Software:Chameleon Twist

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Chameleon Twist
North American box art
Developer(s)Japan System Supply
Publisher(s)
  • JP: Japan System Supply
Director(s)Masaki Kimura
Producer(s)Taeko Nagata
Designer(s)Hideyuki Nakanishi
Programmer(s)Hideyuki Nakanishi
Masataka Imura
Takashi Isugioka
Masaki Kimura
Masaomi Ishimoto
Composer(s)Takashi Sugioka
Takashi Makino
Yuuji Nakao
Nobutoshi Ichimiya
Koki Tochio
Tsutomu Washijima
Hiroshi Takami
Fumihiko Yamada
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Chameleon Twist (カメレオンツイスト, Kamereon Tsuisuto) is a 1997 video game developed by Japan System Supply, published by Japan System Supply in Japan, and published by Sunsoft in North America and Europe for the Nintendo 64.

Though disliked by critics due to its easy gameplay, repetitive music, and awkward camera angles, Chameleon Twist was followed by a sequel titled Chameleon Twist 2.

This 3D platform game has players take on the role of one of four anthropomorphic chameleons, and travel across six themed worlds. The chameleon's elongated tongue can be used as a weapon, a means to traverse gaps, or as a way to leap onto platforms. Once the tongue is unrolled, it can be guided in any direction using the analog stick. A five-room training area lets players practice the controls. The single-player game involves progressing through predominately indoor environments, each culminating in a boss battle, while collecting hearts to replenish health.[3]

Story

The protagonist of the game is a blue chameleon named Davy who, upon following a rabbit (closely resembling the White Rabbit from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland) into a magical hole in the ground, finds he has taken on a humanoid form.

The plot involves Davy or one of his friends, Jack, Fred, or Linda, traveling throughout the six lands of the magic portal he enters, in an attempt to find a way back through the portal and back home, following the same rabbit he met before he entered the world.[3]

Gameplay

Pressing the B button makes the player character stick out its tongue. Using the analog stick, players then control the movement of the tongue. This enables players to obtain power-ups from a distance or to swallow enemies. The tongue will extend until it reaches its full length and retracts back into the chameleon's mouth, or until it bumps a wall, which yields the same result. As a basic attack, Davy and his friends, who have the same powers, can stick out their tongue and swallow enemies that stick to it. Once inside their mouth, the Chameleons have the option of spitting the enemies back out of their mouths at other enemies.[4]

In order to jump up to levels of ground that are usually impossible to reach, the characters are able to launch themselves into the air by using their tongues. If used while the chameleon is moving in a particular direction, the jump is given even more altitude, in what is comparable to pole vaulting.

When faced with impassable gaps in the ground, player characters can grab a pole on the other side of the pit, allowing them to either move across the pit in a set direction. The player may rather choose to move across the pit in a circular motion by swinging around the pole by pressing the A button and the desired direction after grabbing the pole.

Multiplayer

In addition to the single-player game, Chameleon Twist offers a battle option, allowing two to four players the chance to take part in either a Battle Royal or Time Trial event. Battle Royal has players vying to be the last chameleon left standing on a suspended platform, while Time Trial rewards the chameleon that stays on the platform the longest. In the latter event, the chameleon that has fallen off the fewest times is considered the winner. Options include four difficulty settings for multiplayer games, adjustable battle lengths, and a choice of four stages for both the Battle Royal and Time Trial modes.[3]

Release

The game was originally only planned for release in Japan, but Sunsoft and Nintendo thought children in the U.S. would enjoy the title.[4]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings59%[5]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStar[3]
EGM6.25/10[6]
Famitsu28/40[7]
Game Informer7/10[8]
GameSpot5.1/10[9]
N64 Magazine70%[10]
Nintendo Power5.9/10[11]

Chameleon Twist received mixed reviews, with common criticisms being awkward camera angles which can cause the player to make mistakes,[6][9][12][11][13] the short length,[6][9][12] and the low difficulty.[6][9] Some critics noted in its defense that the game was clearly targeted towards young children. GameSpot, for instance, concluded that "it's not outwardly offensive in any way; it's just obviously aimed at a young audience. Really, it's a pretty innocuous little game and probably worth a rental if you have an itch for another 3D N64 platformer. You won't likely entertain any thoughts of buying it afterwards, except possibly as a present for a younger relative. Kids though, they'll eat it up."[9] Sushi-X of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) likewise commented, "Obviously, Chameleon Twist is aimed at beginners, and with that in mind, I can see the appeal of the overly cute graphics and sickeningly sweet background tunes."[6] The music was almost universally criticized as being overly saccharine and repetitive.[6][12][11][13]

EGM and GameSpot both also criticized the game as being wholly lacking in originality.[6][9] GamePro, which gave one of the more positive reviews for Chameleon Twist, acknowledged that it is "straight-forward hop-n-bop stuff" and has issues with the graphics and audio, but argued that it has underlying entertainment value and even challenge.[13] Contrarily, Nintendo Power said the game has innovative mechanics and puzzles, but the novelty of the innovations wears off and the game ultimately becomes frustrating and dull.[11] Peer Schneider similarly wrote in IGN, "While I liked some of the original touches and moves (the whole tongue thing is cool), the ugly graphics and sound, useless multiplayer mode and short quest keep me from recommending the game."[12]

GameSpot and Sushi-X of EGM joined Schneider in describing the multiplayer modes as so unexciting as to be worthless,[6][9][12] but GamePro and Sushi-X's co-reviewer John Ricciardi described the Battle Royale mode as a highlight.[6][13]

The game held a score of 59% on the review aggregation website GameRankings based on eight reviews.[5] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "NINTENDO64全発売ソフト一覧" (in ja). Nintendo Co, Ltd.. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/1997.html. 
  2. ↑ "Game Informer News". Game Informer. 1999-02-21. http://www.gameinformer.com/news/dec97/120997b.html. Retrieved 2023-04-06. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Scott McCall. "Chameleon Twist - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141115021538/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=969&tab=review. Retrieved July 3, 2019. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Chameleon Twist: Just a Boy and his Multitalented Tongue". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (102): 40. January 1998. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Chameleon Twist for Nintendo 64". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191209001056/https://www.gamerankings.com/n64/196896-chameleon-twist/index.html. Retrieved July 3, 2019. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 "Review Crew: Chameleon Twist". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (103): 105. February 1998. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "カメレオン・ツイスト [NINTENDO64"] (in Japanese). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=14513&redirect=no. Retrieved July 3, 2019. 
  8. ↑ "Chameleon Twist". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (70). April 1998. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Fielder, Joe (March 4, 1998). "Chameleon Twist Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/chameleon-twist-review/1900-2544248/. Retrieved July 3, 2019. 
  10. ↑ Davies, Jonathan (January 1998). "Chameleon Twist". N64 Magazine (Future plc) (10): 66–68. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Chameleon Twist". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 103: 95. December 1997. http://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-345-100.jpg. Retrieved July 4, 2019. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named IGN
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Toxic Tommy (March 1998). "Nintendo 64 ProReview: Chameleon Twist". GamePro (IDG) (114): 88. 
  • 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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