Software:Aqua Aqua

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Short description: 2000 video game
Aqua Aqua: Wetrix 2
European box art
Developer(s)Zed Two
Publisher(s)
Designer(s)Peter Smith
EngineRenderWare
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release
  • JP: November 2, 2000
  • EU: November 24, 2000
  • NA: December 29, 2000[1]
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Aqua Aqua (アクアクア, Akuakua) is a puzzle video game developed by Zed Two, the studio of Ste and John Pickford, for the PlayStation 2. It was published in late 2000 by Imagineer in Japan, and by The 3DO Company in North America and SCi Games in Europe. It is the sequel to Wetrix (1998) and has very similar gameplay; the player, on a landscape, uses Uppers to create walls for enclosures that hold flying water bubbles, contending with hazards like rainstorms, bombs, and ice cubes in the process.

Imagineer commissioned a sequel to Wetrix following the predecessor's critical and commercial success. It was released in 2000 in Europe, North America and Japan as the third PlayStation 2 puzzle game after Fantavision and Super Bust-A-Move, selling 70,000+ copies in the West and 15,000+ in Japan. Aqua Aqua was generally well-received by professional critics for its addictiveness, graphics and sound. Criticism was targeted at the steep learning curve, the short length of the Story mode, the fixed camera and loose controls causing imprecise piece placements, and how little advantage was taken with the console's hardware.

Game modes

A level in Aqua Aqua, where a fireball disintegrates the water of a long river, which is in-between two small lakes holding dinosaurs. On the bottom left is an icon indicating the amount of ground on the land, and on the bottom right is the amount of water.

Aqua Aqua's gameplay remains largely unchanged from Wetrix (1998).[lower-alpha 1] Described by Electronic Gaming Monthly's Chris Johnston as a combination of Tetris and Civilization, it is a 3D isometric puzzle game where the player builds paddocks on land to prevent falling water bubbles from dripping off the landscape.[6][7] The enclosures are created by dropping L-shaped, T-shaped and square pieces that raise a part of the landscape named Uppers; there are also Downers that do the opposite, decrease the height of a wall.[4][7] Fireballs help in the player's goal, in that they evaporate water, and points are earned from it depending on how much water is evaporated.[8] However, there are also hazards such as bombs that create holes on the ground, ice cubes that freeze water, rainstorms that occur in the later stages, and earthquakes triggered when a wall is too high that ruin nearly all of the architecture.[7] The amount of water dripped off the land is showcased by a meter, which the game ends once its full.[9]

Modes include a single-game Quick mode, an eight-level Tutorial, a two-player Versus mode and a four-level Story Mode; the Tutorial must be completed to unlock the Story and Versus modes.[4][5] In Story, there are three bosses, who attack by ruining the player's structure and must be beaten by achieving a certain score within a limited period.[4][8][7] A new feature is a grid for where the Uppers and Downers will land, in addition to the shadows.[2]

Development and release

Aqua Aqua's predecessor, Wetrix, was developed by Zed Two, a small studio owned by Ste and John Pickford. It was conceived out of a water effects demo done for another one of their own games, Vampire Circus, which became Taz Express (2000).[10] Wetrix and Taz Express were published by Ocean Software out of a two-game deal signed a week before the publisher merged with Infogrames.[10][11] The game's Nintendo 64 release sold 105,000+ copies in the west and 12,000+ in Japan.[10] Additionally, Wetrix was critically acclaimed for its originality in the puzzle game genre, scoring 8/8/8/7 in Famitsu, the magazine's highest for a Western title in years.[10][7]

The critical and commercial success motivated Japanese company Imagineer, who developed Wetrix's Game Boy Color port, to commission Zed Two to create a sequel for the PlayStation 2.[10] The Pickfords had several ideas. One major plan was to allow the player to expand the width of the land with the falling Uppers, and Imagineer thought of adding a "weird old man".[10] Ultimately, the only major addition was cute-looking characters, done to make the product more appealing to Japanese audiences.[10] Contrary to fan rumors that PlayStation 2 development kits were already in the United States by mid-1999, none had been sent by Sony to companies outside of Japan until October 1999. This meant some Zed Two staff flew to Japan to develop Aqua Aqua.[12]

On June 25, 1999, IGN revealed Zed Two was developing a sequel to Wetrix, not yet named, for the upcoming PlayStation 2 console.[13] On August 27, Zed Two revealed they planned to release it by March 2000.[12] This had been moved to summer 2000 by the time the sequel was presented at the 2000 Tokyo Game Show, where its name, Aqua Aqua, was revealed.[14] Timothy Horst reported that the demo at the Tokyo Game Show appeared to be "pretty much done", and that the game would basically be its predecessor with improved visuals.[14] IGN revealed the game's four modes, as well as the July 2000 Japan date, on April 20, 2000,[15] before it was delayed further to November 2, 2000.[16] The 3DO Company published Aqua Aqua in North America on December 29, 2000,[1] while SCi Games published it in Europe the month before. It was the third puzzle game released for the console after Fantavision and Super Bust-A-Move.[7] Aqua Aqua sold 15,000+ units in Japan, and 70,000+ in the West, numbers GamesTM attributed to its reputation as a PlayStation 2 launch title.[10]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic79/100[17]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarStar[18]
Edge7/10[2]
EGM6/10[6]
Famitsu26/40[16]
Game Informer6/10[20]
GameRevolutionC+[4]
GameSpot7.1/10[8]
IGN7.7/10[7]
Next GenerationStarStar[5]
OPM (US)StarStar[21]

Reviews of Aqua Aqua were generally positive.[17] Containing gameplay and graphics identical to Wetrix, it received the same praises and critiques.

"Aqua Aqua has its problems, but it's still the best puzzle game yet to grace the PlayStation 2," wrote GameSpot's Shane Satterfield.[8] In the mind of David Zdyrko of IGN, Aqua Aqua "takes the basic gameplay elements that made its prequel so well liked and has added a lot of neat new features and play mechanics".[7]

Aqua Aqua was highlighted for its addictive quality.[lower-alpha 2] Its difficulty and fast pace was also of frequent note, as well as the steep learning curve that critics suggested could turn off those not very experienced in puzzle games.[lower-alpha 3] Jay Semerad of AllGame praised the difficulty and how the game rewarded players, such as with Lake Mates and rainbows.[18] Much criticism was directed at how needlessly tricky it was to place pieces accurately, caused by loose control and a fixed, nonadjustable camera angle; Alex of Video Games reported he had to start over the first level several times.[lower-alpha 4] Semerad lamented that the directional pad controls the falling pieces (unlike Wetrix which was controlled with a more versatile analog stick), and a piece can jump from one side of the screen to another with one small tap.[18] Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine's Joe Rybicki dismissed the rules as needlessly complicated, and panned the "slippery" control and unclear perspective for slowing down the pace, "forcing you to either drop blocks haphazardly or painstakingly map out each move".[21] The camera angle also made looking for water leaks tedious, wrote Satterfield.[8]

Although praised by Zdyrko as a new edition to the Wetrix series, the Story Mode was generally criticized for being too short, reviewers reported beating it within a few hours.[lower-alpha 5] Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine's Louis Wells criticized the "seemingly unobtainable points needed to stop a boss".[22] The Versus mode was lauded by several reviewers for its addictiveness and challenge,[lower-alpha 6] while criticized by Satterfield and The Electric Playground writer Jules Grant for a lack of interaction between players.[19][8] Chris Johnston of Electronic Gaming Monthly also recommended that there should have been a Versus mode with a computer player.[6] NextGen critic Kevin Toyama berated the requirement of having to save progress on the tutorial stage just to play the actual game modes.[5] Star Dingo of GamePro's website-only review said, "Anyone who's familiar with the hyper-addictive Dreamcast and N64 puzzler Wetrix Plus will immediately recognize Aqua Aqua for the PS2 – it's the same exact game with a few gameplay tweaks, graphical improvements, and a quartet of Hello Kitty-esque Teletubbies on board for moral support."[3][lower-alpha 7]

The graphics was positively-commented on, although criticized for taking little advantage of console space.[9][25] Zdyrko was one of the critics to argue this; although highlighting the "nice special effects and cool lighting", he found the problem prevalent in the object and character models being "plain and unimaginative".[7] Satterfield also found the character models low-quality, analogizing them as done by a beginner 3D modeling student. However, he was more forgiving towards the graphics in general, saying that although not the best for the PlayStation 2, they served their function for a puzzle game, as doing anything more spectacular would only distract the player. He praised the color palette as "bright and colorful, and the effects for placing pieces are snazzy for the first few hours".[8] GameRevolution journalist G-Wok appreciated the graphics as "clean and colorful", and Wells enjoyed the cute character design, "beautifully rendered" land, and water effects.[4][22] Grant condemned the cutscenes as "too-cute".[19] The game's ambient techno new age soundtrack was well-received, although critiqued for being repetitive.[8][7][19] Zdyrko called the voice acting cute and the sound effects "very crisp and clear", and Satterfield wrote "the sound effects aid in creating a chaotic atmosphere but do little else."[8][7]

Notes

  1. ↑ [2][3][4][5]
  2. ↑ [2][7][9][19][22][23][24]
  3. ↑ [5][7][8][18][25]
  4. ↑ [4][5][7][18][23][25]
  5. ↑ [4][6][7][19][21]
  6. ↑ [2][4][5][7][25]
  7. ↑ GamePro gave the game three 4/5 scores for graphics, sound, and control, and 4.5/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "3DO Ships AquaAqua(TM) for PlayStation(R)2 Computer Entertainment System". December 29, 2000. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010417132420/http://www.3do.com/investors/pr_122900.html. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Edge staff (December 25, 2000). "AquaAqua [JP Import"]. Edge (Future Publishing) (92). Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230315134234/https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cc/Edge_UK_092.pdf. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Dingo (January 19, 2001). "Aqua Aqua Review for PS2". GamePro (IDG). Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050212132547/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/10700.shtml. Retrieved October 3, 2016. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 G-Wok (January 17, 2001). "Aqua Aqua Review". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150912035502/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/aqua-aqua. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Toyama, Kevin (April 2001). "Aqua Aqua". NextGen (Imagine Media) (76): 77. https://archive.org/details/NextGen76Apr2001/page/n77/mode/2up. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Johnston, Chris (April 2001). "Aqua Aqua". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (141): 109. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230716232246/https://retrocdn.net/images/0/0b/EGM_US_141.pdf. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 Zdyrko, David (January 2, 2001). "Aqua Aqua". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230901140139/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/02/aqua-aqua-2. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 Satterfield, Shane (January 9, 2001). "Aqua Aqua Review". Fandom. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181002065119/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/aqua-aqua-review/1900-2672983/. Retrieved June 13, 2023. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Cann, Simon (December 2000). "Aqua Aqua". Play (Imagine Publishing) (70): 42. https://archive.org/details/play-070/page/42/mode/2up?q=%22aqua+aqua%22+wetrix. Retrieved November 8, 2021. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 "Behind the Scenes: Wetrix". GamesTM (Future Publishing) (48): 150–53. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211106200448/http://www.zee-3.com/pickfordbros/press/scans/large/gamestm-48.jpg. Retrieved June 13, 2023. 
  11. ↑ Watts, Martin (January 24, 2015). "The Making of Wetrix and its Route to Nintendo 64". Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230921144844/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/01/feature_the_making_of_wetrix_and_its_route_to_nintendo_64. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 IGN staff (August 27, 1999). "Zed Two, To Do, On PS2". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231031003254/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/zed-two-to-do-on-ps2. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  13. ↑ Perry, Douglas C. (June 25, 1999). "Off the Record, Vol. 24". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231029183548/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/26/off-the-record-vol-24. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Horst, Timothy (April 3, 2000). "TGS 2000: Imagineer's Strong PS2 Lineup". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231029183551/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/04/tgs-2000-imagineers-strong-ps2-lineup. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  15. ↑ Zdyrko, David (April 20, 2000). "Wetrix 2 Mode Details". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231029203529/https://ign.com/articles/2000/04/21/wetrix-2-mode-details. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "アクアクア [PS2"] (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain). Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181002064835/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=9384. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "AquaAqua". Fandom. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240308171823/https://www.metacritic.com/game/aquaaqua/. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Semerad, Jay. "AquaAqua - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141115134705/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=30924&tab=review. Retrieved October 3, 2016. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Grant, Jules (January 29, 2001). "Aqua Aqua". Greedy Productions Ltd.. Archived from the original on November 5, 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20021105170257/http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=5128. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  20. ↑ "Aqua Aqua". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (95). March 2001. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Rybicki, Joe (March 2001). "Aqua Aqua". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) (42). Archived from the original on April 10, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010410005614/http://www.zdnet.com/opm/stories/main/0%2C11891%2C2677451%2C00.html. Retrieved October 3, 2016. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Wells, Louise (December 2000). "Aqua Aqua: Wetrix 2.0". Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine (Future Publisheing) (1): 156. https://archive.org/details/Official_UK_Playstation_2_Magazine_Issue_001_2000_12_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n155/mode/2up. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Layton, Tommy (March 2001). "Aqua Aqua". PSM (Imagine Media) (43): 37. https://archive.org/details/psm-issue-043-march-2001/page/n35/mode/2up. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  24. ↑ "Aqua Aqua Wetrix 2" (in es). PlayStation Magazine Edicion Oficial Español (Future Publishing) (50): 55. February 2001. https://archive.org/details/psx-magazine-40/PSX_Magazine_50/page/n53/mode/2up. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 Alex (January 2001). "AquaAqua – Wetrix 2" (in de). Video Games (1/2001): 69. https://archive.org/details/video-games-de-2001-01/page/n67/mode/2up. Retrieved March 8, 2024. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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