Firebird vs Mastertronic and the Battle for Budget Gaming
#FirebirdSoftware #Mastertronic #Commodore64 #VIC20 #ZXSpectrum #BBCMicro #RetroGaming #RetroComputing #Telecomsoft #8BitGaming
theoasisbbs.com/firebird-vs-...
#FirebirdSoftware #Mastertronic #Commodore64 #VIC20 #ZXSpectrum #BBCMicro #RetroGaming #RetroComputing #Telecomsoft #8BitGaming
theoasisbbs.com/firebird-vs-...
Firebird vs Mastertronic and the Battle for Budget Gaming - The Oasis BBS
Firebird vs Mastertronic gets a fresh verdict as Seb’s Place reviews 21 early Firebird titles across four 8-bit systems, with 15 winners.
theoasisbbs.com
October 23, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Firebird vs Mastertronic and the Battle for Budget Gaming
#FirebirdSoftware #Mastertronic #Commodore64 #VIC20 #ZXSpectrum #BBCMicro #RetroGaming #RetroComputing #Telecomsoft #8BitGaming
theoasisbbs.com/firebird-vs-...
#FirebirdSoftware #Mastertronic #Commodore64 #VIC20 #ZXSpectrum #BBCMicro #RetroGaming #RetroComputing #Telecomsoft #8BitGaming
theoasisbbs.com/firebird-vs-...
A new blog post about Hasbro Interactive. They were a link in the long chain of the story of Atari, MicroProse, Telecomsoft and Firebird, and Beyond Software.
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/09/hasb...
#RetroGaming #RetroComputing #PlayStation #PCGaming
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/09/hasb...
#RetroGaming #RetroComputing #PlayStation #PCGaming
Hasbro Interactive
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com
September 13, 2026 at 10:54 AM
A new blog post about Hasbro Interactive. They were a link in the long chain of the story of Atari, MicroProse, Telecomsoft and Firebird, and Beyond Software.
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/09/hasb...
#RetroGaming #RetroComputing #PlayStation #PCGaming
whereweretheynow.blogspot.com/2026/09/hasb...
#RetroGaming #RetroComputing #PlayStation #PCGaming
Crash (Sep 1988) - Kixx, Telecomsoft, Image Works, Morpheus, Hewson Consultants Ltd, Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge, The Big Apple Entertainment Company, Mad Mix Game, Code Masters Ltd, U.S. Gold Ltd, Red Storm Rising, Grandslam (1/2)
August 17, 2026 at 6:05 AM
Crash (Sep 1988) - Kixx, Telecomsoft, Image Works, Morpheus, Hewson Consultants Ltd, Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge, The Big Apple Entertainment Company, Mad Mix Game, Code Masters Ltd, U.S. Gold Ltd, Red Storm Rising, Grandslam (1/2)
Digi-Piece for Telecomsoft by Jeroen Tel
./Tel_Jeroen/Digi-Piece_for_Telecomsoft.sid
Title: Digi-Piece for Telecomsoft
Author: Jeroen Tel
#c64
#chiptune
./Tel_Jeroen/Digi-Piece_for_Telecomsoft.sid
Title: Digi-Piece for Telecomsoft
Author: Jeroen Tel
#c64
#chiptune
[Video] Original post on retrochat.online
retrochat.online
April 4, 2025 at 6:51 PM
My post this week was on Thrust! Read about:
- developer Jeremy C. Smith's history with BBC Micro twists on Asteroids
- how Thrust became "a £2 sensation" for BT's Telecomsoft
- Exile, the 1988 cult classic which was way ahead of its time
www.superchartisland.com/thrust
- developer Jeremy C. Smith's history with BBC Micro twists on Asteroids
- how Thrust became "a £2 sensation" for BT's Telecomsoft
- Exile, the 1988 cult classic which was way ahead of its time
www.superchartisland.com/thrust
January 30, 2026 at 2:17 PM
My post this week was on Thrust! Read about:
- developer Jeremy C. Smith's history with BBC Micro twists on Asteroids
- how Thrust became "a £2 sensation" for BT's Telecomsoft
- Exile, the 1988 cult classic which was way ahead of its time
www.superchartisland.com/thrust
- developer Jeremy C. Smith's history with BBC Micro twists on Asteroids
- how Thrust became "a £2 sensation" for BT's Telecomsoft
- Exile, the 1988 cult classic which was way ahead of its time
www.superchartisland.com/thrust
Yep Rainbird were the publisher, a spinoff of BT's Telecomsoft.
I had Starglider and a couple of other non-Magnetic Scrolls things they published on Amiga, and some of the Firebird stuff on C64 - The Sentinel and Thrust.
I'm not sure I completely finished any L9 games back then either! 😂
I had Starglider and a couple of other non-Magnetic Scrolls things they published on Amiga, and some of the Firebird stuff on C64 - The Sentinel and Thrust.
I'm not sure I completely finished any L9 games back then either! 😂
May 7, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Yep Rainbird were the publisher, a spinoff of BT's Telecomsoft.
I had Starglider and a couple of other non-Magnetic Scrolls things they published on Amiga, and some of the Firebird stuff on C64 - The Sentinel and Thrust.
I'm not sure I completely finished any L9 games back then either! 😂
I had Starglider and a couple of other non-Magnetic Scrolls things they published on Amiga, and some of the Firebird stuff on C64 - The Sentinel and Thrust.
I'm not sure I completely finished any L9 games back then either! 😂
Rainbird was a Telecomsoft label
Thanks BT
Thanks BT
May 13, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Rainbird was a Telecomsoft label
Thanks BT
Thanks BT
Crash (Sep 1988) - Kixx, Bug-Byte Software Ltd, U.S. Gold Ltd, Grandslam Entertainments Ltd, The Big Apple Entertainment Company, Code Masters Ltd, Telecomsoft, Image Works, Morpheus, Hewson Consultants Ltd, Red (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
August 28, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Crash (Sep 1988) - Kixx, Bug-Byte Software Ltd, U.S. Gold Ltd, Grandslam Entertainments Ltd, The Big Apple Entertainment Company, Code Masters Ltd, Telecomsoft, Image Works, Morpheus, Hewson Consultants Ltd, Red (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
budget label, and gets 89%. Tetris gets rereleased and a 96% rating! Microprose buys up Telecomsoft, taking control of the Rainbird and Firebird labels. Ocean announces that it's picked up the biggest film licence of the year: Batman. (2/3)
June 13, 2025 at 6:05 AM
budget label, and gets 89%. Tetris gets rereleased and a 96% rating! Microprose buys up Telecomsoft, taking control of the Rainbird and Firebird labels. Ocean announces that it's picked up the biggest film licence of the year: Batman. (2/3)
Crash (Mar 1988) - Hewson Consultants Ltd, Double Dragon, Ariolasoft UK Ltd, Morpheus, Firebird Software Ltd, Level 9 Computing Ltd, Mastertronic Ltd, Telecomsoft, The Race Against Time, Ocean Software Ltd and (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
February 17, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Crash (Mar 1988) - Hewson Consultants Ltd, Double Dragon, Ariolasoft UK Ltd, Morpheus, Firebird Software Ltd, Level 9 Computing Ltd, Mastertronic Ltd, Telecomsoft, The Race Against Time, Ocean Software Ltd and (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
Crash (Sep 1988) - Bug-Byte Software Ltd, Kixx, Hewson Consultants Ltd, Code Masters Ltd, Image Works, Grandslam Entertainments Ltd, Telecomsoft, Morpheus, Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge, The Big Apple (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
August 7, 2024 at 7:05 AM
Crash (Sep 1988) - Bug-Byte Software Ltd, Kixx, Hewson Consultants Ltd, Code Masters Ltd, Image Works, Grandslam Entertainments Ltd, Telecomsoft, Morpheus, Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge, The Big Apple (1/2) #zxspectrum #retrogaming
budget label, and gets 89%. Tetris gets rereleased and a 96% rating! Microprose buys up Telecomsoft, taking control of the Rainbird and Firebird labels. Ocean announces that it's picked up the biggest film licence of the year: Batman. (2/3)
June 18, 2024 at 8:05 PM
budget label, and gets 89%. Tetris gets rereleased and a 96% rating! Microprose buys up Telecomsoft, taking control of the Rainbird and Firebird labels. Ocean announces that it's picked up the biggest film licence of the year: Batman. (2/3)
Then the guest speaker for the day, Richard C Hewison, former employee of Telecomsoft. A very interesting man who gave an excellent talk about his time as a playtester for Firebird and Rainbird.
He really hates golf!
He really hates golf!
December 2, 2024 at 12:01 PM
Then the guest speaker for the day, Richard C Hewison, former employee of Telecomsoft. A very interesting man who gave an excellent talk about his time as a playtester for Firebird and Rainbird.
He really hates golf!
He really hates golf!
Generally, thanks to all at TelecomSoft (as was) - it's the end of an era, folks.
Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
May 1, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Generally, thanks to all at TelecomSoft (as was) - it's the end of an era, folks.
Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
Generally, thanks to all at TelecomSoft (as was) - it's the end of an era, folks. Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
December 19, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Generally, thanks to all at TelecomSoft (as was) - it's the end of an era, folks. Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
Generally, thanks to all at TelecomSoft (as was) - it's the end of an era, folks. Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
December 8, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Generally, thanks to all at TelecomSoft (as was) - it's the end of an era, folks. Thanks to MicroProse - let's take it from here.
Absurd #retrogaming facts? Humphrey Bogart was once the advertising face for a video game called Soldier of Fortune. Yep, let it sink in.
#graftgold #telecomsoft #steveturner #andrewbraybrook #zxspectrum #c64
#graftgold #telecomsoft #steveturner #andrewbraybrook #zxspectrum #c64
November 10, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Absurd #retrogaming facts? Humphrey Bogart was once the advertising face for a video game called Soldier of Fortune. Yep, let it sink in.
#graftgold #telecomsoft #steveturner #andrewbraybrook #zxspectrum #c64
#graftgold #telecomsoft #steveturner #andrewbraybrook #zxspectrum #c64
I recently watched a good presentation about Firebird (Telecomsoft): youtu.be/LWHJomIX_As?...
Why British Telecom Sold Games in the '80s - With Richard Hewison
YouTube video by RMC - The Cave
youtu.be
January 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
I recently watched a good presentation about Firebird (Telecomsoft): youtu.be/LWHJomIX_As?...
Sure thing. So, this book will be covering the history of Rainbird and Beyond software specifically, whereas the Firebird one only covered that part of the company and its history. Overall, its new content - there might only be some slight overlap if they talk about TelecomSoft, but very little.
June 24, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Sure thing. So, this book will be covering the history of Rainbird and Beyond software specifically, whereas the Firebird one only covered that part of the company and its history. Overall, its new content - there might only be some slight overlap if they talk about TelecomSoft, but very little.
IndeflataBall is yet another #Commodore64 TelecomSoft title that never was. Intended for release on Silverbird's budget label, this promising maze shoot-em-up title was fully recovered by #GTW, thanks to developer Cory Kin's kind disk donations.
https://gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/indeflataball/
https://gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/indeflataball/
August 21, 2023 at 9:27 AM
IndeflataBall is yet another #Commodore64 TelecomSoft title that never was. Intended for release on Silverbird's budget label, this promising maze shoot-em-up title was fully recovered by #GTW, thanks to developer Cory Kin's kind disk donations.
https://gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/indeflataball/
https://gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/indeflataball/
Pictured in the photo are Colin Grunes (left) and me, at the Odin Computer Graphics booth within the Firebird/Telecomsoft area at PCW Show 1986, Olympia.
June 21, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Pictured in the photo are Colin Grunes (left) and me, at the Odin Computer Graphics booth within the Firebird/Telecomsoft area at PCW Show 1986, Olympia.
In Chapter 9 of my serialized memoir, it's 1986, Heartland for the ZX Spectrum ships, and the reality of shipping 10 games in a year for Firebird/Telecomsoft means our brand new Amiga 1000s have to be set aside in favor of cranking out points for the contract.
#RetroGaming #GameDevelopment #Memoir
#RetroGaming #GameDevelopment #Memoir
Chapter 9: The Firebird Factory
Ten games in twelve months, Bertie Big Boy, and the Forbidden Amigas.
stevewetherill.substack.com
June 21, 2026 at 2:46 PM
In Chapter 9 of my serialized memoir, it's 1986, Heartland for the ZX Spectrum ships, and the reality of shipping 10 games in a year for Firebird/Telecomsoft means our brand new Amiga 1000s have to be set aside in favor of cranking out points for the contract.
#RetroGaming #GameDevelopment #Memoir
#RetroGaming #GameDevelopment #Memoir
Après Ocean et US Gold, l'éditeur Fusion Retro Books nous propose un livre consacré au label Rainbird de Telecomsoft, spécialisé dans les jeux d'aventure et simulations pour machines 16-bit mag.mo5.com/285123/un-li...
Un livre en anglais sur le label Rainbird chez Fusion Retro Books
Cela faisait un bout de temps que l’on avait pas abordé les publications de Fusion Retro Books, en partie parce qu’on préfère favoriser les ouvrages en français, mais aussi parce que l’éditeur (...)
mag.mo5.com
June 23, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Après Ocean et US Gold, l'éditeur Fusion Retro Books nous propose un livre consacré au label Rainbird de Telecomsoft, spécialisé dans les jeux d'aventure et simulations pour machines 16-bit mag.mo5.com/285123/un-li...