Software:Captain Silver

From HandWiki
Short description: 1987 video game
Captain Silver
Japanese arcade flyer
Developer(s)Jorudan[1]
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)Shogo Sakai, Takafumi Miura, Yuji Suzuki (Famicom)
Platform(s)
Release
Genre(s)Platform, hack and slash[7]
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Captain Silver (キャプテンシルバー, Kyaputen Shirubā) is a side-scrolling hack and slash platform game released as an arcade video game by Data East in 1987. Home versions were published for the Master System by Sega and for the NES by Tokuma Shoten.

Plot

A young sailor and former first mate named Jim Aykroyd (Jack Avery in US) who goes on a journey to seek the lost treasure of Captain Silver, facing various perils along the way.

It is loosely based on Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island in which a young sailor named Jim Hawkins confront the pirate Long John Silver on a tropical island over his treasure.

Gameplay

The arcade version

The controls consists of an eight-way joystick for walking, crouching and climbing ladders and two action buttons for attacking and jumping. The player is armed primarily with a sword slashing horizontally while standing and crouching and vertically while climbing a ladder. The player can also move while crouching.

Picking up flying fairies grants the player magic power, shooting projectiles with the sword. The player can increase the magic power by up to six levels, resulting in greater and more powerful projectiles.

There are other power-ups such as a longsword to destroy enemy projectiles, a pair of boots to walk faster and jump higher, a bottle of potion to take a hit from an enemy, and a stopwatch that temporarily stops the time limit. Both the longsword and the boots can only be used temporarily at first, but if the player acquires a second version of either while still wearing the previous one, they can be kept permanently until the player loses a life. Treasure items can be acquired for points as well. Keys can be acquired which gives the player access to item shops and treasure vaults. The player's own score is used as currency to gain power-ups and extra lives at the expense of a lower score. Defeated enemies will drop letter icons that the player can collect for points as well. If the player collects the required letters needed to fill out the "CAPTAIN SILVER" gauge at the bottom of the screen, an extra life is obtained.

There are a total of three stages (or scenes): a haunted town at night, a pirate ship, and a treasure island. Each scene features its unique set of enemy characters such as werewolves, witches, pirates, natives, several kinds of animals, man-eating plants and other hazards. Scene 3 ends with a final battle against the skeletal being of Captain Silver. After the player complete the game once, there is a second quest consisting of harder versions of the same stages in order to finish the game.

Home versions

Master System

The Master System version was released by Sega on July 2, 1988. Two versions of the game were produced, a 1-Megabit cartridge for the North American market and a 2-Megabit cartridge for Japan and Europe.[8]

The play mechanics in the Master System version is roughly identical to the arcade game and most of the power-ups and bonus items are retained, the player can only increase magic power by up to three levels instead of six, the longsword power-up is removed, boots cannot be worn permanently. However, the medicine power-up can last permanently until the player gets hit and there are also treasure chests in certain stages that will give the player one of two rewards (a bonus item or free access to an item shop).

The American version only features four stages roughly based on the ones in the arcade version (a town, a ship, an island, and a mountain) and only two bosses (Captain Coppard and Captain Silver). The Japanese and European version features two additional stages set intermittently between the before the final two stages, several additional enemy characters, a boss for each stage in addition to the ones in the American version (a sorceress, a Cyclope, a fire-breathing dragon, and a banana-shaped warrior). The ending epilogue in the Japanese and European version also features visuals as well instead of the text-only epilogue of the American version.[8] Both versions supported Sega's FM sound module for the Master System.

Famicom version

The Famicom Version was released exclusively in Japan by Tokuma Shoten on December 16, 1988. This version features several substantial differences from the arcade version. The player now has a health gauge and can take more than one hit before losing a life (which can be replenished by picking up hearts). However, some of the enemy grunts now take more than one slice to defeat as well. The player can now purchase all weapon power-ups in item shops, which can be changed through a sub-menu. The stages are different and the bosses include new foes such as Frankenstein's monster and a giant octopus. The player can enter houses and rooms where an old lady will offer advice to the player (such as an enemy's weak point). However, some of the old ladies the player will encounter are hostile and will bring a curse to the player (like reducing his health by half). The ending varies depending on whether the player used a continue to finish the game.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
ArcadeMaster System
CVGPositive[3]
EGM4.5/10[9]
Console XS82%[11]

In Japan, Game Machine listed Captain Silver on their September 1, 1987 issue as being the fourteenth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.[12]

References

  1. ↑ @reddrag64988892. "「キャプテンシルバー」！ゲーム企画は、（変わり者の（笑））秋山さんでした。で、２つのCPU（6809)間のやりとり手順やシステム設計を私が行い、実作業は外注の（もう、知られているでしょうから書いてしまいます）ジョルダン情報サービスさん。酷い・・・もとい、ユニークなゲームでしたねー。" (in ja). https://twitter.com/reddrag64988892/status/1405520648634388484.  Missing or empty |date= (help)
  2. ↑ "CAPTAIN SILVER". Agency for Cultural Affairs. https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M728896. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Edgeley, Clare (15 August 1987). "Arcade Action". Computer and Video Games (71 (September 1987)). https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/47/69. 
  4. ↑ "Sega Mark III" (in ja). Sega. https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html. 
  5. ↑ "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer 8 (7): 15. October 20, 1989. https://retrocdn.net/images/7/75/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.8_07.pdf#15. 
  6. ↑ "キャプテンシルバー [ファミコン / ファミ通.com"]. http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=15711. 
  7. ↑ "Complete Games Guide". Mean Machines (20 (28 April 1992)): 18. May 1992. https://archive.org/details/Mean_Machines_Complete_Games_Guide_1992-05_EMAP_Images_GB_suppliment_issue_20/page/n10/mode/1up. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Captain Silver – Hardcore Gaming 101". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/captain-silver/. 
  9. ↑ "Shiver me Timbers, Matey!". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) (5): 44. December 1989. https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_05/page/n43. 
  10. ↑ "Captain Silver SMS Review". The Games Machine (Newsfield Publications) (14): 74. January 1989. https://archive.org/details/thegamesmachine-14/page/n73. 
  11. ↑ "Software A-Z: Master System". Console XS (United Kingdom: Paragon Publishing) (1 (June/July 1992)): 137–47. 23 April 1992. https://archive.org/details/console-xs-01/page/137. 
  12. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc.) (315): 23. 1 September 1987. 
  • 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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