2000 A.D.

An active cracking and software release group in the retro home computer scene during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

19

Games

1980–2023

Years

13

Platforms

$31.22

Ø CIB

-3.5%

24M change

About

2000 A.D. was a prominent cracking and piracy group known for distributing modified versions of popular arcade ports on home computers. The group released cracked versions of major titles such as Rastan Saga, Bubble Bobble, Darius, Plotting, Final Blow, and Chase H.Q. during the peak of the Amiga and Atari ST era.

Operating primarily within the European home computer scene, the group focused heavily on high-profile arcade conversions from Japanese developers like Taito. Within the Bubble Bobble franchise, they handled the modified Bubble Bobble Yapon Rental] (1990) release, altering the game's code for unauthorized distribution. Their work on the [Chase H.Q. franchise included cracked versions of both Chase H.Q. (1990) and Chase HQ (1991), stripping the original copy protection to allow the popular vehicular combat games to run on standard floppy disks.

Beyond these core franchises, the group's catalog featured major releases such as the side-scrolling shooter Darius (1990), the tile-matching game Plotting (1990), the sports title Final Blow (1990), and the fantasy action game Rastan Saga (1988). The group is also historically linked to early cartridge-based software modifications, including the Tele-Games release of Space Invaders (1978). By bypassing digital rights management, the group influenced the early software distribution landscape, ensuring these arcade-to-home ports achieved widespread, albeit unauthorized, circulation among contemporary gamers.