Line #24 Creator/Epyx


1	[[quoteright:249:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0f8d070c8d16d3684af35ab43a635050.png]]
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3	Epyx was the name of a computer and VideoGame publisher of TheSeventies and The Eighties. It is best remembered for several classic games for the Platform/Atari8BitComputers and Platform/{{Commodore 64}}, particularly ''VideoGame/TempleOfApshai, VideoGame/{{Jumpman}}, VideoGame/ImpossibleMission, Summer/Winter/California Games,'' and ''VideoGame/ChipsChallenge''.
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5	The company was founded in 1977 by Jim Connelley and Jon Freeman under the name Automated Simulations; Connelley had purchased a Platform/CommodorePET to perform bookkeeping for his TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons games, and decided to create a game so he could write it off on his taxes. Connelly and Freeman created ''Starfleet Orion,'' a space-themed wargame for the PET, Platform/TRS80 , and Platform/AppleII.
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7	Their third game was an action-adventure RPG called ''VideoGame/TempleOfApshai,'' which became a BreakthroughHit. Since the game was not a simulation, they introduced the brand name Epyx for these titles. Using the same game engine, Epyx quickly released other action-oriented games, including ''VideoGame/CrushCrumbleAndChomp, Rescue at Rigel, Star Warrior,'' and two more sequels to ''Apshai.''
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9	In 1983, as the company consolidated under the Epyx name, it released another blockbuster hit, ''VideoGame/{{Jumpman}}''. The company therefore shifted their output entirely towards action games, with more hits like ''Impossible Mission, Summer Games, Winter Games,'' and ''California Games,'' along with {{Licensed Game}}s based on ''Franchise/{{Barbie}}'', ''Franchise/HotWheels'', and ''Franchise/GIJoe''. The British company U.S. Gold published Epyx games for the Commodore 64 and ported them to European platforms such as the Platform/AmstradCPC and Platform/ZXSpectrum. Epyx returned the favor, distributing games from European programmers, along with games from other American developers including [[Creator/LucasArts Lucasfilm Games]] and Microsoft.
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11	Epyx was sued by Creator/DataEast in 1987 over the game ''World Karate Championship,'' which Data East accused of being a copy of ''VideoGame/KarateChamp.'' Epyx ultimately won the case on appeal. Unfortunately, the company also tried to diversify in a wide variety of fields, including graphics and animation software, gaming peripherals, and even board games and VCR games. What few successes they had were offset by the failures.
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13	The final straw was the company's attempt to get into handheld video gaming. With famed hardware designers Dave Needle and R.J. Mical (of Platform/{{Amiga}} fame), Epyx developed the "Handy," a system ahead of its time with color graphics, hardware scaling, and multiplayer network capabilities. However, Epyx ran out of money before development could be completed; Handy was sold to Creator/{{Atari}}, who eventually released it as the Platform/AtariLynx. Atari was both a creditor and a debtor of Epyx; when Atari failed to pay for their contracted titles, Epyx went bankrupt, which gave Atari the titles for free.
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15	Epyx was dissolved and sold to the Bridgestone Group in the early [=1990s=]. The company eventually emerged from bankruptcy, but sold off all of its assets in 1993.
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18	!!Games developed or published by Epyx include:
19	[[index]]
20	* ''VideoGame/ArmorAssault''
21	* ''VideoGame/ChipsChallenge''
22	* ''VideoGame/CrushCrumbleAndChomp''
23	* ''[[VideoGame/BarbarianTheUltimateWarrior Death Sword]]''
24	* ''VideoGame/DragonridersOfPern''
25	* ''VideoGame/ImpossibleMission''
26	** ''Impossible Mission II''
27	* ''VideoGame/{{Jumpman}}''
28	** ''Jumpman Junior''
29	* ''Videogame/TheMovieMonsterGame''
30	* ''VideoGame/{{Pitstop}}''
31	* ''[[VideoGame/TheSacredArmourOfAntiriad Rad Warrior]]''
32	* ''VideoGame/RescueAtRigel''
33	* ''VideoGame/{{Rogue}}''
34	* ''VideoGame/StarfleetOrion''
35	* ''VideoGame/SummerGames''
36	** ''VideoGame/WinterGames''
37	** ''VideoGame/CaliforniaGames''
38	** ''VideoGame/WorldGames''
39	* ''VideoGame/StreetSportsBaseball''
40	* ''VideoGame/StreetSportsBasketball''
41	* ''VideoGame/StreetSportsFootball''
42	* ''VideoGame/StreetSportsSoccer''
43	* ''VideoGame/TempleOfApshai''
44	** ''Upper Reaches of Apshai''
45	** ''Curse of Ra''
46	* ''VideoGame/WorldKarateChampionship''

Context Creator / Epyx