Synapse Software
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software development and publishing |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Ihor Wolosenko, Ken Grant |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Fate | Acquired by Broderbund Software |
| Headquarters | (not specified) , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom |
Key people | Ihor Wolosenko, Ken Grant |
| Products | Video games, application software, developer tools, biofeedback hardware and software |
Number of employees | (not specified) |
| Parent | Broderbund Software (from late 1984) |
Synapse Software Corporation—known as SynSoft in the United Kingdom—was an American company specializing in software development and publishing, established in 1981 by Ihor Wolosenko and Ken Grant. While the firm produced application software and tools for developers, it gained its primary recognition through video game titles. Initially concentrating on the Atari 8-bit computer line, Synapse later expanded its development efforts to include the Commodore 64 and additional platforms. The company was acquired by Broderbund toward the end of 1984, with the Synapse brand being discontinued by 1985.
The inaugural product from Synapse was the database program File Manager 800, created by Grant and Wolosenko. This was soon followed by Dodge Racer, a game developed by Rob Re that served as a clone of Sega’s Head On. Titles such as Protector (1981) and Shamus (1982) cemented Synapse’s reputation for producing quality action games. Other successful releases included Rainbow Walker, Blue Max, and The Pharaoh's Curse, alongside inventive concepts like Necromancer and Alley Cat. The first-person shooter Dimension X incorporated a technology termed "altered perspective scrolling," though it was issued in a reduced form months later and met with lukewarm reviews. Beyond gaming, Synapse marketed database programs, a 6502 assembler, and biofeedback hardware paired with software. However, a suite of productivity applications launched in 1983—including a spreadsheet—contributed to financial strains that ultimately led to the company's collapse.
Most of Synapse’s game packaging featured artwork by Tim Boxell, who was a personal acquaintance of Ihor Wolosenko.
Action games
Synapse’s initial offerings were aimed at Atari 8-bit systems beginning in 1981. Many drew inspiration from arcade classics: for instance, Dodge Racer (1981) was modeled after Sega’s Head On, while Protector (1981) took cues from Defender. The 1982 title Chicken shared gameplay elements with Atari 2600’s Kaboom!.
The 1982 game Nautilus introduced split-screen multiplayer gameplay where one participant controlled a submarine while another commanded a destroyer; this mechanic was later reused in games such as Shadow World. Another multiplayer effort, Survivor (1982), allowed up to four players to simultaneously operate different stations on a spaceship using Atari joystick ports.
In an interview with Antic magazine, Wolosenko highlighted Shamus (1982) as a key release that bolstered Synapse’s standing for quality titles. Between 1982 and 1983, well-promoted games including Necromancer, Rainbow Walker, Blue Max, Fort Apocalypse, Alley Cat, and Pharaoh's Curse were introduced. During this timeframe, Synapse broadened its platform support to include systems like the Commodore 64, which grew into an important market segment. Numerous titles were also brought to the UK market under U.S. Gold’s "Synsoft" label and adapted for popular British home computers such as the ZX Spectrum.
Synapse participated early on in developing software for the Mindset computer project—a graphics-accelerated system—by creating the first-person title Vyper (1984).
Ports and re-releases
Among its ports, Synapse produced an authorized Commodore 64 version of the arcade game Zaxxon, while the Atari 8-bit adaptation was handled by Datasoft. In 1983, Synapse published Encounter!, which had originally been released in the UK by Novagen Software. Additionally, they released a VIC-20 port of Salmon Run—the debut game from designer Bill Williams—under their "Showcase Software" imprint in 1983; the original version had been distributed by the Atari Program Exchange in 1982.
Utilities and Productivity Software
Although Synapse is primarily recognized for its arcade-style titles, the company originally focused on database programs for Atari 8-bit systems. In 1982, they launched SynAssembler, a 6502 development tool that outperformed Atari's own software. This product was adapted from the Apple II’s S-C Assembler II Version 4.0 and was created by Steve Hales, who also developed multiple games for Synapse.
Synapse offered a range of home productivity and financial software, including SynFile+—programmed in Forth by Steve Ahlstrom and Dan Moore of The 4th Works—as well as titles like SynCalc, Synfilet, SynChron, SynComm, SynStock, and SynTrend.
Interactive Fiction
Prior to ceasing operations, Synapse ventured into interactive fiction, referred to as "Electronic Novels," utilizing the "BTZ" parser ("Better Than Zork") developed by William Mataga and Steve Hales. This engine powered seven games in total, with four released to the public, among them the critically praised Mindwheel.
Downfall
By early 1984, Synapse had become the leading third-party software producer for Atari 8-bit computers, with 65% of its revenue generated from the Commodore market. However, financial strains emerged following investments in productivity tools and a partnership with Atari, Inc.. When Jack Tramiel took over Atari’s consumer division from Warner Communications, he declined to pay for 40,000 units of software that had been shipped.
This liquidity problem culminated in Synapse being acquired by Broderbund Software late in 1984. While Broderbund initially planned to maintain Synapse’s operations, shifting market dynamics and the underperformance of electronic novels forced them to close the division roughly a year afterward.
Software
Certain titles were marketed as "Double Plays," featuring an additional game on the disk's flip side. For instance, Rainbow Walker was originally released as a standalone product before a second game was included.
Showcase Software
At the 1983 Consumer Electronics Show, Synapse announced plans to publish software for the VIC-20 under the Showcase Software brand, which combined original works and ports. Only a portion of these announced titles reached release, including:
- Astro Patrol
- Salmon Run – initially published in 1982 for Atari 8-bit through the Atari Program Exchange
- Squeeze