Cinemaware Corporation
Moby ID: 18
- Master Designer Software, Inc. (from 1986-01-17 to 1988-01-15)
Overview edit · view history
Cinemaware Corporation was founded in 1985. The company was Robert Jacob's and Phyllis Jacob's software development house. Established in 1985, it existed for seven years before going under in 1991.
Cinemaware was responsible for creating games that, true to their name, were almost of a movie-like quality, or at least a reasonable facsimile, given the technology of the time. The company was an active developer of award-winning games on the Amiga, C64, Apple IIGS, PC, NES, NEC Turbografx and other computers and console systems.
In the early 1990's NEC asked Cinemaware to do a CD-enhanced remake of It Came from the Desert for its TurboGrafx CD console, in exchange for buying 20 percent of the company. Cinemaware sank $700,000 in the project, almost five times as much as a regular budget at the time. The movie-like production skills drained the funds quickly and the company went under in 1991, before the game was finished. Under the leadership of David Riordan the game was completed on a tight budget and released in 1992.
Many of Cinemaware's original programmers, designers, artists, and producers left to work for top developers and publishers around the industry, such as Microsoft, Cavedog Entertainment, Disney Interactive and Electronic Arts.
In 2000 a new company called Cinemaware, Inc. was formed based on the name and assets of the original Cinemaware. The original team was not involved.
Credited on 28 Games from 1986 to 2002
Displaying most recent · View all
| Defender of the Crown: Digitally Remastered Collector's Edition (2002 on Windows, Macintosh) |
| The Three Stooges: Digitally Remastered Edition (2002 on Windows, Macintosh) |
| It Came from the Desert (1992 on TurboGrafx CD) |
| ABC Wide World of Sports Boxing (1991 on DOS, Amiga) |
| Bo Jackson Baseball (1991 on DOS, Amiga) |
| Double-Double Bill (1991 on Amiga) |
| TV Sports: Hockey (1991 on TurboGrafx-16) |
| Action Pak Arcade Fever (1990 on Atari ST) |
| Airstrike USA (1990 on DOS, Amiga, Atari ST) |
| Dragon Lord (1990 on DOS, Amiga, Atari ST) |
| Wings (1990 on Game Boy Advance, Amiga, BlackBerry...) |
| Federation (1989 on Amiga, Atari ST) |
| It Came from the Desert (1989 on DOS, Amiga) |
| The Kristal (1989 on DOS, Amiga, Atari ST) |
| Death Bringer (1989 on DOS, Amiga, Atari ST...) |
| Lords of the Rising Sun (1989 on Amiga, TurboGrafx CD, CD-i...) |
| 3 in Three (1989 on Macintosh) |
| TV Sports: Basketball (1989 on DOS, Amiga, TurboGrafx-16) |
| TV Sports: Football (1988 on DOS, Amiga, Atari ST...) |
| Rocket Ranger (1988 on DOS, Windows, Amiga...) |
[ view all ]
History +
- 1991
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Cinemaware Corporation ceased operations and closed its doors
- 1985
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Company founded.
Related Web Sites +
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Interviews with Past Cinemaware Employees
Just Adventure's Adam Bormann interviews former Cinemaware employees who moved on to <moby company=Sierra>Sierra On-line</moby>: <moby developer=Patrick Cook>Pat Cook</moby> and <moby developer=Allen McPheeters>Allen McPheeters</moby>. -
Matt Chat 41
Video interview with Bob Jacob about Cinemaware's history (Youtube)
Frequent Collaborators
Companies- 12 games with Mirrorsoft Ltd.
- 8 games with Spotlight Software
- 6 games with Mirror Image
- 4 games with NEC Technologies, Inc.
- 4 games with Victor Entertainment Inc.
- 4 games with Mindscape SA
- 4 games with Cinemaware Corporation
- 3 games with Metro3D, Inc.
- 3 games with GOG Limited
- 3 games with Crawfish Interactive Ltd.
- 16 games with Robert Jacob
- 14 games with Phyllis Jacob
- 13 games with John Cutter
- 8 games with Jerry Albright
- 8 games with David Riordan
- 7 games with Patrick Cook
- 7 games with Jim Simmons
- 7 games with Rob Landeros
- 7 games with Jeff Godfrey
- 6 games with L. Allen McPheeters
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