Villordsutch reviews The Story of U.S. Gold…
Any child of the 1980’s – perhaps early 90’s too – will have the medallion of U.S. Gold burnt into their brain. You’ll possibly blink and it’s scarred onto your retina for it was emblazoned on virtually – what seemed like – every advert, game, free poster, bouncing novelty whatever. I myself was one of those children that hunted out these American Classics that flowed across our country, they occupied every independent gaming shop, Boots, John Menzies, practically anywhere with a shelf. Though what I didn’t realise until reading Chris Wilkins & Roger M. Keans, The Story of U.S. Gold, is that they were as American as Fish & Chips and Coronation Street!?
It’s true! From the streets of Birmingham comes Geoff Brown, a former musician and maths teacher, who had a love for computers from when they first emerged in the homes, then one day he had an idea about game distribution. He took a copy Galactic Chase into Currys informing the Manager he was the distributor of the game, at which point the Manager asked for twenty copies, so quickly Geoff had to become a distributor for the game and start buying them from America. Geoff initially loaned money from his wife Anne’s parents to buy games from America to start his fledgling business. This opening gambit of Geoff’s was the first step in SoftCell soon to become CentreSoft, and the beginning of U.S. Gold. Here was the beginning of a multi-million pound business, it truly shows you how different the UK Gaming business world was back nearly four decades ago.
From this point on in the book we get a complete, detailed, honest recount of the many successes and occasionally trip-ups of U.S. Gold including the Football World Cup game, in which they roped in poor Artic Computing to redress an old game which ending up being a diabolical mess. I was completely taken aback to discover that U.S. Gold for some time never actually really made a game, nor actually play-tested a game, it wasn’t until Zzap 64! and The Dam Busters did U.S. Gold suddenly realise they made need play-testers, up until that point they had the goal of getting the game and getting them out. We also get to read some interesting comments and it’s quite clear that Elite wasn’t a favourite software house of theirs. The Christmas success of Commando – from Elite – clearly stung them badly in the ego department, as often sly digs are made towards the software house being just a father and son business above a chip shop.
After we pass the history of U.S. Gold we’re treated to the conversations with certain people involved in creating some of the more famous games for the publishing house including Leigh Christian, David Semmens, Tony Porter, Chris Pink. However, for me the one that stood out the most was the initial interview with F.D. Thorpe, the name may mean nothing to a lot of you but if you have spent most of your childhood sat waiting for five to nine minutes for a game to load up, you’ve possibly been admiring this chaps artwork. Mr. Thorpe created some of the finest loading screens you will have possibly ever see and they are captured here in this book.
Head of Heels from Ocean Software (Loading Screen by F.D. Thorpe)The Story of U.S. Gold, is an excellent book for anyone, who as a child, remembers seeing the golden medal and thought, ‘I NEED that game!’, also anyone who now who loves the “Retro-Scene” and would like to see what us greying, forgetful ones lived through. Wrapped up in an embossed cover, this book is well detailed, open and extremely fascinating. You’re amazed to see how one man – with a game – can walk into Currys one day and be a millionaire the next.
You can buy The Story of U.S. Gold from Fusion Retro Books here.
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=C_zu6XuI_g4
Originally published October 7, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
