This article is about the British video game publisher. For the technology pertaining to generating, storing or using extremely small amounts of power, see Micropower.
Micro Power was a British company established in the early 1980s by former accountant Bob Simpson. The company was best known as a video game publisher, originally under the name Program Power. It also sold many types of computer hardware and software (both its own and third-party) through its Leeds 'showroom' or via mail order.
From 1980 to 1987 the company published a number of video games and other software for various home computers. The earliest programs were released for the Acorn Atom but Micro Power is best remembered for its games for that machine's successor, Acorn's BBC Micro (with all but two of its post-Atom games running on that machine). A large selection of games that could be (and weren't considered 'too old') were ported to the Acorn Electron after its release in 1983 and most new games were now released for these 2 machines in 1984. A few were also ported to other 8-bit platforms including Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum but these never achieved the success of the Acorn originals.
Most of these were basic single screen games, typically arcade clones (see the list of notable games below). While mostly well received and popular at the time (especially on the Acorn platforms), by the mid 1980s, video games were becoming increasingly complex. While simple early arcade-style games still sold well, it was usually at a budget price. Micro Power themselves released Micro Power Magic compilations in 1986, each featuring ten of their games that had previously sold at up to £7.95 each (some only two years earlier), for £7.95.[1]
From 1985 onwards, Micro Power began to produce a few advanced games as opposed to a high quantity of simpler games. The first of these was the arcade adventureCastle Quest (BBC only) by Tony Sothcott,[2] billed as "Probably the most challenging game ever devised for the BBC Micro". This game was successful and a sequel was started which became Doctor Who and the Mines of Terror (BBC, C64, CPC), a huge arcade adventure that required its own ROM chip to run on the BBC Micro. Another later release was puzzle/platform gameImogen (BBC only, later ported to Electron by Superior Software and more recently remade for PC[3]) by Michael St. Aubyn which was noted for its witty, original puzzles and cute high-resolution monochrome graphics.
Typical cover image. The majority of Program Power / Micro Power software was released in uniform covers. This is the Electron version of Cybertron Mission
Adventure – a text adventure (Atom, BBC, Electron)
As well as games, Micro Power released a number of educational programs (covering subjects such as science and geography) as well as utility software such as the Draw art package (BBC, Electron), Basic Extensions[5] and Constellationastronomy program (Atom, BBC, later ported to Electron by Superior Software).
Micro Power also released hardware such as the 'Micro Power Add-On' for the ZX Spectrum which added 2 joystick ports and 3-channel sound capability.[6]
Micro Power had a store on the corner of North Street and Meanwood Road in Leeds. They primarily sold Acorn hardware and software. Also they sold software for other computers including C64, ZX Spectrum, and QL. In the 1990s Micro Power downsized and moved further up Meanwood Road to reduce outgoings.
There is still the original Micro Power sign at the back of their first premises.[7]
