Odin Computer Graphics was a Liverpool-based computer games developer that came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a variety of titles for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC home computers.

History

Odin was started by Paul McKenna and Mark Butler in 1984 as Thor which released several titles including Jack and the Beanstalk which reached number 2 in the ZX Spectrum charts in August 1984. Butler left Thor in early 1985, and McKenna (managing director and owner) thought it appropriate to form a sister company, Odin Computer Graphics although the Thor name would still be used on later titles such as The Arc of Yesod and I.C.U.P.S.

The new company consisted of Managing Director Paul McKenna; programmers Steve Wetherill, Robbie Tinman, Marc Dawson (now Wilding), Keith Robinson, George Barnes, Tommy Laningan, Derrick Rowson, and Stefan Walker; artists Paul Salmon, Stuart Fotheringham, and Colin Grunes; and musician Keith Tinman. Fotheringham and Dawson had previously worked for Software Projects. Some other staff members had previously worked for Imagine Software.

In 1986, Odin signed a publishing, marketing and distribution deal with Telecomsoft, the software division of British Telecom. While Odin's later games, like Heartland, were well received, some later titles failed to live up to expected BT standards. During this period, the warehouse area attached to the Odin studio was used by Telecomsoft as a distribution warehouse and to store thousands of copies of games on their Firebird, Rainbird and Beyond labels.

Odin made a very deliberate attempt to ensure they were mistaken for Ultimate Play the Game, one of the most critically acclaimed game developers of the 1980s. As well as establishing a very similar name (Odin Computer Graphics vs. Ashby Computer Graphics), many of their games were heavily inspired by Ultimate's output (Odin's Nodes of Yesod certainly owes a considerable debt to Ultimate's Underwurlde).

  • The Arc of Yesod (1985; ZX Spectrum, C64)
  • I.C.U.P.S. (1986; ZX Spectrum, C64)
  • Mission A.D. (1986; C64)
  • Heartland (1986; ZX Spectrum, C64, Amstrad CPC)
  • Hypa-Ball (1986; ZX Spectrum, C64)
  • On the Tiles (1987; C64)
  • Sidewize (1987; ZX Spectrum, C64)
  • U.F.O. (1987; C64)
  • The Plot (1988; ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC) [Originally titled 'The Gunpowder Plot']
  • Scary Monsters (1988; Commodore 64)
  • Crosswize (1988; ZX Spectrum)
  • Gladiator (unreleased)
  • Tank Game (unreleased)
  • P.L.O.D. (unreleased)

References