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SOFTWARE TOP 30 by Richard Karsmakers

  Yeah,  I  know I was talkin' of a software top 100 back  in  ST 
NEWS
 Volume 3 Issue 5,  but I didn't quite realise that not  that 
much  games had ever been in our software pop polls.  So  I  have 
made  two  charts:  First (and most important,  of course)  is  a 
software top 30, comprising most games that have ever been in our 
polls (from July 25th 1987 upto the previous ST NEWS issue).  The 
second one comprises a company top 10.

 The first chart is compiled using all the charts ever  published 
in the ST NEWS pop poll,  and honouring each title with 21 points 
minus  the  actual rating when they appeared.  A  minimum  of  10 
points  had to be gained in order to be submitted to this  chart. 
Big winner,  somewhat unexpected,  was "Flighsimulator  II",  and 
some of the older evergreens follow: "Arkanoid" and "Goldrunner". 
"Bubble  Bobble" has done well with a fourth place  -  especially 
considering that it hasn't been as long in the charts as the ones 
ranked above it.

          ***** ST NEWS 1987-1988 SOFTWARE TOP 30 *****

Ranking:  Title:                          Points: Company:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
   1      Flightsimulator II               153    SubLOGIC
   2      Arkanoid                         106    Imagine
   3      Goldrunner                       100    Microdeal
   4      Bubble Bobble                     98    Firebird
          Impact                            98    Audiogenic
   5      Super Sprint                      89    Electric Dreams
   6      Airball                           70    Microdeal
   7      Backlash                          68    Novagen
   8      Time Bandit                       61    Microdeal
   9      Plutos                            60    Micro Value
  10      Barbarian                         59    Psygnosis
  11      Return to Genesis                 51    Firebird
  12      Leatherneck                       47    Microdeal
  13      International Karate              44    System 3
  14      Wizball                           43    Ocean
  15      The Great Giana Sisters           38    Micro Partner
  16      Warhawk                           35    Silverbird
  17      The Pawn                          33    Rainbird
  18      Starglider                        30    Rainbird
  19      Goldrunner II                     27    Microdeal
  20      Mission Genocide                  26    Silverbird
  21      Out Run                           24    U.S. Gold
          Rampage                           24    Activision
  22      Sidewinder                        23    Mastertronic
  23      Terrorpods                        21    Psygnosis
  24      Arkanoid II                       20    Imagine
  25      Dungeon Master                    17    FTL
  26      Typhoon Thompson                  16    Brøderbund
  27      Virus                             14    Firebird
          Sentinel                          14    Firebird
          Space Racer                       14    Loriciels
          Buggy Boy                         14    Elite
  28      Sundog                            12    FTL
  29      Gauntlet                          11    U.S. Gold
          Winter Games                      11    Epyx
  30      Space Harrier                     10    Elite
          Carrier Command                   10    Rainbird
          Star Wars                         10    Domark
          Warlock's Quest                   10    Ere Informat.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

In the software company top 10, I have added all values of labels 
that  are  derived  from  one  software  company  (e.g.   Telecom 
Software,  which is Firebird + Rainbird + Silverbird).  Winner is 
Telecom (quite predictable, although Microdeal was a threat right 
until the end!), but SubLOGIC deserves to be mentioned honourably 
since they have succeeded in getting a fifth place with ONLY  ONE 
GAME!
  A minimum score of fifty points was needed to earn a  place  in 
this chart.

      ***** ST NEWS 1987-1988 SOFTWARE COMPANY TOP 10 *****

Ranking:  Company:                                Points:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
   1      Firebird + Rainbird + Silverbird        311
   2      Microdeal                               305
   3      Imagine + Ocean                         169
   4      Activision + Electric Dreams + System 3 157
   5      SubLOGIC                                153
   6      Audiogenic                               98
   7      Psygnosis                                80
   8      Rainbird                                 73
   9      Novagen                                  68
  10      Micro Value                              60

  See you all next time,  when the regular software top  20  will 
return...

Disclaimer
The text of the articles is identical to the originals like they appeared in old ST NEWS issues. Please take into consideration that the author(s) was (were) a lot younger and less responsible back then. So bad jokes, bad English, youthful arrogance, insults, bravura, over-crediting and tastelessness should be taken with at least a grain of salt. Any contact and/or payment information, as well as deadlines/release dates of any kind should be regarded as outdated. Due to the fact that these pages are not actually contained in an Atari executable here, references to scroll texts, featured demo screens and hidden articles may also be irrelevant.