Golden age of Spanish software facts for kids

The golden age of Spanish software (Spanish: edad de oro del software español) was an exciting time from 1983 to 1992. During these years, Spain became the second-biggest maker of video games for 8-bit computers in Europe. The only country that made more was the United Kingdom.

This special period saw the creation of famous Spanish game companies like Dinamic Software, Topo Soft, Opera Soft, Made in Spain, and Zigurat. The name for this era, which means "Golden Age of Spanish Software" in Spanish, was first used by video game magazines back then. It ended around 1992 when newer 16-bit computers became popular and illegal game copying became a major problem.

The Golden Age Begins (1983–1985)

In 1983, the first computers for home use started to appear in Spain. These were 8-bit machines, which were simple and easy for young programmers to experiment with. The most popular models were the ZX Spectrum and the Amstrad CPC.

The era officially kicked off with the game Bugaboo. It was the first Spanish video game to be sold in many countries around the world. Soon after, another hit game called Fred was released by a company named Made in Spain.

Because of this success, the owners of Made in Spain created another company called Zigurat. At first, Zigurat helped sell games from other small companies. Later, Made in Spain and Zigurat joined together to become one company that both made and sold games.

Around the same time, Dinamic Software started by releasing a text adventure game called Yenght. Also, a company named Erbe Software began its business. Erbe would become the biggest seller of games in Spain for over ten years.

Reaching the Top (1985–1989)

Video games became extremely popular in 1985, thanks to new magazines like Micromanía and Microhobby. This helped new companies get started. Opera Soft was founded in 1986 and Topo Soft began in 1987.

Famous Games and Companies

• Zigurat had big successes with games like Sir Fred and El misterio del Nilo. The second game was based on the movie The Jewel of the Nile. The creators had to change one of the characters in the game because it looked too much like the actor Michael Douglas.

• Dinamic Software became famous for a series of games about a character named Johny Jones, especially Abu Simbel Profanation. They also created the popular Moves trilogy, which included Army Moves and Navy Moves. Dinamic was the first to make games starring real-life sports heroes, like the basketball player Fernando Martín.

• Opera Soft released many popular games, including Goody and Sol Negro. Their most famous game was La Abadía del Crimen, which was based on the well-known book The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.

• Topo Soft quickly became a top company with hits like Mad Mix Game and Survivor.

During this time, Dinamic also created a special department just for text adventures, which became its own company called Aventuras AD. They released games based on famous characters like Don Quijote and El Jabato.

The End of an Era (1989–1992)

Starting in 1985, new and more powerful 16-bit computers like the Amiga and Atari ST arrived, along with consoles like the SNES and Mega Drive. Spanish companies tried to make games for these new systems, but most of them kept focusing on the older 8-bit computers.

The 8-bit market was shrinking across Europe, but it was still popular in Spain. This was partly because Erbe Software, the main game seller, lowered the price of games to just 875 pesetas (about €5.26). They hoped this would stop people from illegally copying games.

Why Did the Golden Age End?

Even with lower prices, Spanish companies started to have serious money problems. One by one, they began to close down.

• Topo Soft closed in 1992. Before shutting down, they had a huge success with Gremlins 2. It was the first time a Spanish company got the rights to make a game for all of Europe based on a big Hollywood movie.

• Opera Soft also closed after releasing its final games. Some of its talented team members, like Gonzalo Suárez Girard, later joined Pyro Studios and helped create famous games like Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines.

• Aventuras AD had its best years during this decline. They were pioneers in creating text adventures that could be controlled with menus instead of just typing. But eventually, sales dropped, and the company disappeared in 1992.

Only Zigurat and Dinamic survived, but they had to change. Zigurat started making arcade games for many years. Dinamic Software closed but was reborn as Dinamic Multimedia in 1993. Their biggest hit in the 1990s was the PC Fútbol series. The original founders later started a new company, FX Interactive, which is still known today.

A New Chapter for Spanish Games

The 1990s and 2000s were considered "lost decades" for the Spanish video game industry. However, things started to look up in the 2010s. Companies like Akaoni Studio and MercurySteam released successful games. Some experts even called 2015 the possible start of a "second golden age" for Spanish video games.

See also

In Spanish: Edad de oro del software español para niños