Software:Dino Wars

From HandWiki
Short description: 1990 video game
For other uses, see Software:Dino Wars (disambiguation).
Dino Wars
Developer(s)
  • DigiTek Software (Amiga)[1]
  • Off The Wall Productions (DOS)[2]
  • James C. Hilty (C64)[3]
Publisher(s)
Designer(s)
  • Art V. Cestaro III
  • Scott R. Lahteine[5][6]
Platform(s)Amiga, MS-DOS, Commodore 64
Release1990[7]
Genre(s)Strategy, action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Dino Wars is a 1990 video game developed and published by DigiTek Software for the Amiga. It was ported to the MS-DOS and Commodore 64.

Gameplay

Strategy portion of the game (Amiga).

Dino Wars is a strategy game where the objective is to either capture the egg from the opposing side or to eliminate all units from the opponent army. The game can be played against the computer or another human. There are five environments available: desert, jungle, river, volcanic, and chess. Each side consists of 17 dinosaurs (9 in the Commodore 64 version). There are eight different dinosaurs, each having different statistics that affect their combat ability (e.g. strength, agility, armor). The units move on a grid and when two units occupy the same grid space, a battle occurs on a separate screen. The battle is depicted as a one-on-one fighting game, each dinosaur has a health meter which needs to be depleted in order to win the fight. The battle mode can be played on its own without the strategy part. The game also includes an encyclopedia which contains educational information about dinosaurs and related concepts.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Amiga Joker (de)87%[12]
Datormagazin (sv)73%[13]
Micro News (fr)5/5[14]
Power Play (magazine) (de)39% (Amiga)[15]
8% (C64)[16]

Computer Gaming World compared the game to Archon (1983) and Beast War (1985). They liked the graphics but disliked the game mechanics in both action and strategy phases.[17] VideoGames & Computer Entertainment called the graphics and sound "excellent" and it was noted as "the best dinosaur game ever". Amiga Action called the gameplay poor and said the game is aimed more for younger people than the hardcore gamers.[6] Amiga Power said the action part has too few moves available and called the game design too simplistic.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Penn, Gary (October 1991). "Games Reviews - Dino Wars". Amiga Power (Future plc) (6): 80. ISSN 0961-7310. 
  2. ↑ Off The Wall Productions (1990). Dino Wars. MS-DOS. DigiTek Software. Level/area: Title screen. "IBM Conversion: Off The Wall Productions Inc 1990" 
  3. ↑ James C. Hilty (1990). Dino Wars. Commodore 64. DigiTek Software. Level/area: The story screen before the title screen. "C-64 Conversion by James C. Hilty" 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ceccola, Russ (March 1991). "Computer Game Reviews - Dino Wars". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (Larry Flynt Publications): 126–127. ISSN 1059-2938. https://archive.org/details/vgce-mar-1991/page/126/mode/2up. 
  5. ↑ DigiTek Software (1990). Dino Wars. Amiga. DigiTek Software. Level/area: Credits screen. "Original Concept Sorcery: Art V. Cestaro III, Graphics & Sound Alchemy: Art V. Cestaro III & Scott R. Lahteine, Musical Conjury: Scott R. Lahteine, Programming Wizardry: Scott R. Lahteine" 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Reviews - Dino Wars". Amiga Power (Future plc) (25): 48. October 1991. ISSN 0957-4050. https://archive.org/details/amiga-action-25/page/n49/mode/1up. 
  7. ↑ "Game diskette". Dino Wars (DigiTek Software). 1990. https://www.mobygames.com/game/37221/dino-wars/cover/group-82444/cover-224493/. "Copyright DigiTek Software 1990.". 
  8. ↑ Alter, Sandra (November 1990). "Dino Wars" (in German). Aktueller Software Markt 5 (11): 32. ISSN 0933-1867. https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1990.11/page/n33/mode/2up. "Preis/Leistung: 10/12". 
  9. ↑ Alter, Sandra (March 1991). "Konvertierungen - Dino Wars" (in German). Aktueller Software Markt (Tronic-Verlag) 6 (3): 98. ISSN 0933-1867. https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1991.03/page/n99/mode/2up. "Preis/Leistung: 10/12". 
  10. ↑ "Tests - Dino Wars" (in French). Joystick (Sipress) (18): 229. July 1991. ISSN 1145-4806. https://archive.org/details/joystick018/page/n227/mode/2up. 
  11. ↑ Hautefeuille, Oliver (September 1991). "Rolling Softs - Dino Wars" (in French). Tilt (Editions Mondiales (fr)) (93): 79. ISSN 0753-6968. https://archive.org/details/Tilt093/page/n78/mode/1up. 
  12. ↑ Labiner, Michael (October 1990). "Games im Test - Dino Wars" (in German). Amiga Joker (de) (Joker-Verlag) (10): 17. https://archive.org/details/Amiga_Joker_1990-10_Joker_Verlag_DE/page/n15/mode/2up. 
  13. ↑ Friskytt, Magnus (August 1991). "Nöje - Dino Wars" (in Swedish). Datormagazin (sv) (Bröderna Lindströms Förlags AB) 6 (13): 58. ISSN 0283-3379. https://archive.org/details/Datormagazin1991Nr22/Datormagazin_1991_nr13/page/n57/mode/2up. 
  14. ↑ Allain, Sylvain (December 1990). "Tops Softs - Dino Wars" (in French). Micro News (fr) (Sandyx) (42). ISSN 0986-2153. https://archive.org/details/micro-news-42/page/n69/mode/2up. 
  15. ↑ Forster, Winfried (February 1991). "Power Tests - Computerspiele - Dino Wars" (in German). Power Play (magazine) (de) (Markt+Technik) (2/91): 134. ISSN 0937-9754. https://archive.org/details/powerplay_1991-02/page/n133/mode/1up. 
  16. ↑ Forster, Winfried (April 1991). "Power Tests - Computerspiele - Dino Wars" (in German). Power Play (magazine) (de) (Markt+Technik) (4/91): 119. ISSN 0937-9754. https://archive.org/details/powerplay_1991-04/page/n118/mode/1up. 
  17. ↑ "Taking a Peek - DigiTek Software". Computer Gaming World (Russell Sipe) (79): 8. February 1991. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_79/page/n7/mode/1up. 
  • 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 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]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

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. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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