Editing First Star Software

{{more citations needed|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = First Star Software
| logo             = First_Star_Software_Logo.png
| logo_alt         = 
| caption          = 
| type             = 
| slogan           = 
| foundation       = 1982
| defunct          = 2018<ref>[https://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/corpsearch.entity_search_entry NYS Department of State Corporation and Business Entity Database]. [[New York (state)|New York State]]</ref>
| location         = [[New York City]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| key_people       = 
| area_served      = Global
| industry         = [[Video games]]
| products         = 
| revenue          = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income       = 
| owner            = 
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = 
| divisions        = 
| subsid           = 
| homepage         = {{URL|http://www.firststarsoftware.com/}}
}}

'''First Star Software, Inc.''' was a [[Chappaqua, New York]] based [[video game]] development, publishing and licensing company,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=22126694 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20141017190917/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=22126694 | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 17, 2014 | title=Stocks }}</ref> founded by [[Richard Spitalny]] (who remains the company's president), Billy Blake, Peter Jablon, and Fernando Herrera in 1982. It is best known for the series ''[[Boulder Dash (video game)|Boulder Dash]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.c64.com/games/84|title=Boulder Dash by First Star Software}}</ref> which began on the [[Atari 8-bit computers]], and ''[[Spy vs. Spy (1984 video game)|Spy vs. Spy]]'', which first appeared on the [[Commodore 64]]. Games were ported to or written for [[home computer]]s, consoles, and later for [[Macintosh]], [[Microsoft Windows]], and portable devices. Millions of units have been sold in both the ''Boulder Dash'' and ''Spy vs. Spy'' series of games.

==History==
Fernando Herrera wrote an educational program for [[Atari 8-bit computers]], ''[[My First Alphabet]]'', which was published by the [[Atari Program Exchange]] in 1981. That same year, Atari, Inc., created an award to honor the year's best APX submission. The first '''Atari Star''' went to ''My First Alphabet'' along with a $25,000 prize. Herrera partnered with Richard Spitalny, Billy Blake, and Peter Jablon to found First Star Software. His story of winning the Atari Star made him the face of the company.<ref name="cp">{{cite web |last1=Savetz |first1=Kevin |title=Fernando Herrera Interview Transcript |url=https://computingpioneers.com/index.php?title=Fernando_Herrera |website=Computing Pioneers}}</ref>

First Star's inaugural release was the Atari 8-bit computer [[shoot 'em up]] ''[[Astro Chase]]'', which was later distributed by [[Parker Brothers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Atari 400 800 XL XE Astro Chase |url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-astro-chase_6002.html |website=Atari Mania}}</ref> Herrera also wrote ''[[Bristles (video game)|Bristles]]'' and ''[[Superman: The Game]]'' for First Star.

First Star's two biggest titles came from outside developers, ''[[Boulder Dash (video game)|Boulder Dash]]'' and ''[[Spy vs. Spy (1984 video game)|Spy vs. Spy]]'', each of which was the first game in a series.

As of January 1, 2018 the First Star Software name and website are owned by BBG Entertainment GmbH which also purchased all intellectual property rights pertaining to ''Astro Chase'', ''BOiNG!'', ''Boulder Dash'', ''Bristles'', ''Flip & Flop'', ''Millennium Warriors'', ''[[Omnicron Conspiracy]]'', ''Panic Button'', ''Rent Wars'' and ''Security Alert''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=First Star Software - about company |url=https://firststarsoftware.com/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=First Star Software |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Games==
*''[[Astro Chase]]''
*''Boing!'' (Atari 2600)
*''[[Boulder Dash (video game)|Boulder Dash]]''
*''[[Bristles (video game)|Bristles]]''
*''[[Flip & Flop]]''
*''Millennium Warriors''
*''[[Omnicron Conspiracy]]''
*''Panic Button''
*''Rent Wars''
*''Security Alert''
*''[[Spy vs. Spy (1984 video game)|Spy vs. Spy]]''
*''[[Superman: The Game]]''
*''[[Superman: The Man of Steel (1989 video game)|Superman: The Man of Steel]]''
*''U.S. Adventure''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://archive.org/details/Fernando_Herrera_Interview Fernando Herrera Interview] from 2014

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[[Category:Video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]


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