David Darling

Founder of Kwalee. Co-founded Codemasters.
We sold games from a magazine ad.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

At 16 we were selling games from a tiny magazine ad.

We were earning so much our Dad quit his job to join us

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@gamesyouloved Thanks Kevin

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@DizzyDevil79 They have always guarded their games hard. With Game Genie the judge was on our side though, because the cartridge was never changed.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

During the Game Genie case, Nintendo flew Miyamoto to a courtroom in San Francisco.

Their argument was that making Mario jump higher created a new work.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@Madcyril2001 Ha, a Miyamoto quote on the Game Genie box. That would have been something.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@TheeMondoWray Yes, it was big news. Games related things hardly ever made the news back then, so it felt strange seeing it there.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@CheekyC64Gamer Thank you, that is really kind. Sorry I missed it this time. Maybe next year.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

When we outgrew the Banbury unit, Dad found an old riding school near Southam.

We turned the stables into the Codemasters offices.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@Heizenblog Sorry it didn't work out. Thanks for coming out to Southam to see us, and I hope you still got to play lots of games.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@rhayadercompute This was a really great game

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@FREEZE64UK it was deemed not a derivative work because it wasn't a permanent change, ie when you unplugged Game Genie from the cartridge the cartridge was unchanged.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@DizzyDevil79 I wouldn't have imagined Wrestling Superstars would be the rarest. I suppose it was one of the last so maybe low production.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

We wrote our own quotes on the boxes.

One said “Absolutely Brilliant!!!” It became my catchphrase.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@DizzyDevil79 which ones are you missing/which ones are rare?

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

Our NES racer started life as California Beach Buggies.

Then Galoob’s toys arrived and it became Micro Machines.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@FrancisLillie Hope you dig it out. I’d love to see it.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@DizzyDevil79 That’s a proper collection. Hope you get there.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@FREEZE64UK Ha. She always was.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@FrancisLillie Cool, it was great! I think there was a sound effect too. There’s probably a video on YouTube.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

@JudgeDrokk Ha. That would have looked right at home on the box.

[David Darling @DavidDarling]

Two teenagers walked into Lynne Franks’ office.

She got us into the papers and kids’ TV.