Microsphere

 72 Rosebery Road, London, N10

"Little, and round, with no sharp edges." The explanation for Microsphere's name stuck with me ever since I read it in CRASH (February 1986 page 73). It's a very pleasing and charming explanation, and something about it strikes a chord. I like the way it takes two mundane words. Micro, as the interview notes, "from the days when any respectable software house had Micro in it's name" and sphere, and combines them to produce something new. It feels like that's what Microsphere did. It took mundane objects, trains, motorbikes, and of course schools, and made them into something unusual. And they did this from an ordinary London street where quietly and without any fuss they created some remarkable games.

Micro Power / Program Power

Northwood House, North Street, Leeds, LS7

"Are you ready for brain to brain combat? Ultimate risk scenario. Your intervention urgently requested. The Master planning to use the Doctor's brain in a modified TIRU (Time Instant Replay Unit) to produce chaos weapon. Time-warping mineral Heatonite a critical component. Mine/Factory 2nd moon Rijar. Ky-Al-Nargath construction. Mega secure!!!!Madrag (genetically boosted saurian) + psycho-robotics + techno trickery. Force futile. Weapon skills NA. Machine skill vital. Full cerebral combat status needed at all times. Halt Heatonite production. Disable TIRU. Locate and regain plans. Impossible to stress to fully the importance of the Rijan mission. Invisible cat could prove useful."