Software:Bit Boy!!

From HandWiki
Short description: 2009 video game
Bit Boy!!
Developer(s)Bplus
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Wii (WiiWare)
Release
  • EU: July 3, 2009
  • NA: July 13, 2009
  • JP: March 30, 2010
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player

Bit Boy!! is an action video game developed by Austrian studio Bplus for Nintendo's WiiWare service. It was released in Europe on July 3, 2009, North America on July 13, 2009, and in Japan on March 30, 2010 as Bit Man!! (ビットマン, Bitto Man) by Marvelous Entertainment.[1]

Gameplay

Players control a cube named Kubi, who they must navigate through a series of increasingly complex mazes in order to rescue his friends. Players must also avoid monsters that roam the mazes, though later in the game they are given a limited ability to attack them.[2]

The game's levels are spread across the setting of several "Bit Generations", which are generally representative of video game console generations. Each Bit Generation sees changes in graphics, sound and level design that are intended to invoke the aesthetics of the games from that particular generation, however in general the gameplay remains the same throughout.

These Bit Generations, presented in the game as fictional installments of a series of Bit Boy games, include:

  • Bit Boy, representative of second generation-era games
  • Bit Boy 2, representative of third generation-era games
  • Super Bit Boy, representative of fourth generation-era games
  • Bit Boy 3D, representative of early fifth generation-era games
  • Bit Boy 64, representative of late fifth generation-era games
  • Bit Boy Wii, representative of sixth and seventh generation-era games

The game is played using with the Wii Remote held sideways or held upright to simulate an arcade joystick. After completing a Bit Generation, the score attack-based "Warp Mode" is unlocked for that particular era. Beating the last level of the game in either Classic Mode or Warp Mode allows the player to play through all levels again in the Turbo Classic Mode and Turbo Warp Mode respectively.

Development

With Bit Boy!!, Bplus wanted the game to "spark true retro feelings in all gamers, regardless of age", which led to it being set across multiple video game generations. The first three Bit Generations feature increasingly detailed 2D graphics (including the use of the authentic NES color palette in Bit Boy 2), the latter generations evolve from using simple polygonal shapes and blurry textures to complex models and sharp photo realistic textures to illustrate the evolution of the three-dimensional visuals.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic47/100[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
IGN5.5/10[4]
Nintendo LifeStarStarStarStarStar[5]
ONM31%[6]

The game received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3]

Sequels

On February 15, 2012, a sequel to Bit Boy!! was announced. It is titled Bit Boy!! Arcade and was released on April 17, 2014 for the Nintendo 3DS, via the eShop.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "Bit Boy's Incoming Secret Pulse Commands Pose a Brain Challenge for the Ant Nation". 2009-07-13. https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/iTs7wwAiR5NTJEOYcefyS8riSXj44Qc9. 
  2. ↑ Hatfield, Daemon (2008-06-18). "Bit Boy Hands-on". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/06/18/bit-boy-hands-on. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Bit Boy!! for Wii Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/bit-boy/critic-reviews/?platform=wii. 
  4. ↑ Thomas, Lucas M. (2009-09-22). "Bit Boy Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/22/bit-boy-review. 
  5. ↑ Clark, Adam Scott (2009-07-04). "Bit Boy!! Review". Gamer Network. https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2009/07/bit_boy. 
  6. ↑ Scullion, Chris (2009-07-05). "Bit Boy!! Review". Official Nintendo Magazine (Future plc). http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/9839/reviews/bit-boy-review/. Retrieved 2023-05-14. 
  7. ↑ Newton, James (2012-02-16). "Bit Boy!! ARCADE for eShop is Halfway Done". Gamer Network. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/02/bit_boy_arcade_for_eshop_is_halfway_done. 
  8. ↑ "Bit Boy!! ARCADE". http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/jf92XfxZZMDhKsJ5jZ2whWa6dGyW2_0D. 
  • Official website
  • 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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