During the 1980s and 1990s, the limited processing power of computers forced development companies to rack their brains to create experiences worth playing, offering in design what could not be offered technologically. Many were the companies that created complex worlds despite the limitations (Accolade, Trilobyte and New World Computing, among others), and Bullfrog did it in a very special way. If you're young, you might not remember this company or what it did, but if you need a good retro gaming session, then you shouldn't pass up this list.
I must have been about thirteen or fourteen when someone simply placed a couple of floppy disks in my hand and said: “Play this”. The company that developed it was called Bullfrog, and the title in question appears on this list, but the reason behind this anecdote is none other than addiction. I consumed several days of my life with that game, in an era when responsibilities (read “high school”) were pursuing me relentlessly, and in which “playing with that thing” was seen as something that could only lead me to rebellion and a melted brain, among other things. I figure that was the first time I was exposed to Bullfrog material, but it definitely wasn't the last.
A Brief History of Bullfrog
Bullfrog Productions began as a small company in 1987, founded by Peter Molyneux and Les Edgar, based in the United Kingdom. During the following eight years, all the games Bullfrog released were published under the sphere of Electronic Arts. Probably the most striking thing about Bullfrog was that they didn't seem afraid of any genre. They created simulators, strategy games, adventure, and action, drawing on fantasy, science fiction, modern themes, and especially, an excellent sense of humor.
In 1995, Electronic Arts decided to buy Bullfrog, but Molyneux stepped aside in 1997 to found Lionhead Studios, a company known for titles like Black and White. Under EA's influence, Bullfrog released mainly sequels to its most famous games, but there were also some examples of excellent original material. The last game Bullfrog developed, Theme Park Inc., was released in 2001, and three years later it disappeared after the creation of EA's “United Kingdom division”, of which it became a part.
In this occasion, we'll take a tour of some of Bullfrog's most important creations. The younger ones will find a great opportunity to explore old challenges, while the more seasoned will remember how we sweated blood with these games.
Populous (1989)
Although it wasn't the first official Bullfrog game, Populous proved to be much more than the company's first recognized success. The industry in general considered Populous to be the first “god simulator”, in which a player assumed the role of a deity and had to lead their followers to good ends, with the goal of conquering another people controlled by a rival god. Its multiple versions for different platforms allowed the game to reach a larger number of people, and of course, its reception was impressive, despite the certain difficulty it imposed from the beginning. Populous was the starting point of a saga of three.
Syndicate (1993)
Ah yes, I remember this one very well... After a couple more games and the Populous sequel, Bullfrog released Syndicate. Gone were the gods guiding people; instead, you took on the role of a ruthless corporation (Eurocorp) seeking world domination using highly modified cyborgs (including drug use, which was very controversial for a game at that time) in missions of assassination, espionage, and kidnapping, with a high degree of violence and in a dystopian future.
Needless to say, the game was welcomed with open arms, and gave way to an expansion the following year that offered even more levels. Another thing to highlight is that Syndicate was a real nightmare in terms of difficulty, until you discovered the virtues of the “Persuadertron”. In fact, Syndicate is the game I talked about at the beginning. If you want to play an open-source version of this wonder, FreeSynd has everything you need.
Magic Carpet (1994)
A year after Syndicate's success, Bullfrog bet big on Magic Carpet. Setting aside science fiction, Magic Carpet presented the story of an apprentice mage who sought to restore balance after his master tried to stop the war among mages, only to make things even worse.
Revolutionary at the time for the graphical level it presented (real-time 3D, with support for 3D glasses and some VR cases, all in 1994), this was also its big drawback. Reviews were very good, but in an era when the average was a 386 processor, it was very difficult for a game to sell when it had a label suggesting you should have a Pentium processor.
Theme Park (1994)
If we're talking about a roller coaster and park management simulator, maybe the first thing that comes to mind is Rollercoaster Tycoon, but the truth is you have to look a bit further back. Bullfrog made one of those before, and it was called Theme Park. Everything was under your control, from the layout of the attractions to the price of ice cream sold in the park, including staff wages, who could go on strike if you were too stingy. It was the first of the “Theme” series, and luckily not the last. The game was released on a large number of platforms and is still around today.
Hi-Octane (1995)
Legend has it that Hi-Octane was a game Bullfrog truly pulled out of a hat. Already under EA's protective wing, the demand for more relevant games like the Magic Carpet sequel began to create some pressure, and to “meet” the expected quota for a quarter, they released Hi-Octane, which would have been made in just eight weeks under the stimulus of a bonus of about 40,000 pounds sterling.
What was it about? Basically a futuristic racing game with a significant combat component in which it was perfectly allowed to fill your opponents with holes. Unfortunately, Wipeout had exactly the same theme, along with a bit of market advantage.
Genewars (1996)
In the mid-90s, real-time strategy was a genre in high demand in the market, after spectacular successes like the first Warcraft and Command & Conquer. Genewars had a bit of them, also some of Syndicate's mechanics, and could even be said of the later Alpha Centauri, combined with elements of genetic engineering and crossbreeding of extraterrestrial animals.
Interesting for some ideas (what you did in one level moved to the next), Genewars was a kind of development nightmare, and perhaps the cause of some initial friction between Molyneux and Sean Cooper, one of those responsible for Syndicate. Genewars was nothing extraordinary at the time, but it couldn't be said to stink either. For some reason, the feeling began to emerge that Bullfrog's ideas weren't so good anymore...
Syndicate Wars (1996)
To put things in order, Bullfrog turned to a sequel, and although they say sequels are never good, that can't be said exactly of Syndicate Wars. The story was promising: Eurocorp achieved such widespread dominance that it installed mind-control chips in the population. The problem begins when a virus called “Harbinger” starts affecting the function of those chips.
As if that weren't enough for Eurocorp, the “Church of the New Era”, responsible for the virus, emerges with its own ideas, and of course, with its own heavily armed agents. In Syndicate Wars you could play on either side, and it also added a bit more graphical freedom, including map rotation. It was the last Syndicate of the series developed by Bullfrog. In 2012, EA released a new installment, called Syndicate, developed by Starbreeze Studios, which retained little or nothing of the original games.
Dungeon Keeper (1997)
Finally, nothing better than a change of perspective. We always play the role of heroes seeking to defeat monsters. Why not play the other way round? That's what Dungeon Keeper presented to us in mid-1997. As the Dungeon Guardian, it's your duty to build a fortress, keep servants and monsters in line, defeat every stupid hero seeking fame at your expense, and of course, conquer the current Guardian of the dungeon. It was Molyneux's last project before leaving Bullfrog, and the critics received it with very high scores. Dungeon Keeper was the first in the series, and also had a dedicated expansion.
Theme Hospital (1997)
To close this list, nothing better than the title that probably represented Bullfrog's most important success. Theme Hospital was the second game in the Theme series, and as the name reveals, you're in charge of a hospital. However, humor is found in every corner, with strange diseases, curious diagnoses, and healing machines that are more than disturbing.
Even so, that's not all: epidemics, visits from the Minister of Health, a VIP attracted by the hospital's reputation, earthquakes, and cleaning staff fighting against the vomiting epidemic (as you read), guarantee a frantic and addictive session. Another of Bullfrog's games that claimed several days of my life, running after patients and keeping them from sowing chaos.
We've come to the end of today's article. Bullfrog is now part of history, but its games are burned into our minds. All of them are recommended; however, Syndicate, Theme Hospital, and Dungeon Keeper might be your first stops, although not necessarily in that order. The games are technically not abandonware, as the rights belong to EA, but many can be obtained for a few coins on sites like Good Old Games. Don't miss trying them!
