The Dovetail Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video game development |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Halftime Battlin' Bands, Coco-Notes, Movie Musical Madness |
The Dovetail Group, Inc. was an early pioneer in the video game developer industry, focusing on music video games designed for systems such as the Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64. Notable releases include Halftime Battlin' Bands (1984), Coco-Notes (1984), and Movie Musical Madness (1984), which rank among the first entries in the music management category.
Halftime Battlin' Bands
Released in 1984 by CBS Software, Halftime Battlin' Bands is a multiplayer strategic title where participants create marching band compositions and guide their ensembles through intricate formations to outplay competitors. Players can deploy various disruptive tactics against opposing bands. The Jazz Scats, a beatnik jazz group, serve as enthusiastic supporters for the leading team. Scoring depends on both the quality of the routine and the speed of its execution.
The game was highlighted as recommended educational software for Atari 8-bit platforms in InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers.
Coco-Notes
In the CBS Software-published Coco-Notes, players find themselves marooned on Coco-Note Isle, where they catch musical notes symbolized by coconuts and melodies represented by fish. These components allow users to compose music in a freeform manner. Additionally, the game offers a quiz minigame featuring The Jazz Scats—castaway hipsters who perform half of a jazz tune—that players must complete before Mr. Cool Clam, a clam that consumes notes, intervenes.
Coco-Notes was also recommended as educational software for Atari 8-bit systems in InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers.
Movie Musical Madness
Movie Musical Madness is a single-player music management simulation where users oversee the production of a musical film by selecting soundtracks, storylines, and directing The Jazz Scats—a troupe of bearded performers. The Jazz Scats act in various settings ranging from urban streetscapes to outer space, providing diverse stage environments for the production.