Game company profile: Electronic Arts

Archon: The Light and the Dark is an abandoned DOS fantasy blend of strategy and action game, developed by Free Fall Associates and published for DOS by Electronic Arts in 1984. Archon and its sequels are a unique mix of chess-like turn-based strategy and arcade action games. Take chess and add the fact that every time two pieces land on the same space, they must fight in an arena-like screen, spice it up with a pinch of fantasy flavor and that's it.

Adventure Construction Set is an abandoned application developed by Stuart Smith and published for DOS, Amiga, Apple II and Commodore 64 by Electronic Arts in 1987. As the name suggests, ACS is a game-building system (we're talking about adventure RPGs) that lets you edit maps, items, creatures, etc. Included with ACS is a complete game called Rivers of Light.

Marble Madness is an abandoned isometric action game designed by Mark Cerny and originally published by Atari as a successful and iconic arcade game. It was later converted for many platform in 1986 and for IBM PCs in 1987 by Atari.

The Bard's Tale 1 is the first chapter of a popular first person RPG series by Interplay. You control a group of six adventurers with the task of defeating the evil wizard Mangar the Dark. You will fight monters, explore the city of Skara Brae, solve riddles and guide your party into earning levels, gold and glory.

Skate or Die is an abandoned sports game, developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1988 for DOS and a number of other platforms. Skate or Die is a multi-sport kind of game, including every kind of unconventional "sport" done on skateboard. A sequel, Ski or Die, was released an year later.

Zany Golf (also known as Will Harvey's Zany Golf) is an abandoned miniature golf game designed by Will Harvey, developed by Sandcastle and released by Electronic Arts in 1988. Zany Golf runs on DOS but was also published for Amiga, Atari ST, Apple IIgs, Genesis. Zany Golf can be played by two players on hotseat mode.

John Madden Football was the first of a series of american football sports games sponsored by the coach of the same name. The first John Madden Football is an abandoned game developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1988 for Apple II and Commodore 64 and later released for DOS (in 1989). The Madden series became extremely popular and the sequels were released for almost every platform available at the time.

Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs is an abandoned action sports basketball game. It was developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1989 for DOS. Lakers versus Celtics features 1988-1989 NBA teams and some of the NBA all-time star players. It can be played in single-player mode or by 2 players on the same screen.

Populous is an abandoned strategy game designed by the video game celebrity Peter Molyneux, developed by Bullfrog. Populous was released by Electronic Arts in 1989 for DOS and for a long list of other 16-bit and 8-bit systems, both console and PCs. Populos is a really unique game: it gave the name to the the whole god-game genre since, well, in the game you're a god being adored by your believers.

Centurion: Defender of Rome is a turn-based strategy game set in ancient Rome times. As a centurion of the Roman Empire, you will fight against the enemies of Rome in real time battles in every corner of Italy and Europe, you'll be a gladiator, race chariots, fight naval battles and more.

PGA Tour Golf is an abandoned golf game - the first in the PGA Tour series - designed by Lee Actor and Dennis Koble, developed by Sterling Silver Software and released by Electronic Arts in 1990. PGA Tour Golf features 3 golf courses based on real ones: TPC Avenel, TPC Sawgrass, PGA West.

Powermonger is a real time strategy game where the player must defeat the opponents by conquering towns and tipping the balance of power in his/her favor. This is done by giving orders to soldiers and captains and by accumulating enough resources (food and equipment) to survive and ultimately win.

Rampart is an abandoned mix of strategy and shooter game designed by Dave Ralston and John Salwitz, developed by Atari and released by Electronic Arts in 1992 for DOS. Rampart was converted from the original arcade version to a number of platforms, including Amiga, Atari ST, C64, Game Boy, Genesis, Lynx, NES, SEGA Master System, SNES. Rampart is a precursor of the tower defense genre.

Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods is an old sandbox strategy god-game. As the title suggests, the setting is more of less ancient Greek mythology and you're a god (hence the god-game label). Populous 2 is the sequel of the much acclaimed Populous, designed by Peter Molineaux. Populous 2 was developed by Bullfrog and published by Electronic Arts in 1993 for PC and Mac.

Space Hulk is an abandoned real-time tactical strategy game set in the Warhammer  40000 universe, developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1993 for DOS and Amiga systems. In Space Hulk, the player is tasked with wiping out hordes of aliens by the means of a squad of Space Marines armored and armed to the teeth. Space Hulk is the adaptation of the board game of the same name created by Games Workshop.

Strike Commander is combat flight simulation game created by Chris Roberts (the designer behind Wing Commander) and Jeff George. Strike Commander was developed by Origin Systems and released by Electronic Arts in 1993 for DOS.

Magic Carpet is an action shooter game set in a fictional Middle East developed by Bullfrog and released by Electronic Arts in 1994 for DOS and Macintosh. Your goal is to fly around a magic carpet and collect mana to expand your castle. When you reach the required mana "equilibrium" you move on to the next world and so on.

Wing Commander: Armada is space combat simulation game developed by Origin Systems and released by Electronic Arts in 1994 for DOS. Wing Commander: Armada is part of the Wing Commander game series and was published before Wind Commander III. Armada is focused on multiplayer battles but it can be played in single player mode too. It features different game modes: Battles, Gauntlet, Armada, Campaign.

Hi-Octane is an abandoned futuristic combat racing game developed by Bullfrog and released by Electronic Arts in 1995. Hi-Octane was published for DOS and a few consoles: PlayStation, PSP, PS Vita, SEGA Saturn. It's based on the same code used for Magic Carpet, a well known game also made by Bullfrog.

The Need for Speed is a first-person perspective racing game developed and published by Electronic Arts in 1995 for DOS where the main goal is to win race after race in a variety of game modes. In the process, the player must elude traffic, pedestrians, and the police.

Road Rash is an abandoned motorcycle racing game developed by Papyrus Design Group and released by Electronic Arts in 1996. Road Rash runs on Windows XP/98/95 but was also published for Amiga, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, 3DO, Game Gear, PlayStation, Saturn, Game Boy. In Road Rash you're a motorcycle racer that needs to win against other racers by any means possibile, including violent ones. Road Rash was quite successful and was followed by a few sequels.

Syndicate Wars is the sequel to the much acclaimed Syndicate developed by Bullfrog in its golden years. Like its predecessor, Syndicate Wars is a real-time tactics strategy game set in a cyberpunk dystopian world involving excessive violence, mega-corporations, bleak urban environment. Syndicate Wars also supports a multi-player co-op mode via LAN.

FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 (also known as FIFA 98) is a football sports game developed by Electronic Arts and released in 1997 for multiple platforms including Windows, Genesis, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, SEGA Saturn, SNES. FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 is the fifth game in the FIFA Soccer series.

System Shock 2 is a Windows science fiction cyberpunk game developed by Irrational Games, designed by Ken Levine and published by Electronic Arts in 1999. System Shock 2 is a blend of more than one genre: RPG, action-adventure, shooter, stealth game.

Sid Meier's SimGolf is a golf simulation developed by Firaxis Games in 2002, different from other golf games. In SimGolf, the player is tasked with running a golf course, designing holes, taking care of golfers and even playing. It's an underrated game that deserves a place among the best of its genre.