# Sensible Software

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Software company

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Sensible Software Type Private (defunct) Industry Video games Genre Software Founder Jon Hare Chris Yates Defunct 1999 Fate Acquired by Codemasters Products Wizball Mega-Lo-Mania Sensible Soccer Cannon Fodder Number of employees 6 (1993)

**Sensible Software** was a British software company founded by [Jon Hare](/source/Jon_Hare) and Chris Yates which was active from March 1986 to June 1999. It released seven number-one hit games[1] and won numerous industry awards.

The company used exaggeratedly small [sprites](/source/Sprite_(computer_science)) as the [player characters](/source/Player_character) in many of its games, including *[Mega Lo Mania](/source/Mega_Lo_Mania)*, *[Sensible Soccer](/source/Sensible_Soccer)*, *[Cannon Fodder](/source/Cannon_Fodder_(video_game))* and *[Sensible Golf](/source/Sensible_Golf)*.

## History

### 8-bit era

Sensible Software was formed in [Chelmsford](/source/Chelmsford), Essex in 1986 by two former school friends, [Jon Hare](/source/Jon_Hare) and Chris Yates. They worked for nine months at LT Software in [Basildon](/source/Basildon), and started Sensible Software in March 1986.

Sensible initially released games for the [ZX Spectrum](/source/ZX_Spectrum) and later the [Commodore 64](/source/Commodore_64), clinching market praise with *[Parallax](/source/Parallax_(video_game))*, *[Shoot'Em-Up Construction Kit](/source/Shoot'Em-Up_Construction_Kit)* and *[Wizball](/source/Wizball)* (later voted Game of the Decade by *[Zzap!64](/source/Zzap!64)* magazine). At the time, the pair's output was well known among gamers for its high-quality and offbeat sense of humour.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In 1988 [Martin Galway](/source/Martin_Galway) joined the team, making it a three-way partnership.[2] In mid-1988, it released *[Microprose Soccer](/source/Microprose_Soccer)*, its first venture into [association football](/source/Association_football) games.

By 1993 there were 6 staff members.[3]

### 16-bit era

Galway left in 1990 to join [Origin Systems](/source/Origin_Systems) in the US, and over the next few years the company swapped the 8-bit machines for the more powerful 16-bit [Amiga](/source/Amiga) and [Atari ST](/source/Atari_ST) systems, where games such as *[Wizkid: The Story of Wizball II](/source/Wizkid%3A_The_Story_of_Wizball_II)*, *[Mega-Lo-Mania](/source/Mega-Lo-Mania)*, the *[Sensible Soccer](/source/Sensible_Soccer)* series and the *[Cannon Fodder](/source/Cannon_Fodder_(video_game))* series became classics all over Europe, especially in the UK where various Sensible games were number one for 52 weeks of the three-year period between June 1992 – 1995.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] With the rise of the 16-bit home console market, Sensible's games were ported to a wide range of [computing platforms](/source/Computing_platform), including [MS-DOS](/source/MS-DOS), the [Mega Drive](/source/Sega_Genesis) and [Super NES](/source/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System).

### 32-bit era

Though Sensible had a strong presence on the 8-bit and 16-bit machines that dominated the late 1980s and early 1990s, this success was not repeated on the 32-bit machines such as the [PlayStation](/source/PlayStation_(console)) prominent in the mid 1990s. The trademark look of cute 2D characters had slipped out of vogue with the advent of cheap 3D rendering abilities and games such as *[Actua Soccer](/source/Actua_Soccer)* and *[FIFA](/source/FIFA_(video_game_series))* turned to 2.5D and 3D gradually shoving the *[Sensible Soccer](/source/Sensible_Soccer)* series aside though belatedly converting the game to 3D in 1998.

*Sensible Golf*, a simple [golf](/source/Golf) video game (not a simulation), did not perform well in the market and with most of Sensible's staffing resources having been thrown into *Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll*, a game that had initially been signed by [Renegade Software](/source/Renegade_Software) (a [Time Warner Interactive](/source/Time_Warner_Interactive) subsidiary) was dropped by its purchasers, [GT Interactive](/source/GT_Interactive) (best known for [Doom II](/source/Doom_II), [Duke Nukem 3D](/source/Duke_Nukem_3D), [Quake](/source/Quake_(video_game)) and [Unreal Tournament](/source/Unreal_Tournament)), the owners were looking for a smooth exit.

Though never finished, this final project was discussed in certain sections of the media outside of the game press. It was featured in an *[Independent on Sunday](/source/Independent_on_Sunday)* article in mid-1997.[4] Two years later in 1999, the pre-rendered [music videos](/source/Music_videos) – created for the game with animation by Khalifa Saber – were showcased within a feature piece on *Ex Machina*, a TV show covering the [CG animation](/source/Computer-generated_imagery) scene on [.tv](/source/.tv_(TV_channel)).

Another cancelled game that was being developed during this final development period was a PlayStation action game titled *Have a Nice Day*, also known as *Office Chair Massacre*.[5] Though screenshots have never been released, it was a [first-person shooter](/source/First-person_shooter), inspired somewhat by the simplicity of *[Re-Loaded](/source/Re-Loaded)*, a first generation PlayStation game by [Gremlin Interactive](/source/Gremlin_Interactive). [Jon Hare](/source/Jon_Hare) has spoken about the project in various interviews, but has never discussed the game's content and gameplay features in depth.[6][7][8] Aside from the likelihood that it contained themes as controversial as *Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll*, in an interview with *Total Video Game*'s Derek dela Fuente, Hare mentioned that the game had "hit some technical barriers" during its development.

Sensible Software was sold in 1999 to veteran UK games publishers [Codemasters](/source/Codemasters)[9] and since this date Hare has maintained a close working relationship with Codemasters, designing many of its games, including a variety of updates of both *Sensible Soccer* and *Cannon Fodder*.

## Legacy

In 2006, the Sensible Software game *[Sensible World of Soccer](/source/Sensible_World_of_Soccer)* was entered into a Games Canon of the ten most important video games of all time by [Stanford University](/source/Stanford_University).[10] It was the only game developed in Europe to make the list, which also included *[Spacewar!](/source/Spacewar!)*, *[Star Raiders](/source/Star_Raiders)*, *[Zork](/source/Zork)*, *[Tetris](/source/Tetris)*, *[SimCity](/source/SimCity)*, *[Super Mario Bros. 3](/source/Super_Mario_Bros._3)*, *[Civilization](/source/Civilization_(series))*, *[Doom](/source/Doom_(franchise))* and the *[Warcraft](/source/Warcraft)* series.

In 2013, the book *[Sensible Software 1986–1999](/source/Sensible_Software_1986%E2%80%931999)* was released.[11] This comprehensive retrospective on the history of the company was written by *[Zzap!64](/source/Zzap!64)* games journalist Gary Penn in conversational style. It features 19 different contributors including extensive interviews with Jon Hare, plus luminaries of the era including [David Darling](/source/David_Darling_(entrepreneur)), [Dominik Diamond](/source/Dominik_Diamond) and [Peter Molyneux](/source/Peter_Molyneux). Chris Yates declined to be interviewed for the book.[5] Half art book and half retrospective analysis,[12] the book is the first of its kind to cover the creative, business and technical issues that shaped the whole era of early games development in the UK and Sensible Software in particular.

In 2020, the [Royal Mail](/source/Royal_Mail) issued a series of postage stamps celebrating great British computer games with *[Sensible Soccer](/source/Sensible_Soccer)* commemorated as a first-class stamp.[13]

## Games

Year Title Platform(s) 1985 Twister, Mother of Charlotte ZX Spectrum 1986 Parallax C64 Galaxibirds 1987 Wizball C64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC Shoot-'Em-Up Construction Kit C64, Amiga 1988 Oh No C64 MicroProse Soccer C64, ZX Spectrum 1990 International 3D Tennis C64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Amiga, ST 1991 Insects in Space C64, Amiga Mega Lo Mania Amiga, ST, Mega Drive, SNES, MS-DOS 1992 Wizkid Amiga, ST, MS-DOS Sensible Soccer Amiga, ST, Mega Drive, SNES, Archimedes Sensible Soccer International Edition Amiga, ST, Jaguar, SNES, Mega Drive Sim Brick Amiga 1993 Sensible Soccer 92/93 Amiga, ST Cannon Fodder Amiga, ST, MS-DOS, Archimedes, Mega Drive, Jaguar, 3DO, SNES 1994 Cannon Fodder 2 Amiga, MS-DOS Sensible World of Soccer World Championship Soccer 2 Mega Drive 1995 Sensible Golf Amiga, MS-DOS Sensible World of Soccer 95/96 Sensible Train Spotting Amiga 1996 Sensible World of Soccer European Championship Edition Amiga, MS-DOS Sensible World of Soccer 96/97 1998 Sensible Soccer '98 MS-DOS, Windows 9x 1998 Sensible Soccer European Club Edition PlayStation, Windows 9x 2000 Cannon Fodder Game Boy Color

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Sensible Software"](https://www.mobygames.com/company/sensible-software).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Touchstone (C64) - 1989 Origin Systems - GTW64"](https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/touchstone/). 2 October 1989.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Jon Hare Sensible Software interview – 'There's only one person that's better than me'"](https://metro.co.uk/2012/10/23/jon-hare-sensible-software-interview-theres-only-one-person-thats-better-than-me-606298/). *Metro.co.uk*. 23 October 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Walker, Sophie (6 July 1997). ["Computer nerds discover sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/computer-nerds-discover-sex-drugs-and-rock-n-roll-1249248.html). *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*. Retrieved 6 May 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_5-1) ["Sensible Software 1986-1999 book review – the rise and fall of a British giant"](https://metro.co.uk/2013/10/09/sensible-software-1986-1999-book-review-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-british-giant-4140211/). *Metro.co.uk*. 9 October 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["CTW – Jon Hare interview"](https://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com/world/ctw/jops.htm). Worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com. Retrieved 28 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Playing Catch-Up: Sensible Software's Jon Hare"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090508234058/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/column_index.php?story=6937). Gamasutra. 24 October 2005. Archived from [the original](http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/column_index.php?story=6937) on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["For the best in C64 nostalgia"](https://www.c64.com/interviews/hare.html). C64.COM. 20 January 1966. Retrieved 28 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Sensible Software 1986-1999 book review"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210723232012/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/sensible-software-1986-1999-book-review/). 15 October 2013. Archived from [the original](https://www.denofgeek.com/games/sensible-software-1986-1999-book-review/) on 23 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Chaplin, Heather (12 March 2007). ["Is That Just Some Game? No, It's a Cultural Artifact"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/design/12vide.html). *The New York Times*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SS_book_11-0)** Penn, Gary (7 October 2013). *[Sensible Software 1986–1999](/source/Sensible_Software_1986%E2%80%931999)*. [Read-Only Memory](/source/Read-Only_Memory_(publisher)). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0957576803](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0957576803).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Sensible Software 1986-1999 book review"](https://www.denofgeek.com/games/sensible-software-1986-1999-book-review/). *Den of Geek*. 15 October 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Royal Mail celebrates UK retro games"](https://www.stanleygibbons.com/collecting-stamps/dispatches/uk-retro-game-stamps). *Stanleygibbons.com*. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2021.

## External links

- [Official website](https://web.archive.org/web/19990209034801/http://www.sensiblesoftware.com/The_Legend/the_legend.html) (archived)

- [Sensible Software](https://www.mobygames.com/company/sensible-software) at [MobyGames](/source/MobyGames)

- [Sensible Software interview with Jon Hare](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJxnXyBwXYw)

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [1980s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:1980s)
- [1990s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:1990s)

v t e Sensible Software Shoot 'em ups Twister Parallax Wizball Shoot-'Em-Up Construction Kit Cannon Fodder Cannon Fodder 2 Sports MicroProse Soccer International 3D Tennis World Championship Soccer 2 Sensible Golf Sensible Soccer Sensible World of Soccer Sensible Soccer '98 Other games Mega-Lo-Mania Wizkid: The Story of Wizball II Sensible Train Spotting

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sensible Software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensible_Software) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensible_Software?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.