Alternative Software released games across all the 8-bit and 16-bit computers in the late eighties and early nineties. (They are still going strong today, but seem to have an unhealthy obsession with rugby league games!) They released games for a budget price, usually new releases covering popular kids tv characters of the time, SuperTed, Fireman Sam, etc. Or re-released older games by other companies for the not unreasonable price of £2.99 or some for the shockingly higher price of £3.99.
Here is a look at a selection of games they had for sale in their catalogue all those years ago. I think I remember finding this in a copy of Popeye 3: WrestleCrazy. Popeye+Aliens+Wrestling=What could go wrong? Zzapp didn't think this game was up to much. It was a colourful if a little basic one-on-one fighter, one that I never loaded up more than a handful of times.
It invited you to join the Alternative Software Club for free, so you could get all the information on new releases. Plus if there was a game you wanted and couldn't find it in the shop, just send a cheque or postal order off for £2.99 and it would be sent straight out to you. Don't get too excited C16 owners, as there are only two games in this catalogue for you, Pheenix and Real Stunt Expert, oh well!
Strangely, with this being bundled late in the day of the C64s life with Popeye 3 and after they had carefully labelled the price for you to be able to order games off them. They seem to have made a mistake with the Swords and Sorcery game. Or did they? It shows itself here as being available for the Speccy, Amstrad CPC and the C64. (middle row, fourth from right) Now this game was released originally by P.S.S. in 84/85 for both the Spectrum and CPC. Games That Werent 64 list it as never having been released for the good old 64. See here - http://www.gtw64.co.uk/Pages/s/Review_Swords.php So is this just a mistake or did Alternative port a version over to sell for the commodore when they picked up the rights to the game? Unlikely, but I guess we can live in hope until the truth is revealed.
At the budget price and the quality of some of the re-issues, there was barely a C64 owner who didn't have at least one Alternative game in their collection. As for Popeye 3, maybe I should give it another whirl. In my youth I was blinded by the need to play WWF European Rampage Tour which was awful, and so easy to complete too. I mean Popeye 3 is at least better than the Amiga version isn't it? Score One for the 64!
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