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A game company founded == History ==Formed in 1983. It produced its own , Mastertronic established itself as a one of the premier budget software houses of the 8-bit era, producing games for the CPC as well as publishing games from other companies. Software titles were sold as low budget games (e.g. £1.99 in Great Britain, 9,95 DM (= 5,09€) in Germany).In 1985 its main competitors the label '''M.A.D''' (Mastertronic Added Dimension) was launched featuring games for a slightly higher price (£2.99 in Great Britain).Mastertronic merged with [[Virgin|Virgin GamesZX Spectrum]] and [[Commodore 64]] in the late 1980s to form the new company '''Virgin Mastertronic'''.

== Releases Mastertronic identified a gap in the market for CPC =low cost games (originally retailing for £1.99 in the United Kingdom, 9,95 DM (=5,09€) in Germany & $9.99 in Australia) and as well as producing titles for 'The Big 3' specialised in releasing original games for some of the lesser served systems like the BBC Electron and Commodore C16.* Mastertronic paved the way for companies like [[Action BikerAlternative Software]]* and [[Agent X II: The Mad Prof's BackCodemasters]] to follow in their stead (1987)* and in fact published [[AmauroteThe Darling Brothers]] first game - the C64 only BMX Racers). Success allowed the company to expand and as well as their self-titled orginal label, they were soon releasing games under their offshoot labels most notably '''M.A.D.''' (1987Mastertronic Added Dimension)which retailed at a slightly higher price than the basic line.As well as M.A.D., Mastertronic also ran the shortlived '''Entertainment USA''' and '''Bulldog''' labels designed to showcase the best in American and British releases respectively.* Mastertronic continued to grow and in 1988 acquired the Australian software outfit [[AngleBallMelbourne House]] (1987)* . Keeping the label name alive, Mastertronic used the Melbourne House moniker to enter the full price software market. Around the same time, Mastertonic launched '''Ricochet''' a re-release label that they used to re-market games from publishers such as the afore-mentioned Melbourne House, [[Back To RealityBubble Bus]] and [[Activision]]. With great expansion comes great risk and as the budget market became saturated Mastertronic's position as the leading light began to wane. Several big projects for the group (1986including an attempt to enter the arcade market)proved to be finacially challenging. Thanks, however, to being able to secure the distribution rights to Sega's [[Master System]] console in the UK, France and Germany, the company remained a viable acquisition. Spotting an opportunity to expand, Richard Branson's [[Virgin Games]] bought a controlling interest in Mastertronic, eventually merging the two companies into '''Virgin Mastertronic'''.* Two final labels appeared bearing the Mastertronic name after the merger '''Mastertronic Plus''' and '''Tronix'''. These were used for original and re-release budget titles while Melbourne House was finally retired in favour of Virgin Mastertronic's self titled label. == Releases ==Please also see [[Bomb FusionVirgin Games]] (1989)for details of games released under that banner following the Mastertronic merger. === Mastertronic ===* [[Bosconian 87Agent X II: The Mad Prof's Back]] * [[Apprentice (1987the)]]* [[BounderBack To Reality]] (1986a.k.a. Project Genesis)* [[Bronx Street CopBomb Fusion]] (1989)* [[Bump Set Spike!: Doubles VolleyballBosconian 87]] (1986)* [[The CaptiveCamelot Warriors]] (1985)

* [[Chiller]] (1985)* [[Chronos: A Tapestry ]]* [[The Curse Of TimeSherwood]] * [[Dr. Scrimes: Spook School]]* [[Dynamix]]* [[El Cid]]* [[Finders Keepers]]* [[Fly Spy]]* [[Formula 1 Simulator]]* [[Hollywood Or Bust]]* [[Hundra]]* [[Hyperbowl]]* [[Into Oblivion]]* [[Kane]]* [[Kentilla]]* [[Kikstart II]]* [[Killer Cobra]]* [[Kobayashi Naru]]* [[Locomotion]]* [[Master Chess (1987Mastertronic)|Master Chess]]* [[ColonyMilk Race]]* [[Mindtrap]]* [[Molecule Man]]* [[Motorbike Madness]]* [[Nonamed]]* [[Nonterraqueous]]* [[Octoplex]]* [[One Man And His Droid]]* [[Super Pipeline II|Pipeline 2]] (1987re-release)* [[Nonterraqueous_2_(Soul_of_a_Robot)|Soul of a Robot]]* [[Pulsoid]]* [[The Quest For The Golden Eggcup]]* [[Radzone]]* [[Rasterscan]]* [[Reveal]]* [[Rogue]]* [[Rollaround]]* [[Speed King]]* [[Speedzone]]* [[Storm]]* [[Supernudge 2000]]* [[Super Trolley]]* [[Venom]]* [[Werewolves of London]] (re-release)* [[Xcel]] === M.A.D. ===* [[180]]* [[Action Force]] (re-release)* [[Amaurote]]* [[AngleBall]]* [[Ball Crazy]]* [[Con-Quest]]* [[Energy Warrior]]* [[The Fear]]* [[Five-A-Side Soccer]]* [[Flash Gordon]]* [[Lawn Tennis|Grand Prix Tennis]] (1986a.k.a. Lawn Tennis)* [[Continental CircusHero Of The Golden Talisman]]* [[How To Be A Hero]]* [[Knight Tyme]]* [[The Last V8]]* [[Manic Miner]] (1989re-release)* [[Countdown To MeltdownMotos]]* [[On Cue]]* [[Boulder Dash|Rockford: The Arcade Game]]* [[Spellbound]]* [[Sport Of Kings]]* [[Star Wars Droids]]* [[Stormbringer]]* [[Strike!]]* [[Terminus]]* [[Vectorball]]* [[ZUB]] === Entertainment USA ===* [[Bump Set Spike!]]* [[Video Poker|Las Vegas Video Poker]] (1984a.k.a. Video Poker)* [[Los Angeles S.W.A.T.]]* [[Ninja]] === Bulldog ===* [[Colony]]* [[Dr. Jackle and Mr. Wide]]* [[Feud]]* [[Galletron]]* [[Invasion]]* [[The Curse Island Of SherwoodDr. Destructo]]* [[Rigel's Revenge]]* [[Shard of Inovar]]* [[Streaker]] === Ricochet ===* [[Alien 8]] (1987re-release)* [[Aliens]] (re-release)* [[Ballblazer]] (re-release)* [[Confuzion]] (re-release)* [[Dan Dare|Dan Dare: Pilot Of The Future]] (re-release)* [[Dan Dare II|Dan Dare II: Mekon's Revenge]] (1987re-release)* [[Darts 180The Eidolon]] (1986re-release)* [[Die! Alien SlimeF.A. Cup Football]] (1989re-release)* [[Doodle BugGhostbusters]] (1987re-release)* [[Dr. Scrimes: Spook SchoolGrowing Pains of Adrian Mole]] (1988re-release)* [[EnergyHow to be a Complete Bastard]] (1987re-release)* [[Impossible Mission]] (re-release)* [[Jet Set Willy|Jet Set Willy II]] (re-release)* [[Knight Lore]] (re-release)* [[Knightmare]] (re-release)* [[Nightshade]] (re-release)* [[Starquake]] (re-release)* [[Tau Ceti]] (re-release)* [[Trailblazer]] (re-release)* [[Way Of The Exploding Fist]] (re-release)  === Melbourne House (Post Mastertronic takeover) ===* [[Aaargh!]]* [[Barbarian (Melbourne House)|Barbarian]]* [[Double Dragon]]* [[Obliterator]]* [[Terrorpods]]* [[War in Middle Earth]]* [[Xenon]] === Virgin Mastertronic ===* [[American Turbo King]]* [[Billy the Kid]]* [[Bronx Street Cop]]* [[F-16 Fighting Falcon]]* [[Infection]]* [[Jungle Warfare]]* [[Megaplay Volume 1]]* [[Missile Ground Zero]]* [[Robot Attack]]* [[Rookie]]* [[Solar Invasion]] === Mastertronic Plus ===* [[Pinball Power|3D Pinball]] (1989a.k.a. Pinball Power)* [[FeudBarry McGuigan's World Championship Boxing]] (1987re-release)* [[Finders KeepersContinental Circus]] (1985re-release)* [[FiveDouble Dragon]] (re-Arelease)* [[Die! Alien Slime]]* [[Enterprise]] (re-Side Soccerrelease)* [[Fighting Warrior]] (1985re-release)* [[Flash GordonGemini Wing]] (1986re-release)* [[Fly SpyGregory Loses His Clock]]* [[Jonah Barrington's Squash]]* [[Micro Mouse Goes De-Bugging]]* [[Protector]]* [[Psycho Hopper]]* [[Rad Ramp Racer]]* [[Raster Runner]]* [[Rescue on Fractalus]] (1986re-release)* [[Formula 1 SimulatorRugby Manager]]* [[Silkworm]] (1985re-release)* [[Fruitbank Supernudge 2000Shinobi]] (1989re-release)* [[Hero Of The Golden TalismanSuper Stock Car]]* [[T-Bird]]* [[Tetris]] (1985re-release)* [[Hollywood Or BustXenon]] (1986re-release)* [[How To Be A HeroYes Prime Minister]] (1987re-release) === Tronix ===* [[HyperbowlDouble Dragon II|Double Dragon II: The Revenge]] (1987re-release)* [[InfectionGolden Axe]] (1989re-release)* [[Into OblivionItalia 90|Italia '90: World Cup Soccer]] (1986re-release)* [[InvasionIvan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road]] (1987re-release)* [[The Island Of Dr. DestructoMonty Python's Flying Circus]] (1987re-release)* [[JackleThe Ninja Warriors]] (re-release)  == Missing in Action / Vapourware == As with all major software companies (and a number of minor ones!), Mastertronic didn't manage to release every game that was originally planned or rumoured. The following are a list of titles that don't appear to have been released publically. If you have any further information on any of these titles please share with the community in the discussion forums, we've love to hear some more about these or any other titles. === Action Biker === Mentioned in a feature on Mastertronic on Page 44 of Issue 7 of Amstrad Action (April 1986), very little is given away about the game other than a brief blurb that it was a joint promotion with KP Skips, a popular brand of crisps in the UK. Looking to other 8-bit machines and Action Biker was released on the [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0000072 ZX Spectrum], [http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-action-biker_70.html Atari 8-Bit] & [http://www.lemon64.com/?game_id=48 Commodore 64]. Interestingly, while the Spectrum and Atari provide the same, generally panned maze exploration game, the C64 version was a completely different game from a more 3D perspective and while not universally loved, appeared to be a far better proposition. Of course, any Amstrad version was likely to crib heavily from the Spectrum but we'll never know... unless it's found... because a purported cover of Action Biker has been doing the rounds for a number of years. First appearing on the late [[CPC Zone]] website, it's still unclear whether the game ever was actually released or produced and the providence of the scan is unknown. It is possible that even if the game was not fully released that a prototype exists with the game potentially being pulled either because of Action Biker's poor recepiton on the Spectrum or Skips dropping of the Clumsy Colin character, on whom the game was based, around the same time. You can view the scan for yourself at [http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&onglet=package&num=4139 CPC Power] [[Category:CPC related companies]] [[Category: Computer and video game companies]]