Lionheart
Henk Nieborg's pixel-art platformer. Widely considered the finest-looking Amiga game ever made. Jochen Hippel's score is equally remarkable.
Who Were Thalion?
A studio born from the Atari ST demoscene that became one of the Amiga's finest developers and publishers.
Thalion Software was founded in October 1988 in Gütersloh, Germany, by a group of developers with deep roots in the European demoscene. Key figures including Erik Simon (known as Mad Max in the scene) and Jochen Hippel brought with them an extraordinary technical mastery - the kind that turned hardware limitations into art.
Over six years the studio produced some of the most technically accomplished software of the 16-bit era. Their games spanned vertical shooters (Wings of Death), epic RPGs (Ambermoon, Dragonflight), a genre-defining platformer (Lionheart), and a motorcycle simulator (No Second Prize) that still stands as a technical marvel.
Financial pressures and the collapse of the 16-bit market brought the studio to closure in 1994. But their work endures: Ambermoon's source code was released in 2023, and an active open-source remake at ambermoon.net keeps the RPG alive for modern audiences.
Featured Games
Ambermoon
The sequel to Amberstar. A sprawling RPG with seamless 3-D dungeon crawling and outdoor exploration. Source released in 2023.
Wings of Death
A vertical shmup with relentless enemy waves and one of Hippel's most celebrated TFMX soundtracks. A showcase of Thalion's technical ambition.
No Second Prize
A 3-D motorcycle racing simulation of breathtaking smoothness for its time. Developed by Matthias Steinwachs; still impressively playable today.
Dragonflight
Thalion's first major RPG. A fantasy adventure with real-time flight sequences and a rich world that set the template for Amberstar and Ambermoon.
Amberstar
The predecessor to Ambermoon. A vast RPG in the classic tradition, blending overhead exploration with first-person dungeon segments.
The Creators
Erik Simon
Known as Mad Max in the demoscene. Co-founded Thalion after distinguished scene work with The Exceptions on Atari ST.
Jochen Hippel
Composer of the TFMX soundtracks for Wings of Death, Lionheart, and Dragonflight. One of the great Amiga-era composers.
Henk Nieborg
Pixel artist responsible for Lionheart's extraordinary visuals. His work remains a benchmark for 16-bit sprite art.