A few years after Elite came out, Angus Duggan released Elite-A, an amazing extended version of the game. He added special cargo missions, a game encyclopedia, ship purchases, and much more. Download from tinyurl.com/ADuggan and make it flicker-free at elite.bbcelite.com/elite-a/
October 30, 2026 at 12:10 PM
A few years after Elite came out, Angus Duggan released Elite-A, an amazing extended version of the game. He added special cargo missions, a game encyclopedia, ship purchases, and much more. Download from tinyurl.com/ADuggan and make it flicker-free at elite.bbcelite.com/elite-a/
The second "o" of the Acornsoft logo is an acorn, not an egg! It has a wee hat
November 4, 2026 at 1:43 AM
The second "o" of the Acornsoft logo is an acorn, not an egg! It has a wee hat
Acornsoft sighted! One of my first mind-opening video game experiences, aged 7 or 8, was Sphinx Adventure, a text adventure for the Acorn Electron. We made a map of the entire game on a roll of wallpaper. It had so many fail states, like a very long memory test.
October 23, 2026 at 11:46 AM
Acornsoft sighted! One of my first mind-opening video game experiences, aged 7 or 8, was Sphinx Adventure, a text adventure for the Acorn Electron. We made a map of the entire game on a roll of wallpaper. It had so many fail states, like a very long memory test.
With hindsight it was such a ridiculously simple thing. But after days (weeks?) of routinely trading and fighting to build up your wealth and combat rating, the arrival of the first BBC Elite secret mission was an incredibly exciting moment. How easily pleased we were back then!
October 15, 2026 at 12:30 PM
With hindsight it was such a ridiculously simple thing. But after days (weeks?) of routinely trading and fighting to build up your wealth and combat rating, the arrival of the first BBC Elite secret mission was an incredibly exciting moment. How easily pleased we were back then!
It's a pretty dull "game".
(For those who don't know, View for the Acorn Electron & BBC Micro is a Word Processor.)
(For those who don't know, View for the Acorn Electron & BBC Micro is a Word Processor.)
October 14, 2026 at 12:24 PM
It's a pretty dull "game".
(For those who don't know, View for the Acorn Electron & BBC Micro is a Word Processor.)
(For those who don't know, View for the Acorn Electron & BBC Micro is a Word Processor.)
Acorn Computers introduced the BBC Master machine in January 1986, and later that year Acornsoft released an enhanced version of Elite. The retail box still contained all the extras of the original game, many of which were sadly missing in the Superior Software re-release.
October 12, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Acorn Computers introduced the BBC Master machine in January 1986, and later that year Acornsoft released an enhanced version of Elite. The retail box still contained all the extras of the original game, many of which were sadly missing in the Superior Software re-release.
Did you play any of Acornsoft's games back in the 80s? Which one was your favourite?
#KevinToms #Acornsoft #AcornElectron #BBCMicro #EliteGame #RetroGame #UKGames #RetroComputers #HomeComputers #Microcomputers #80sComputers #80sGames #UKComputers #UKRetro
#KevinToms #Acornsoft #AcornElectron #BBCMicro #EliteGame #RetroGame #UKGames #RetroComputers #HomeComputers #Microcomputers #80sComputers #80sGames #UKComputers #UKRetro
October 9, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Did you play any of Acornsoft's games back in the 80s? Which one was your favourite?
#KevinToms #Acornsoft #AcornElectron #BBCMicro #EliteGame #RetroGame #UKGames #RetroComputers #HomeComputers #Microcomputers #80sComputers #80sGames #UKComputers #UKRetro
#KevinToms #Acornsoft #AcornElectron #BBCMicro #EliteGame #RetroGame #UKGames #RetroComputers #HomeComputers #Microcomputers #80sComputers #80sGames #UKComputers #UKRetro
Mark Moxon will be the guest speaker at the next Wakefield #RISC_OS Computer Club meeting, talking about his hacks to Acornsoft games like Elite, Revs, and Lander.
www.riscository.com/2026/wrocc-m...
www.riscository.com/2026/wrocc-m...
Mark Moxon talks Elite, Revs, and more to WROCC - 7th October
Mark Moxon will be joining the next meeting of the Wakefield RISC OS Computer Club (WROCC), which will take place on Wednesday, 7th October, to take the group o
www.riscository.com
October 4, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Mark Moxon will be the guest speaker at the next Wakefield #RISC_OS Computer Club meeting, talking about his hacks to Acornsoft games like Elite, Revs, and Lander.
www.riscository.com/2026/wrocc-m...
www.riscository.com/2026/wrocc-m...
Back in 1984, this was probably the most exciting moment in computer games up to that point - when the first mission was triggered in #BBCElite. Suddenly you felt much more important, as Her Majesty's Space Navy was giving *you* a secret mission to carry out! Happy days...
September 25, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Back in 1984, this was probably the most exciting moment in computer games up to that point - when the first mission was triggered in #BBCElite. Suddenly you felt much more important, as Her Majesty's Space Navy was giving *you* a secret mission to carry out! Happy days...
Sorry. The comp was made by Acorn Computers and it's software by Acornsoft.
September 23, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Sorry. The comp was made by Acorn Computers and it's software by Acornsoft.
Something like this. BBC Model B+ by Acornsoft. Used to have a tape deck fist to load software and games. Then we got a floppy disk drive later as technology progressed. My dad won it in a competition or something. Ha.
#gaming #tech #oldschool
#gaming #tech #oldschool
September 23, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Something like this. BBC Model B+ by Acornsoft. Used to have a tape deck fist to load software and games. Then we got a floppy disk drive later as technology progressed. My dad won it in a competition or something. Ha.
#gaming #tech #oldschool
#gaming #tech #oldschool
I'm getting old. That was my first permanent job, software testing for Acornsoft, and Elite was part of what I tested.
September 20, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I'm getting old. That was my first permanent job, software testing for Acornsoft, and Elite was part of what I tested.
It must be about 43 years ago then that Mssrs Bell & Braben brought their demo into the old Market Hill offices that Acornsoft had back then. We stood around a BBC-B and just went wow. No gameplay at that point, just a Cobra flying out of the distance at us. I swear we ducked
September 20, 2026 at 10:28 PM
It must be about 43 years ago then that Mssrs Bell & Braben brought their demo into the old Market Hill offices that Acornsoft had back then. We stood around a BBC-B and just went wow. No gameplay at that point, just a Cobra flying out of the distance at us. I swear we ducked
A significant birthday for #Elite this year - the game is now 42 years old. Definitely the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything! The #MostlyHarmless combat ranking is another connection to Douglas Adams' #HHGTTG. I wonder what he would have made of #EliteDangerous?
September 20, 2026 at 9:05 AM
A significant birthday for #Elite this year - the game is now 42 years old. Definitely the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything! The #MostlyHarmless combat ranking is another connection to Douglas Adams' #HHGTTG. I wonder what he would have made of #EliteDangerous?
מזל טוב ל-Elite, שחוגג 42 שנים לשחרורו! 🎂
הוא יצא היום בשנת 1984.
מפתחת: Acornsoft, Frontier Developments
מפיצה: Acornsoft
ז'אנרים: ירי, סימולציה, אסטרטגיה
פלטפורמות: יותר מדי...
הוא יצא היום בשנת 1984.
מפתחת: Acornsoft, Frontier Developments
מפיצה: Acornsoft
ז'אנרים: ירי, סימולציה, אסטרטגיה
פלטפורמות: יותר מדי...
September 20, 2026 at 6:40 AM
מזל טוב ל-Elite, שחוגג 42 שנים לשחרורו! 🎂
הוא יצא היום בשנת 1984.
מפתחת: Acornsoft, Frontier Developments
מפיצה: Acornsoft
ז'אנרים: ירי, סימולציה, אסטרטגיה
פלטפורמות: יותר מדי...
הוא יצא היום בשנת 1984.
מפתחת: Acornsoft, Frontier Developments
מפיצה: Acornsoft
ז'אנרים: ירי, סימולציה, אסטרטגיה
פלטפורמות: יותר מדי...
Best reason to start a project there is. A bit of Elite lore for the box: Acornsoft bundled a novella, The Dark Wheel, written by Robert Holdstock - who the same year published Mythago Wood, which went on to win the World Fantasy Award. In-box lore years before anyone called it worldbuilding.
September 12, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Best reason to start a project there is. A bit of Elite lore for the box: Acornsoft bundled a novella, The Dark Wheel, written by Robert Holdstock - who the same year published Mythago Wood, which went on to win the World Fantasy Award. In-box lore years before anyone called it worldbuilding.
They became the biggest and best Acorn computer game publisher once they took over the Acornsoft name and back catalogue.
September 9, 2026 at 9:47 PM
They became the biggest and best Acorn computer game publisher once they took over the Acornsoft name and back catalogue.
TIL Brian Aldiss was author of a "game" for the BBC Micro https://bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=2314
Science Fiction Quiz
Published by Acornsoft, Ivan Berg Software in 1983
bbcmicro.co.uk
September 9, 2026 at 12:56 AM
TIL Brian Aldiss was author of a "game" for the BBC Micro https://bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=2314
It shows, and not stopping is the whole value. The bit of the story I keep telling people: the galaxy seed could have rolled out 2^48 galaxies, about 281 trillion, and Acornsoft talked them down to eight on the grounds that an absurd number would feel fake. Restraint as game design.
September 7, 2026 at 8:12 PM
It shows, and not stopping is the whole value. The bit of the story I keep telling people: the galaxy seed could have rolled out 2^48 galaxies, about 281 trillion, and Acornsoft talked them down to eight on the grounds that an absurd number would feel fake. Restraint as game design.
For #BBCMicro fans, the mode 7 teletext Acornsoft loading screen is iconic
So I've been adding customised versions to some of my more sophisticated Elite hacks
That's better - I should have done this ages ago!
See elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/ for more hacking goodness
#retrocomputing #acorn
So I've been adding customised versions to some of my more sophisticated Elite hacks
That's better - I should have done this ages ago!
See elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/ for more hacking goodness
#retrocomputing #acorn
September 5, 2026 at 3:55 PM
For #BBCMicro fans, the mode 7 teletext Acornsoft loading screen is iconic
So I've been adding customised versions to some of my more sophisticated Elite hacks
That's better - I should have done this ages ago!
See elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/ for more hacking goodness
#retrocomputing #acorn
So I've been adding customised versions to some of my more sophisticated Elite hacks
That's better - I should have done this ages ago!
See elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/ for more hacking goodness
#retrocomputing #acorn
And no double-height text either, as that’s a teletext thing. But it was still the Acornsoft loading screen, so you knew you were in for some high-quality gaming!
September 5, 2026 at 4:27 PM
And no double-height text either, as that’s a teletext thing. But it was still the Acornsoft loading screen, so you knew you were in for some high-quality gaming!
I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest Elite hack:
Two-player Elite for the #BBCMicro
This is the original 1980s Acornsoft Elite, but with split-screen, two-player, deep-space combat
See the thread for links, downloads and details
(1/10)
#retrocomputing #retrogaming #elitedangerous
Two-player Elite for the #BBCMicro
This is the original 1980s Acornsoft Elite, but with split-screen, two-player, deep-space combat
See the thread for links, downloads and details
(1/10)
#retrocomputing #retrogaming #elitedangerous
September 3, 2026 at 3:30 PM
I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest Elite hack:
Two-player Elite for the #BBCMicro
This is the original 1980s Acornsoft Elite, but with split-screen, two-player, deep-space combat
See the thread for links, downloads and details
(1/10)
#retrocomputing #retrogaming #elitedangerous
Two-player Elite for the #BBCMicro
This is the original 1980s Acornsoft Elite, but with split-screen, two-player, deep-space combat
See the thread for links, downloads and details
(1/10)
#retrocomputing #retrogaming #elitedangerous
A&B Computing was a popular computer magazine in the UK during the heyday of the #BBCMicro. They awarded #BBCElite a healthy 95% score in the December 1984 issue. Eagle-eyed readers would have noticed a couple of typos/errors, but it was otherwise a good, accurate review.
August 26, 2026 at 10:20 AM