Software:BoomBots

From HandWiki

BoomBots is a fighting game released in 1999 for PlayStation. It was created by Doug TenNapel, developed by The Neverhood, Inc., and published by SouthPeak Interactive.[1][2] BoomBots features distinctive claymation visuals and various amounts of toilet humor. The game was both a critical and commercial failure. It was the third and final game made by the Neverhood, Inc. before the company folded in 1999 after the game's release.[3]

Gameplay

BoomBots is a 3D arena fighting game in which the player has the choice of ten characters (boombots) for either single player or multiplayer.[4][5][6][7]

In single player, the objective is to beat recolors of the ten boombots (which includes a recolor of the player's boombot if they aren't a secret boombot) to progress through the story and win the game.[2][7] If the player remains undefeated, they get to fight recolors of secret boombots in secret stages during the story, unlocking those boombots and stages upon victory.[5][8][9] In total, the game features 15 boombots along with 15 stages.[2][4][5][6][7][8][10]

Multiplayer is similar to single player, except that the player faces off in a round against a human opponent rather than an AI-opponent.[2] In addition, the player can pick the stage to fight on.

Plot

In the year 15 million (alternatively on Earth is 2033), a spaceship interrupts picnickers in an American park.[11] The ship belongs to aliens, resembling cats, called the Feline Alien Research Troop (FART), led by alien cat Mandu.[5][11] They begin abducting Earth's common household cats, using robots known as Boombots, and almost destroy Earth in the process.[11] To stop the world from being destroyed completely, the scientists Dr. Doe, Dr. Pick, and Dr. Newton come up with the idea of just sending the cats to the aliens in a giant rocket.[11] However, what humans do not know is that the cats have been protecting them from another race, the United Rat Infestation Nation.[11] To bring the house cats back and to stop the rats from taking over, the humans team up with feline-alien double agent Paul to create the Boombots Underground Technology Team.[11]

Development

Development for the game started in January 1998, when Doug TenNapel designed ten of the robots for BoomBots.[12] Eventually, in March 1998, TenNapel managed to show the designs to Steven Spielberg of DreamWorks Interactive.[12] He then received his approval to have The Neverhood, Inc. develop the game alongside DreamWorks.[12] During February 1999, SouthPeak Interactive showed interest in publishing BoomBots.[12] When the game became a 'hit' during the May 1999 E3 trade show, SouthPeak announced that they would officially publish it.[12] BoomBots then entered alpha development stage on July 15, 1999, reaching beta stage afterwards on August 15, before its US release in December that year.[1][12]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings56%[13]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Game Informer4.5/10[16]
GameFan(J.W.) 88%[17]
72%[18][lower-alpha 1]
GameProStarStarStarStar[19]
GameRevolutionC[7]
IGN3.5/10[4]
Next GenerationStar[20]
OPM (US)StarStarHalf star[21]

The game received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[13] Although the game received some praise for its clay animation cutscenes,[5][6][8] it was noted to be otherwise lacking graphically.[4][7][10][22][23] Primarily, criticism has been on the graininess and lack of detail of the characters and stages.[4][7][10][22][23] In addition, although there was praise for the thematic diversity of characters and stages, the game was criticized in ultimately lacking replay value due to missing variety within character movesets.[4][7][8][10] Furthermore, the criticism of replay value was also fueled by lack of gameplay elements within stages, and repetitiveness in character storylines.[7][8][10][23] Jeff Lundigan of NextGen said of the game, "Imagine Power Stone ported to PlayStation, substitute 'wacky' robots, then add Claymation cut scenes that tell no story and are only vaguely related to what's going on. Finally, take everything that was good about Power Stone and put it somewhere else. That, in a nutshell, describes Boombots. Oh, and it's also frustrating as hell."[20]

Notes

  1. ↑ In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, three critics gave it each a score of 82, 73, and 60.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Release
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Prepare for 3D-Fightin' Fun". http://www.neverhood.se/boom/boombots/cheezy/main.html. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  3. ↑ Kumparak, Greg. "Nostalgia, Activate! Earthworm Jim's Creator Turns To Kickstarter For His Gaming Comeback". https://techcrunch.com/2013/05/28/nostalgia-activate-earthworm-jims-creator-turns-to-kickstarter-for-his-gaming-comeback/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Nix, Marc (December 3, 1999). "Boombots". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/04/boombots. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Brainard, Rick (February 9, 2000). "Boombots is fast and fun". Noble Order Press Enterprises Inc.. https://www.gameindustry.com/reviews/game-review/boombots-is-fast-and-fun/#respond. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 SkaDaddy (2000). "BoomBots". https://www.gamegenie.com/reviews/ps1/boombots.html. Retrieved November 8, 2014. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Ferris, Duke (February 2000). "Boombots Review". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150912042753/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/boombots. Retrieved September 16, 2022. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Luther, Jeff (2000). "Boombots". http://www.gamesfirst.com/reviews/jluther/boombots/boombots.htm. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  9. ↑ Karis, Alex (January 13, 2000). "Boombots". Archived from the original on February 7, 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20020207015221/http://gamezilla.com/console/reviews/b/boombotspsx.asp. Retrieved November 8, 2014. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 SolidSnake (January 8, 2000). "BoomBots Review". Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141025085339/http://www.psxextreme.com/ps1-reviews/81.html. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 "Who Are the Boombots? The Story". http://www.neverhood.se/boom/boombots/cheezy/about.html. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 "Boombots News & Info". http://www.neverhood.se/boom/boombots/cheezy/news.html. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Boombots for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190527012730/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/196804-boombots/index.html. Retrieved September 16, 2022. 
  14. ↑ Gaudiosi, Peyton (December 15, 1999). "Boombots". CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000816033414/http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sony/Boombots/. Retrieved September 17, 2022. 
  15. ↑ Conlin, Shaun (January 31, 2000). "Boombots". Greedy Productions Ltd.. Archived from the original on November 12, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20031112180730/http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=1984&full=1#mr_toppy. Retrieved September 17, 2022. 
  16. ↑ "Boombots". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (81). January 2000. 
  17. ↑ Weitzner, Jason "Fury" (December 1999). "BoomBots". GameFan (Shinno Media) 7 (12): 48–49. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_7_Issue_12/page/n49/mode/2up. Retrieved September 17, 2022. 
  18. ↑ Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Ngo, George "Eggo"; Rodriguez, Tyrone "Cerberus" (December 1999). "BoomBots". GameFan (Shinno Media) 7 (12): 16. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_7_Issue_12/page/n17/mode/2up. Retrieved September 17, 2022. 
  19. ↑ The D-Pad Destroyer (1999). "Boom Bots [sic Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com"]. GamePro (IDG Entertainment). Archived from the original on July 2, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040702222256/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/3096.shtml. Retrieved September 17, 2022. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lundrigan, Jeff (January 2000). "Boombots". NextGen (Imagine Media) (61): 97. https://archive.org/details/NextGen61Jan2000/page/n97/mode/2up. Retrieved September 16, 2022. 
  21. ↑ Maruyama, Wataru (December 1999). "Boombots". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 3 (3): 162. https://archive.org/details/Official_US_PlayStation_Magazine_Volume_3_Issue_3_1999-12_Ziff_Davis_US/page/n157/mode/2up. Retrieved September 17, 2022. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GS
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Bordelon, Phil (1999). "Boombots". http://www.psillustrated.com/psillustrated/soft_rev.php/2128/boombots-playstation.html. Retrieved October 25, 2014. 
  • 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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