Synapse Software Corporation

COMPANY» Founded 1980-01-01

Berkeley,California,United States

Founded by Ken Grant and Ihor Wolosenko in Berkley, California, Synapse Software produced numerous games for the Atari 8-bit and Commodore 64.

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EditHistoryPage info

Co-founded in 1980 by Ken Grant (Person) and Ihor Wolosenko in California, the company got its start as the software developer of FileManager 800 and FileManager+. They had a mutual interest in the Atari 800 and, wanting to get into games, brought on Rob Re to help develop Dodge Racer. The company later brought on talent who were working on games elsewhere including Mike Potter, Steve Hales (Person), William Mataga, and Russ Segal. In 1982, the company moved into a larger office where they employed 35 people while working on Atari 8-bit and Commodore 64 games. In 1984 the company was bought by Brøderbund, who shifted its focus to text adventures. With little success in this part of the market, Brøderbund closed Synapse in 1986.

Developed Games

View all developed games

Lode Runner's Rescue (Game)

31 December 1985

Synapse produced this isometric, 3D take on the Lode Runner formula.

A800​ C64​

Survivor (Game)

1 June 1982

Survivor is an action game created by Synapse Software Corporation.

A800​ C64​ SPEC​

Blue Max 2001 (Game)

1 May 1984

A800​ C64​

Protector II (Game)

31 December 1983

A800​ C64​ TI99​ +1

Shamus (Game)

31 December 1982

Shamus was an action/adventure game similar to Berzerk, coded by William Mataga and published by Synapse Software in 1982.

PC​ A800​ C64​ +3

Shamus: Case II (Game)

31 December 1984

A800​ C64​

New York City (Game)

1 August 1984

Traverse the Big Apple and see the sights while avoiding muggers and oncoming traffic in New York City.

A800​ C64​

Drelbs (Game)

31 December 1984

Arrange revolving doors to open portals to the next level in this unique game by Kelly Jones!

APL2​ A800​ C64​

Mindwheel (Game)

28 February 1985

An electronic novel where the protagonist must dive into the minds of the deceased to save the world from destruction.

PC​ APL2​ AST​ +1

Pharaoh's Curse (Game)

Unknown Release

A800​ C64​

Alley Cat (Game)

31 December 1983

Alley cat is a computer game released in 1983. The player controls a street cat whose objective is to get to the neighborhood's female cat.

PC​ A800​

Necromancer (Game)

31 December 1982

A800​ C64​

Published Games

View all published games

Lode Runner's Rescue (Game)

31 December 1985

Synapse produced this isometric, 3D take on the Lode Runner formula.

A800​ C64​

Survivor (Game)

1 June 1982

Survivor is an action game created by Synapse Software Corporation.

A800​ C64​ SPEC​

Shamus: Case II (Game)

31 December 1984

A800​ C64​

Quasimodo (Game)

31 December 1983

Stop enemies from scaling the castle walls and ring lots of bells in this platformer from Synapse.

A800​ C64​

Pharaoh's Curse (Game)

Unknown Release

A800​ C64​

Claim Jumper (Game)

31 December 1982

A800​ 5200​

Chicken (Game)

31 December 1982

An action game from 1982 by Synapse Software.

A800​ 5200​

Nautilus (Game)

1 July 1982

A 1982 game by Synapse Software, the player controlled a submarine to destroy or rebuild an underwater city.

A800​

Wizard of Wall Street (Game)

3 December 1985

Real-time stock market trading game published by Synapse software and developed by Multisoft. Stock prices change in real time as players place sell and buy orders and monitor their stocks to try to earn a fortune.

PC​

Zeppelin (Game)

31 December 1984

William Mataga programmed this exploration-based shooter.

A800​ C64​

Dimension X (Game)

31 December 1984

Sci-Fi shooter.

A800​

Vyper (Game)

1 June 1984

The only game ever created for the Mindset computer.

Company details

Name

Synapse Software Corporation

Abbreviation

Founded

1 January 1980

Location

Berkeley,California,United States

Website

Aliases

Developed Games

• Lode Runner's Rescue (Game)
• Survivor (Game)
• Blue Max 2001 (Game)
• Protector II (Game)
• Shamus (Game)
• Shamus: Case II (Game)
• New York City (Game)
• Drelbs (Game)
• Mindwheel (Game)
• Pharaoh's Curse (Game)
• Alley Cat (Game)
• Necromancer (Game)
• Fort Apocalypse (Game)
• Brimstone (Game)
• Claim Jumper (Game)
• Chicken (Game)
• Breakers (Game)
• Zeppelin (Game)
• Dimension X (Game)
• Electrician (Game)
• view all →

Published Games

• Lode Runner's Rescue (Game)
• Survivor (Game)
• Shamus: Case II (Game)
• Quasimodo (Game)
• Pharaoh's Curse (Game)
• Claim Jumper (Game)
• Chicken (Game)
• Nautilus (Game)
• Wizard of Wall Street (Game)
• Zeppelin (Game)
• Dimension X (Game)
• Vyper (Game)
• Rainbow Walker (Game)
• Slamball (Game)
• Picnic Paranoia (Game)
• view all →

Franchises

• Blue Max (Franchise)
• Protector (Franchise)
• Shamus (Franchise)
• Berzerk (Franchise)
• Lode Runner (Franchise)

People

• Jon Atack (Person)
• Mark Bigelow (Person)

Characters

• Quasimodo (Character)

Concepts

• Single Word Titles (Concept)
• 2D (Concept)
• Economy (Concept)
• First-Person Perspective (Concept)
• Same Name, Different Game (Concept)
• Text Based (Concept)
• Time Limit (Concept)
• Alien (Concept)
• Alien Invasion (Concept)
• Animal Protagonists (Concept)
• BPjM Indexed (Concept)
• CGA Graphics (Concept)
• Capitalism (Concept)
• Car Accident (Concept)
• Cats (Concept)
• Chicken (Concept)
• Climbing (Concept)
• Cursor on a Console (Concept)
• Dancing (Concept)
• Developed by One Person (Concept)

Locations

• Alley (Location)
• Cave (Location)
• Central Park (Location)
• City (Location)
• Hospital (Location)
• Mountain Pass (Location)
• New York City (Location)
• Subway (Location)
• Underground (Location)

Objects

• Anti-Personnel Mine (Object)
• Aquarium (Object)
• Barb Wire Fence (Object)
• Blimp (Object)
• Bone (Object)
• Broom (Object)
• Car (Object)
• Cheese (Object)
• Clothesline (Object)
• Fence (Object)
• Heart (Object)
• Helicopter (Object)
• Knife (Object)
• Laser (Object)
• Machine Gun (Object)
• Power Line (Object)
• Spaceship (Object)
• Tank (Object)
• Trash Can (Object)