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Who They Were

The Studio

London, 1983. A music and entertainment business dares to make games.

Palace Software was founded in 1983 by Pete Stone and Richard Leinfellner as part of the Palace Group - an entertainment company with roots in music and film. Operating out of London, Palace produced some of the most visually striking and commercially provocative games of the 8-bit and 16-bit era.

Their debut, The Evil Dead (1984), was a licensed tie-in with Sam Raimi's cult horror film. But it was Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior (1987) that put Palace on the map - and in the headlines. The game's cover art, featuring Maria Whittaker and Michael Van Wijk in warrior attire, attracted the ire of Mary Whitehouse's Clean Up TV campaign and became one of the most debated pieces of UK games marketing of the decade.

Palace was acquired by Titus Software in 1991. Their legacy - sharp code, Richard Joseph's unforgettable SID and Amiga compositions, and an uncompromising attitude to spectacle - defines British gaming's 8-bit golden age.

The Controversy

Barbarian, Mary Whitehouse, and the German Court Case

In 1987, Barbarian's box art provoked a campaign from Mary Whitehouse's National Viewers' and Listeners' Association. A German court later ruled on the game's violent content, resulting in the game's blood being changed from red to green for the German market. Neither decision dented sales. Read the full story →

Watch

Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior - Amiga Longplay

The flagship title in full, on the Amiga - showcasing Richard Joseph's score and the iconic goblin-kick finisher.

Featured Titles

Essential Works

The games that defined Palace Software's identity and legacy.

Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior

1987 — C64 · Amiga · Spectrum · CPC · Atari ST

The definitive Palace title. One-on-one sword combat, iconic box art, and the goblin-kick decapitation that shocked a nation. Zzap!64: 96%.

Deep dive →

Cauldron (1985)

1985 — C64 · Spectrum · CPC

Palace's breakthrough: a witch on a broomstick in a platform-shoot-'em-up hybrid. Punchy C64 code by Steve Brown; music by Richard Joseph.

Catalogue entry →

Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax

1988 — C64 · Amiga · Spectrum · CPC · Atari ST

The sequel shifts from one-on-one to side-scrolling action, with Hegor pursuing the sorcerer Drax. Another Richard Joseph score for the ages.

Catalogue entry →

Sacred Armour of Antiriad

1986 — C64 · Spectrum · CPC

Post-apocalyptic action-adventure. A cult classic with a strong following on the Spectrum. Richard Joseph's C64 soundtrack remains a fan favourite.

Catalogue entry →

Advanced Pinball Simulator

1988 — C64 · Amiga · Spectrum · CPC · Atari ST

Zzap!64 Gold Medal. Palace's physics-based pinball game demonstrated the studio's technical range beyond action titles.

Catalogue entry →

Torvak the Warrior

1990 — Amiga

Palace's last major Amiga title before the Titus acquisition. Side-scrolling fantasy action with another Richard Joseph score - a fitting final chapter.

Catalogue entry →

Explore

Site Sections

History

Palace Group origins through the Titus acquisition. The full company timeline.

Catalogue

All 11 titles with year, platforms, credits, and descriptions.

Gallery

Box art and in-game screenshots. Platform filter by C64, Amiga, Spectrum.

People

Pete Stone, Richard Leinfellner, Steve Brown, and the cover models.

Music

Richard Joseph's SID compositions. Four key tracks with DeepSID links.

Barbarian

Editorial deep-dive: the controversy, the German court case, and the legacy.

Reviews

Zzap!64, Crash, and Amiga Power period scores and quotes.

Trivia

Controversy timeline, German court case, Michael Van Wijk's Gladiators career.

Videos

Longplays, developer interviews, and retrospectives. 10 curated videos.

Resources

Lemon64, Hall of Light, MobyGames, HVSC, LaunchBox, and more.