CU Amiga

CU Amiga
Title	CU Amiga
Editor	(see Editorial Team and Contributors)
Frequency	Monthly
Category	Video game magazines, Computer magazines
Company	EMAP / Future plc
Firstdate	1990
Finaldate	1998
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

CU Amiga

CU Amiga was a United Kingdom monthly magazine focused on the Commodore Amiga line of personal computers. It covered hardware, software, and games for the Amiga family, serving as a contemporary peer to magazines that chronicled platforms like the Commodore 64, Atari ST, and later IBM PC compatibles. CU Amiga combined reviews, previews, tutorials, and coverdisks, addressing readers engaged with companies such as Commodore International, Amiga Technologies, and software houses like Electronic Arts and Psygnosis.

History

Launched in 1990 by EMAP, CU Amiga entered a market populated by publications such as Amiga Format, The One, Amiga Power, and Amiga Action. The title appeared amid industry events including the rise of the Amiga 500, the introduction of the Amiga 1200, and the turbulent corporate history involving Commodore International and later Gateway 2000. Throughout the early 1990s the magazine covered trade shows like Consumer Electronics Show and European Computer Trade Show, and reported on product announcements from hardware vendors like Phase5, GVP (Great Valley Products), and Elan. CU Amiga survived editorial competition during the era of marquee game releases from studios such as Team17, Bullfrog Productions, and Core Design, until its eventual closure in the late 1990s following the wider market contraction after Commodore bankruptcy and the shift toward Microsoft Windows and Sony PlayStation platforms.

Editorial Team and Contributors

The magazine’s masthead featured editors and journalists who also wrote for other periodicals like PC Zone, Amiga Computing, and Edge (magazine). Notable contributors included reviewers and columnists who later worked with companies such as Future plc and remained active in fan communities associated with groups like AmiCast and EAB (English Amiga Board). Freelance writers and illustrators with credits across titles including Retro Gamer and GamesMaster provided features, interviews, and artwork. Photographers and technical writers liaised with manufacturers including Acorn Computers and independent developers to test peripherals like the AGA chipset expansions and accelerators produced by Phase5.

Content and Features

CU Amiga offered extensive coverage of game reviews, software previews, hardware tests, and programming tutorials. Regular sections included in-depth reviews of titles from publishers such as Ocean Software, Razorworks, and MicroProse; interviews with designers from studios like DMA Design and Psygnosis; and how-to guides involving tools such as Deluxe Paint and OctaMED. The magazine commonly featured coverdisks containing demos, utilities, and full games created by teams including Team17 and demoscene groups active at events like Assembly (demo party). Hardware articles evaluated add-ons like hard drives, modems, and graphic accelerators from manufacturers including GVP, SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), and disk-copy utilities referenced by publishers such as Lobotomy Software.

Circulation and Reception

CU Amiga competed for sales and critical acclaim with contemporaries like Amiga Format and Amiga Power, reflected in reader letters, circulation audits, and awards from trade bodies including the British Computer Society and consumer polls in magazines like PC Gamer. Circulation figures fluctuated alongside the Amiga market: strong during the early 1990s boom driven by the Amiga 500 and major game releases, then declining after corporate upheavals and the rise of alternative platforms like Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Reviews and previews were syndicated or referenced by other outlets such as Zzap!64 and broadcasters covering computing segments during the era of ITV technology programming.

Influence on Amiga Community

The magazine played a role in fostering the Amiga userbase and supporting the demoscene, indie developers, and user groups like AUG (Amiga User Group) chapters and services such as CompuServe and Fidonet forums. Articles helped propagate technical knowledge on topics from custom chip programming (related to the Agnus (Amiga) and Denise (Amiga) chips) to storage and networking solutions, informing hobbyists who later contributed to open-source projects and emulation efforts such as WinUAE. CU Amiga’s coverage amplified the profiles of studios including Team17, Psygnosis, and Lemmings’s creators, while reader competitions and classified ads supported third-party trading and local user meetups associated with museums and archives like The National Museum of Computing.

Relaunches and Archive Availability

After the magazine’s closure in the late 1990s, archival efforts by enthusiasts and institutions aimed to preserve back issues, coverdisks, and scans. Digital archives compiled by fan initiatives and online repositories link to community resources such as English Amiga Board, Amiga.org, and retro preservation projects supported by groups around Internet Archive and university collections. Periodic attempts to revive Amiga-focused journalism saw successor ventures and blogs referencing CU Amiga’s legacy alongside modern publications like Retro Gamer and niche zines produced by Amiga user groups. Selected back issues circulate among collectors, secondhand dealers, and auctions overseen by marketplaces associated with eBay and specialist fairs hosted in cities including London and Manchester.

Category:Computer magazines Category:Video game magazines Category:Magazines established in 1990