOW WITH TARGET: RENEGADE, OCEAN SOFTWARE RETOLD THE STORY OF A VENGEFUL VIGILANTE AND CREATED ONE OF THE BEST EVER 8-BIT BRAWLERS

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Issue 263
THE MAKING OF Trivial Pursuit
Retro Gamer

THE MAKING OF Trivial Pursuit

IN 1986, A SMALL SOFTWARE HOUSE ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY LICENSED THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BOARD GAME FOR HOME COMPUTERS. IT CHANGED DOMARK – AND THE UK GAMES INDUSTRY – FOREVER

time-read
9 Minuten  |
Issue 263
Donkey Kong
Retro Gamer

Donkey Kong

ABRIDGED TOO FAR?

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 263
THE SPECTRUM
Retro Gamer

THE SPECTRUM

IT’S ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC HOME COMPUTERS EVER MADE, AND IT’S BACK IN PLUG-AND-PLAY FORM. WE SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT TO FIND OUT WHY IT’S TAKEN SO LONG, AND GET A CHANCE TO GIVE OUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS AHEAD OF LAUNCH

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Issue 263