Software:Discs of Tron

From HandWiki
Short description: 1983 video game
Discs of Tron
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s)Bally Midway[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Bally Midway[lower-alpha 2]
Designer(s)Robert Dinnerman
Artist(s)Brian Colin
Platform(s)Arcade, Xbox 360
ReleaseSeptember 1983: Arcade[1]
February 13, 2008: Xbox
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player
Arcade systemBally Midway MCR-III

Discs of Tron is the second arcade video game based on the 1982 Disney film Tron.[2][3] While the first Tron is a collection of four minigames, Discs of Tron is a single game inspired by Tron's disc-battles. It is set in an arena similar to the one in the jai alai–style sequence.

In 2008, a port to the Xbox 360, via Xbox Live Arcade, by Backbone Entertainment was published by Disney Interactive Studios.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Discs of Tron is based on several scenes in the Tron film, combining the jai alai-like combat between Flynn and Crom with the disc combat between Tron and Sark. The player controls Tron in a one-on-one battle with Sark, presented in a fixed three-dimensional view behind Tron. Using a control scheme similar to that of the original Tron arcade game, the player moves around with a joystick, throws discs using a trigger button, and defends with a thumb button. The player uses a rotary dial to move a targeting reticle around the arena walls, and in later levels the player can also pull up and push down on the knob to aim up and down.

Each match takes place in a closed arena on top of platforms made of concentric disks, like in the jai alai sequence. Tron and Sark attempt to destroy each other by either directly hitting their opponent or causing him to fall off his platform. Tron and Sark can each throw up to three discs at a time. Assuming it is not destroyed, each disc automatically returns to the player (destroyed discs regenerate). Tron can defend himself by hitting Sark's discs with his own or by using a deflector, of which he has a limited supply. Sark can additionally attack Tron with high-speed missiles, chaser orbs, and "super chasers" (which consist of an orb and two orbiting disks), which cannot be deflected.

In later levels, platforms begin to move up and down vertically, requiring the player to aim up and down as well. Tron and Sark can bounce discs off the ceiling (similar to the energy ball in the jai alai sequence) with the goal of hitting one of their opponent's platforms. If successful, the platform flashes briefly and then disappears, reducing the character's movement or possibly causing him to fall and die. The platform reappears after about ten seconds. For some levels, a continuously scrolling wall of blocks appears between Tron and Sark; these blocks must be destroyed to open gaps in the wall before either character can hit the other.

The game has a total of twelve levels, with Sark becoming more aggressive throughout the game. Once the twelfth level is completed, levels repeat from six to twelve until the player runs out of lives.

Development

The game's concept originated as a fifth minigame in the original Tron, which was cut due to time constraints.[4] The concept was then repurposed for Discs of Tron, using more advanced hardware.[4]

Release

This game was released just before the video game crash of 1983. In 2004, it was released again in the Game Boy Advance game Tron 2.0. Disney Interactive Studios released an updated port on Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360 in February 2008.

Reception

In 1996, Next Generation listed the arcade version as number 87 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time". Calling it "one of the first games to attempt a 3D environment", they remarked that the fast-paced and complex gameplay works due to the responsive controls. They also praised the enemy AI as advanced for its time, though they complained that a head-to-head multiplayer mode was an obvious feature that had not been included.[5]

Xbox Live Arcade

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic44/100[6]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Eurogamer5/10[7]
GameSpot4.5/10[8]
GamesRadar+StarStar[9]
GameZone2.9/10[10]
IGN3/10[11]
OXM (UK)2/10[12]
OXM (US)8/10[13]
TeamXbox3/10[14]

The Xbox Live Arcade version received "unfavorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6] Official Xbox Magazine gave it a favorable review, while its UK edition gave it a negative review, nearly a year before its release worldwide.[12][13]

Competition

According to Twin Galaxies, David Bagenski of Syracuse, New York, United States, scored a world record 418,200 points on June 28, 1986 during the 1986 Video Game Masters Tournament.[citation needed]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ported to Xbox 360 and developed by Backbone Entertainment.
  2. ↑ Published by Disney Interactive Studios on Xbox 360.

References

  1. ↑ "Manufacturers Equipment". Cash Box: 42. February 2, 1985. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-02-02.pdf#page=42. 
  2. ↑ "Discs of Tron : Bally Midway". 1983. https://archive.org/details/arcade_dotron. 
  3. ↑ "Discs Of Tron". https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7594. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 EGM staff (February 1998). "The Tron Competition". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (103): 90. https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly103/page/n93/mode/2up. Retrieved November 9, 2022. 
  5. ↑ "Top 100 Games of All Time (#87)". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (21): 39, 43. September 1996. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_21/page/n41/mode/2up. Retrieved November 9, 2022. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Discs of Tron for Xbox 360 Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/discs-of-tron/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360. 
  7. ↑ Parkin, Simon (February 13, 2008). "Xbox Live Arcade Roundup (Page 2)". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/xbox-live-arcade-roundup-review?page=2. 
  8. ↑ Francis, Don (February 14, 2008). "Discs of Tron Review (X360)". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/discs-of-tron-review/1900-6186076/. 
  9. ↑ Sewart, Greg (February 15, 2008). "Discs of Tron - Xbox Live Arcade review". Future plc. https://www.gamesradar.com/discs-of-tron-xbox-live-arcade-review/. 
  10. ↑ David, Mike (February 21, 2008). "Discs Of Tron - 360 - Review". https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/discs_of_tron_360_review/. 
  11. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (February 11, 2008). "Discs of Tron Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/02/12/discs-of-tron-review. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Review: Discs of Tron". Official Xbox Magazine UK (Future plc): 103. August 2007. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Discs of Tron". Official Xbox Magazine (Future US): 79. July 2007. 
  14. ↑ Chapman, Davis (February 12, 2008). "Discs of Tron Review (Xbox 360)". IGN Entertainment. http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1469/Discs-of-Tron/p1/. 

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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari




Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Discs_of_Tron&oldid=777783"