Level 9 Computing

Level 9 Computing
Founded1981
FounderMike Austin
Pete Austin
Nick Austin
Defunct1991
Headquarters
United Kingdom
ProductsVideo games
This version of Return to Eden illustrates the general cover design used for most of Level 9's self-published releases. The "L9" logo is used as a background motif.

Level 9 was a British developer of computer software, active between 1981 and 1991. Founded by Mike, Nicholas and Pete Austin, the company produced software for the BBC Micro, Nascom, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Oric, Atari 8-bit computers, Camputers Lynx, RML 380Z, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Amiga, Apple II, Memotech MTX, and Enterprise platforms[1] and is best known for its successful text adventure games until a general decline in the text adventure market forced their closure in June 1991.

Level 9's first release was an extension to Nascom BASIC called Extension Basic.[2] The first game, also for the Nascom, was called Fantasy and was similar to Valhalla, but with no graphics.[3] Other products from that era were Missile Defence, Bomber and Space Invasion — all for the Nascom.[4] The tapes were duplicated and sent out by mail order by the brothers based on orders generated by the classified advertisements they ran in the Computing Today magazine. They were originally based in High Wycombe, Bucks[5] before moving to the West Country.[6]

  1. ^ "Level 9 Computing History" (PDF). mocagh.org. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Level 9 - Masters of Adventure (and nice people too!)". Page 6 (34): 12–18. July 1988.
  3. ^ "On the level". Sinclair User (38): 60. May 1985.
  4. ^ "Level 9 - Past Masters of the Adventure Game" (PDF). Red Herring: 41–50. October 1992.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference pcg04 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Level 9 On the Move", C+VG (43), Future Publishing: 106, May 1985