Software:Destruction Derby

From HandWiki
Short description: 1995 video game
For the arcade game, see Destruction Derby (1975 video game).
Destruction Derby
North American PlayStation box art
Developer(s)Reflections Interactive[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Psygnosis
Director(s)Martin Edmondson
Producer(s)Tony Parks
Designer(s)Martin Edmondson
Composer(s)Tim Swan
Platform(s)PlayStation, MS-DOS, Windows, Sega Saturn
Release
Genre(s)Vehicular combat, racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Destruction Derby is a 1995 vehicular combat racing video game developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Psygnosis for MS-DOS, PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Based on the sport of demolition derby, the game tasks the player with racing and destroying cars to score points. The developers implemented simulated physics to make the results of collisions easier to predict, and they kept the game's tracks small to increase the number of wrecks. Critics found Destruction Derby enjoyable and praised its graphics and car damage system, although the Saturn release received mixed reviews. The game started the Destruction Derby series, beginning with its 1996 sequel, Destruction Derby 2.

Gameplay

The player engages in a Destruction Derby contest at The Bowl.

Destruction Derby is a vehicular combat racer based on the sport of demolition derby.[6][7] The game contains three vehicles.[8] Collisions in the game affect the controls of each car, limiting their steering and maximum speed.[9][10] Frontal collisions risk damage to the car's radiator, which causes the car to overheat and stop running.[9] Four game modes are available: Destruction Derby, Wreckin' Racing, Stock Car Racing and Time Trial. In Destruction Derby, the player earns points by destroying other cars in a large, trackless arena called The Bowl;[7][9] in Stock Car Racing, the player must finish in first place, and no points are awarded for destroying cars. Wreckin' Racing is a hybrid of the two, in which the player earns points both by winning the race and by destroying other cars. Time Trial is a solo time attack mode.[7] The PlayStation version features system link play for two players,[11] while the MS-DOS version has an online multiplayer mode.[9]

Development and release

The British development studio Reflections Interactive began creating Destruction Derby for the PlayStation in late 1994.[11][12] It was published by Sony Computer Entertainment's Psygnosis branch, which allowed Reflections to receive PlayStation development kits long before that console's release.[13] The game debuted at the May 1995 Electronic Entertainment Expo,[14] and its initial title was variously reported as Demolition Derby and Demolish 'em Derby. Writers for Edge and Next Generation commented that the game could "trounce" Ridge Racer upon the PlayStation's release.[11][14]

To make the results of car collisions easier to predict, Reflections implemented simulated physics into Destruction Derby. Director Martin Edmondson believed that the game would otherwise be "completely unplayable", as with "pool when the collisions are all off". Producer Tony Parks noted that the physics were simplified to improve performance and to compensate for the PlayStation's digital controller, and that the team sought a balance between "realism and playability". Performance was also improved by optimising the game's graphics, and by reducing the level of detail of objects in the distance. Destruction Derby's game engine supports up to twenty cars on screen simultaneously, which no console racing game, other than Daytona USA, had achieved until that time. However, a single wire-frame model, differentiated by texture maps, was used for every vehicle. Damage to vehicles is modelled in real-time, based on the speed and angle of the cars involved.[13] The team made the game's tracks small to "keep the density of the cars on the track very high", which allowed for large-scale wrecks.[14] Plans were made to support up to eight players with the PlayStation Link Cable.[10]

Destruction Derby was officially released on 20 October 1995 on PlayStation and then MS-DOS. Perfect Entertainment worked on the port to Sega Saturn; this version lacks transparencies. GameFan's Ryan Lockhart estimated that the port was "80% ready" in the magazine's August 1996 issue,[15] and it was released in August 1996,[16] in Europe and Japan only.[17][18] In April 1996, an enhanced version of the game was released for Microsoft Windows, featuring a higher base resolution (512x384 as opposed to 320x200), a greater number of damage points to match the PlayStation version, and better texture quality.[5] The PlayStation version was re-released through the PlayStation Network store in 2007,[19] and then was included in the PlayStation Classic in 2018.[20]

Reception

Sales

The game sold more than 1 million copies by August 1996.[21]

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CVG90% (PC),[22] 3/10 (SAT)[23]
Edge7/10 (PS1)[31]
Famitsu25/40 (PS1, SAT)[28][29]
GameSpot7.1/10 (PC)[24]
IGN7/10 (PS1)[32]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar (PS1, PC)[25][26]
PC Gamer (US)88% (PC)[9]
The Electric Playground
Dimension-393% (PC)[30]
Sega Saturn Magazine68% (SAT)[27]

Critical

Writing for GamePro, Captain Squideo called Destruction Derby "the most raucous racing experience of the fall". He believed that its "graphics are almost all you could want for a game" of this type, but wrote that "nothing here stands out as graphically spectacular". He complained that the game does not let players customise cars, and he disliked its lack of split-screen multiplayer. He summarised, "Limited options keep Destruction Derby out of the winner's circuit, but this rowdy stock-car racer still generates a stadium full of thrashin' fun."[33] Victor Lucas of The Electric Playground stated that "the beauty of the game" is the strategy involved in making "calculated strikes" against enemy vehicles, and he wrote, "If you go all out and try to make big noise on the track, more than likely you'll be limping to the scrap yard in seconds." He believed that the game's Stock Car racing mode "is no match for the white knuckle inertia of either Wipeout or Ridge Racer", and that the demolition derbies in The Bowl were "most fun to be had" in the game. He praised the game's graphics and physics, and concluded, "Destruction Derby is a winner in every capacity."[8] A reviewer for Next Generation was extremely pleased with the concept of smashing into other cars, saying it taps into a near-universal fantasy. He remarked the single-player mode is indefinably "lacking" but the multiplayer offers unqualified enjoyment.[25] The IGN reviewer commented that the controls are "way, way too loose".[32]

The PC port was also well received. Lee Buchanan of PC Gamer US praised "the spectacular visuals that bring to life the most jarring collisions I've seen on a computer", and he noted that "[car] damage is depicted beautifully". Like Lucas, he wrote that the player "can't just mindlessly smash into other cars; this is thinking man's destruction". Although he found the game too easy "even at the toughest difficulty level", he found this to be a minor issue that did not detract from the experience. He considered the game's online play to be a high point, and he finished, "Destruction Derby is a blast, and a welcome change of pace from high-end driving simulations."[9] Peter Olafson of Computer Gaming World called the game "a great simulation" of demolition derbies, and he wrote that the wrecks are "convulsive and realistic". He believed that the game "has never-before-seen quality that will instantly make it a showpiece game to demonstrate to open-mouthed friends and relatives", and he considered the car damage to be "especially marvelous—and unprecedented for this sort of game". However, he found that its "useful life span is surprisingly short" and he hoped for a track editor in its sequel. He summarised, "Despite its limitations, this is a great game, but it has a lot more potential."[6] A reviewer for Next Generation remarked that while the game is a straight port of the PlayStation version, it is an impeccably accurate one. He applauded the authentic modelling of vehicle crashes, multiple modes, smoothness of gameplay, and inclusion of both network and modem options, and found the game's only downside is that the camera zooms out so little that it can be difficult to see nearby cars.[26] Computer & Video Games said that the port is an "incredible conversion of the PS game which runs easily as fast and with as much detail."[22]

Reviewing the game's Sega Saturn version, Kim Randell of Computer & Video Games noted its "inferior graphics" that do not have "the sheen and glossiness of its PlayStation counterpart". Randell believed that it was made "much too late to cause the kind of sensation that WipEout did. Comparisons with the PlayStation version are inevitable, and the rather haphazard conversion means that the Saturn version lacks the polish of its rival."[23] Rob Allsetter's review in Sega Saturn Magazine (from the same publisher as Computer & Video Games) recycled most of the text from Randell's review, including the closing remarks.[27]

Retrospective

Mike Channell of Top Gear in 2021 called Destruction Derby "technologically impressive" for its time. He further praised the strategic side to the "chaos": "You'd need to use reverse gear for as long as possible to avoid hobbling your radiator immediately".[34] In a 2023 article by IGN as part of their '90s Week, Peer Schneider selected the game as one of three "forgotten launch gems" of the PlayStation, stating "you couldn't ask for a better tech demo to dazzle your friends than showing off 20 cars on screen, peeling out and crashing into each other."[35]

Sequels

Destruction Derby received two sequels on the PlayStation: Destruction Derby 2 (1996) and Destruction Derby Raw (2000). There was also a Nintendo 64 exclusive title, Destruction Derby 64 (1999). The only PlayStation 2 title, and the last in the series, was Destruction Derby Arenas (2004).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Ported to Sega Saturn by Perfect Entertainment

References

  1. ↑ "Destruction Derby - (NTSC-U)". https://psxdatacenter.com/games/U/D/SCUS-94302.html. 
  2. ↑ "CTW Games Guide". Computer Trade Weekly (United Kingdom) (559): 32. 16 October 1995. 
  3. ↑ CVG Preview. p. 84. https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_168_1995-11_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n83. 
  4. ↑ "PC Player German Magazine 1995-12" (in German). PC Player: 28. December 1995. https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1995-12/page/n27/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Destruction Derby Old PC Computing Resource". https://dosdays.co.uk/topics/Games/game_dderby.php. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Olafson, Peter (February 1996). "Car Wars". Computer Gaming World (139): 68, 70, 72, 254. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Thomas, Huw (1996). Destruction Derby MS-DOS manual. Psygnosis. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named elecplay
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Buchanan, Lee (March 1996). "Destruction Derby". PC Gamer US. http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/339.html. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Taylor, Matt (July 1995). "Destruction Derby". GameFan 3 (7): 70, 71. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Staff (June 1995). "Demolish 'em Derby". Edge (21): 28. 
  12. ↑ Staff (August 1995). "Head to head". Next Generation (8): 50–52. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Staff (September 1995). "Destruction Derby". Next Generation (9): 58–62. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Staff (July 1995). "Demolition Derby". Next Generation (7): 59. 
  15. ↑ Lockhart, Ryan (August 1996). "Destruction Derby". GameFan 4 (8): 62. 
  16. ↑ "Destruction Derby for Saturn". IGN. http://www.ign.com/games/destruction-derby/saturn-355. 
  17. ↑ "Destruction Derby" (in en). https://www.satakore.com/sega-saturn-game,,T-11303H-50,,Destruction-Derby-EUR.html. 
  18. ↑ "Destruction Derby" (in en). https://www.satakore.com/sega-saturn-game,,T-18604G,,Destruction-Derby-JPN.html. 
  19. ↑ Kollar, Philip (27 February 2007). "Full Auto 2 Demo, Destruction Derby Hit PS3 Today". 1UP.com. IGN. http://www.1up.com/news/full-auto-2-demo-destruction. 
  20. ↑ "PlayStation Classic: Details on video output and multiplayer, and a closer look in the unboxing video". 26 November 2018. https://www.vg247.com/playstation-classic-unboxing-video. 
  21. ↑ Wertz, Langston (23 August 1996). "Psygnosis to continue carrying Playstation". p. 22. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86177214/albuquerque-journal/. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "The Computer and Video Games Christmas Buyers Guide". Computer and Video Games (EMAP) (170 (January 1996)): 8–9. 10 December 1995. https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_170_1996-01_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n7/mode/2up. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Randell, Kim. "Destruction Derby". Computer & Video Games. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=7980. 
  24. ↑ Hudak, Chris (1 May 1996). "Destruction Derby Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/destruction-derby-review/1900-2538611/. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Smashing". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (11): 170. November 1995. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Here Comes Another One...". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (14): 172. February 1996. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Allsetter, Rob (October 1996). "Review: Destruction Derby". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (12): 70–71. 
  28. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130702093158/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=3720
  29. ↑ Famitsu (1996-09-27). 
  30. ↑ "Come on flash! Let's get them duke boys!". Dimensions-3 (Dimensions Publishing) (7). https://archive.org/details/dimension-3-1995-12/page/n25/. 
  31. ↑ "Test Screen: Destruction Derby". Edge (26): 66. https://archive.org/details/Edge_Gaming/Edge%20Gaming%20Magazine%20026/page/n51/mode/2up. 
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "Destruction Derby". 22 November 1996. https://www.ign.com/articles/1996/11/22/destruction-derby. 
  33. ↑ Captain Squideo (November 1995). "Destruction Derby". GamePro (86): 54. 
  34. ↑ https://www.topgear.com/car-news/gaming/remembering-classic-games-destruction-derby-1995#comments
  35. ↑ Schneider, Peer (2023-08-03). "Top 3 Forgotten PlayStation Launch Gems" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/top-3-forgotten-playstation-launch-gems. 
  • Official website (archived)
  • 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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