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| Company type | Corporation / Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founders | Ihor Wolosenko Ken Grant |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Fate | Defunct (purchased by Broderbund) |
| Successor | The Learning Company |
| Products | Video games Productivity software Programming tools |
Synapse Software Corporation (marketed as SynSoft in the UK) was an American software developer and publisher founded in 1981 by Ihor Wolosenko and Ken Grant.[1] Synapse published application software and developer tools and was primarily known for video games. It initially focused on the Atari 8-bit computers, then later developed for the Commodore 64 and other systems. Synapse was purchased by Broderbund in late 1984 and the Synapse label retired in 1985.
The company's first release was the database File Manager 800, written by Grant and Wolosenko, followed by the game Dodge Racer, a clone of Sega's Head On programmed by Rob Re.[1] 1981's Protector and 1982's Shamus established Synapse as a creator of high-quality action games. Additional well-received releases followed, including Rainbow Walker, Blue Max, and The Pharaoh's Curse, and some others based on unusual concepts, like Necromancer and Alley Cat. First-person game Dimension X was promoted for its "altered perspective scrolling" technology, then released in a cut-down form over nine months later to disappointing reviews. The company also sold databases, a 6502 assembler, and a suite of biofeedback hardware and software. A line of productivity applications published in 1983, including a spreadsheet, led to financial difficulties and the company's downfall.
The box cover art for most of Synapse's games was done by Tim Boxell, a friend of Ihor Wolosenko.[2]
- ^ a b Dewitt, Robert (April 1983). "Profile: Ihnor Wolosenko (Synapse Software)". Antic. 2 (1).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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