# Software Star

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Software_Star
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Software_Star.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Star
> Source revision: 1299828990
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

1985 video game

1985 video game

Software Star Developer Addictive Games Publisher Addictive Games Designer Kevin Toms Platforms Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum Release EU: 1985 Genre Business simulation Mode Single-player

***Software Star*** is a 1985 [business simulation](/source/Business_simulation_game) [video game](/source/Video_game) designed by [Kevin Toms](/source/Kevin_Toms) and released by [Addictive Games](/source/Addictive_Games) for the [Amstrad CPC](/source/Amstrad_CPC), [Commodore 64](/source/Commodore_64) and [ZX Spectrum](/source/ZX_Spectrum).

## Gameplay

This is essentially a text-based management game. The player's task is to manage a software house, create new games, manage publicity and make a profit of £10000. Meanwhile, the player must achieve the status of "Software Star" for ten successive months.

Having a large portfolio of games has its advantages by increasing the player's monthly sales. However, money must be spent on promoting aging titles. Each game has its own quality rating, where the quality increases with the amount of time spent on development. Managing the productivity of the player's staff is also key to the game. The player can view a snapshot of productivity over the last six months and decide to discipline, offer incentives, or take no action. There are four sales regions where the player's products are sold. These regions are ordered from one to four, depending on how much importance they are given based on consulting the sales from the previous month. Public relations is adjusted by choosing Honesty or [Hype](/source/Media_circus). Each decision has an effect on the company's image. Finally, the player will have to evaluate the potential market depending on the time of year and decide how many advertising pages to buy. Markets are larger around [Christmas](/source/Christmas) and [New Year](/source/New_Year). It is then time to look at the sales figures as the player's game enters the Top 20. The player is then given a sales break-even figure and each game climbs the chart if it sells well to the Number One spot.

At the end of the month, the player views a monthly statement showing progress and Stardom rating ranging from Nobody to Software Star. At the end of the year, the directors will check the player's progress. They will fire the player, raise the bar, or give the player another chance.

## See also

- *[Millionaire](/source/Millionaire_(video_game))*

## Reception

*Zzap!64* thought the game was a disappointing follow-up to *Football Manager*, with too little to do for the player and less feeling of control. It received a rating of 43%.[1]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Impossible to Display Scan"](http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=001&page=043&thumbstart=0&magazine=zzap&check=1).

## External links

- [*Software Star*](https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/0004621) at SpectrumComputing.co.uk

- [*Software Star*](http://www.gamefaqs.com/c64/958708-software-star/data) at [GameFAQs](/source/GameFAQs)

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