Zeppelin Games | Retromuseums

Brief Glimpse on Zeppelin Games

We all remember the Zeppelin that came in to us in late the late 80’s. A budget label but in no way delivering budget games. My favourite title is Draconus, I played it on the C64. I still remember that fantastic soundtrack made by Johannes Bjerregard.

Here is a story about the company and their plans, it is approximately one year after they started their business.

The full insight for us by Neil Fawcett in Atari User.

Brian Jobling, one of the founders and author of the game Speed Ace.

Visions of Success……..

Neil Fawcett takes a look at a new software company, a new game and its seasoned author

IN an ever-expanding software market it is always pleasing to see a new product arrive in the office — and Speed Ace certainly had us all buzzing.
It is the first release for the Atari by a newly formed company, Zeppelin Games, which decided to enter the world of budget price software. If all its products are as good as this one it can look to a prosperous future. The game is a one or two player motorcycle simulation which uses a split screen display similar to the old Pitstop II game. After playing it for a while I was intrigued to find out why a full price product of this calibre is priced at only £2.99. So I packed my bag and headed for Newcastle-on-Tyne to talk to the author Brian Jobling, who is also one of the founders of the company.
When you meet Brian the first thing that strikes you is his age. At 19 he has already chalked up an impressive list games on various computer formats. His successes on the Atari came about while he was working for Tynesoft —Winter Olympics, Phantom, Who Dares Wins II and Mousetrap. I summise that it was the success of these — especially Winter Olympics which sold over 4,000 copies in its first month — that, allowed him to buy his Porsche at the tender age of 18.
When I asked Brian why the game was so cheap his answer was very simple: Zeppelin want to show that high quality software can be produced and sold at a budget price. It has certainly done that with Speed Ace. Unlike most budget companies who bring out up to 10 titles a month of an average quality, Zeppelin will only produce around two or three games a month. But because more time is spent on each, the quality will be very high. Zeppelin was formed on 30 September last year by Derek Brewster, Martin O’Donnell and Brian Jobling.
They have their own in-house programmers and various free-lance writers and, as well as supporting the Atari they produce budget games for other micros.
Derek is the man who got Brian interested in the world of programming. He was converting games for the Amstrad CPC, but since then Brian has moved on to better things. Derek used to be an editor on a computer magazine. With all this experience the company has the potential to succeed, but what really sells the products is their quality. The packaging has been produced in a very professional way. Original artwork and eyecatching style makes the product jump of the shelf at you.
So, best of luck Zeppelin and keep those quality products coming in.
Written by Neil Fawcett in Atari User March Issue 1988