Software:Cyber Police ESWAT
| Cyber Police ESWAT | |
|---|---|
Japanese arcade flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Sega |
| Publisher(s) | Sega Home computers U.S. Gold |
| Designer(s) | Nandemo, Macco Chan, Seishi Atsumiya, Mikarin |
| Composer(s) | Yasuhiro Kawakami |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum |
| Release | Arcade Home computers |
| Genre(s) | Run and gun |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Arcade system | System 16 |
Cyber Police ESWAT (サイバーポリス イースワット) is a 1989 run and gun video game developed and published by Sega for arcades. The player controls Duke Oda, a member of the Liberty City Cyber Police Force tasked with finding and arresting the city's most wanted criminals, and eventually dismantling a terrorist organization planning world domination. In 1990, Sega released a separate version for the Sega Genesis and Master System, known in North America as Software:ESWAT: City Under Siege.
Gameplay

The gameplay is similar to Sega's own Shinobi (1987),[4] as the player has the ability to jump up and down between planes where possible. The goal of each of the game's 15 stages is to find and arrest a specific wanted criminal, who is usually fought at the end of the stage as a boss. Duke is initially armed with only a single-shot pistol, but upon arresting the first three criminals and being promoted to ESWAT, Duke is equipped with a Power Suit with a mounted machine gun for the rest of the game. The suit also has access to limited-use special weapons which can be found within stages. However, both of Duke's standard weapons require ammunition, without which the player can only attack with a kick. Additional ammunition can be found in boxes throughout each stage.
Hardware/conversion
The game was issued on Sega's System 16-B which is built around the M68000 and uses a Z80 and a YM2151 for amplified mono sound generation. The System 16 pinout is not JAMMA compatible but JAMMA adaptors are available and fairly common. The game was released in a dedicated two player cabinet and also as a kit that contained the System 16 to JAMMA adaptor. Each player requires one start button, one joystick, and three action buttons (shoot, jump, special weapons). This game utilizes a standard resolution arcade monitor.
Reception
Computer and Video Games called the game a cross between NARC and RoboCop, but wrote that it "doesn't quite have the flair of either". Rating the game at 76% overall, they recommended only playing Cyber Police if they were bored with the two other games.[5]
References
- ↑ Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006) (in ja). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 131. ISBN 978-4990251215. https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n132.
- ↑ "ESWAT (Registration Number PA0000428171)". https://cocatalog.loc.gov.
- ↑ "Preview: E-SWAT". Computer and Video Games (EMAP) (107): 125. October 1990. https://retrocdn.net/images/4/4e/CVG_UK_107.pdf.
- ↑ "Pedal To The Metal: Sega Set To Speed, Swing, Sidekick Into The 1990s With New Fall Line". Vending Times 29 (10): 52–5. August 1989. https://archive.org/details/VendingTimesVOL29NO10August1989Clearscan/page/n47.
- ↑ "Cyber Police". Computer and Video Games. November 1989. p. 97.
External links
- Cyber Police ESWAT at the Killer List of Videogames
- 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

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
- ↑ 1.0 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/.
- ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
- ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
- ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
- ↑ "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/.
- ↑ "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/.
- ↑ 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/.
- ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
- ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
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