Software:F1 Pole Position 64

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
F1 Pole Position 64
European edition box art
Developer(s)Human Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • JP: March 28, 1997
  • EU: October 1, 1997
  • NA: October 15, 1997[1]
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player

F1 Pole Position 64, released in Japan as Human Grand Prix: The New Generation (ヒューマングランプリ ザ・ニュージェネレーション, Hyūman Guran Puri Za Nyū Jenerēshon), is a racing video game for the Nintendo 64 developed by Human Entertainment and published by Human Entertainment in Japan, and published by Ubi Soft for North American and Europe. It is the fifth and final game in the Human Grand Prix / F1 Pole Position series (with the F1 Pole Position branding skipping over the previous III and IV editions), featuring Formula One branding.

F1 Pole Position 64 is based on the 1996 Formula One season, although the Japanese version did not have licenses from the FIA or the FOCA.

Gameplay

Screenshot featuring the Monaco street circuit, driven in a Ferrari F310

The game features all the tracks from the 1996 season, at a time when the racing began in Australia, and ended in Japan. Teams are set up with relevant drivers (with Jacques Villeneuve being replaced with a generic driver named "Driver-X" due to Villeneuve not licensing his likeness), however there is a roster-feature included, which allows the player to reassign drivers to different teams (including assigning the same driver to more than one role), and even removing a real driver and replacing him with unknown drivers named "Driver <1~8>" (Driver 2's image, date of birth and nationality all match that of Ralf Schumacher, who did not begin his F1 career until 1997; in the Japanese version, the drivers are loosely named after Formula One drivers not racing in 1996). If the player finishes overall first in the World Grand Prix mode, they can change engines between teams as well. Both driver and engine swapping will significantly affect the performance of the car.

The car can be controlled with either the analog stick or D-pad on the standard Nintendo 64 controller.[2] Weather is variable, and inclement weather can occur in the middle of a race.[2] On the bottom left corner of the screen are different indicators for car conditions: a fuel gauge and five indicators, one for each part of the car (in order: wings, tires, suspension, brakes and gearbox), all of which change color according to the car's condition, from blue to yellow to red to flashing red. When an indicator reaches flashing red, the player risks retiring from the race if it isn't fixed in time.

The main Grand Prix Mode allows players to progress through the racing calendar, with each race being ten laps; there are also battle mode (single race format) and time trial modes. Battle mode allows the player to choose what drivers to race against as well as standard options like laps and weather options. The game features internal vehicle damage (see bottom left of screen shot) but no external, apart from smoke that would appear if a driver blew their engine. The game only allows players to drive by default a maximum of 10 laps on every track, however by holding down a button when one is selecting how many laps to do, the player can exceed that limit and race up to 30 laps.

Development

The game was showcased at E3 1997.[3]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings58%[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame1.5/5[5]
Edge5/10[6]
EGM6/10
7/10[7]
Famitsu24/40[8]
Game Informer7/10[9]
GameFan89/100
89/100
84/100[10]
GamePro3/5
3.5/5
3.5/5
2.5/5[11]
Hyper67%[12]
IGN4.1/10[13]
N64 Magazine71%[14][15]
Next Generation3/5[16]
2/5[17]
Nintendo Power7.1/10[18]
64 Extreme60%[19]

F-1 Pole Position 64 received mixed reviews from critics.[4] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 24 out of 40.[8] Positive reviewers from GameFan and Next Generation recommended it to F-1 fans, the latter suggesting it may even appeal to fans of racing games in general.[10][16] In a more lukewarm review, Kraig Kujawa of Electronic Gaming Monthly suggested no one besides racing simulation fans try it out.[7] Next Generation said of the Japanese version, "This a game for the starving, desperate Nintendo fan who simply has to have an F1 racing game, quality be damned. If you're not desperate, forget it."[17] However, they found that considerably more work went into the U.S. version, with less pop-up and overall smoother graphics. They reviewed that "All in all, the game will satisfy F1 enthusiasts and may even nab general racing fans as well. With all of its modification choices, tons of courses, modes of play, and real-life racers and courses, F1 is a game worth a look."[16]

However, most reviewers commented that even with the improvements made for the U.S. release, the amount of pop-up is unacceptable,[7][20][11] the controls are poor,[7][20][11] the music is dull and generic,[20][13][11] and the engine sounds are high-pitched and completely unrealistic.[20][13][11] IGN and GamePro also criticized the lack of any multiplayer,[13][11] though IGN and Next Generation noted that players can still compete with each other by using the Controller Pak to transfer their records.[13][16] The most widespread compliment for the game was that the courses are challenging to master.[7][16][11]

IGN criticised that "the tracks look almost nothing like their real-life counterparts."[13] Glenn Rubenstein, writing for GameSpot, concluded that "it looks good, but that's the only thing it has going for it."[20] In Electronic Gaming Monthly Kraig Kujawa wrote: "For racing simulation fans, F-1 might be worthwhile, but otherwise, don't bother."[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Game Informer News". Game Informer. 1999-02-22. http://www.gameinformer.com/news/oct97/101597c.html. Retrieved 2023-04-06. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 EGM staff (June 1997). "F1 Pole Position: UBI Soft Revs Up the First Realistic Nintendo 64 Racing Game". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (95): 96. http://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-1955-96.jpg. Retrieved December 27, 2020. 
  3. ↑ Lee, Helen (May 28, 1997). "Ubi Soft Announces Atlanta Lineup". Archived from the original on February 21, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19990221032814/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_05/28_ubi/index.html. Retrieved July 24, 2022. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "F1 Pole Position 64 for Nintendo 64". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/n64/197271-f1-pole-position-64/index.html. 
  5. ↑ McCall, Scott. "F1 Pole Position 64 - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=977&tab=review. 
  6. ↑ Edge staff (May 1997). "Human Grand Prix [The New Generation"]. Edge (Future Publishing) (45): 94. https://archive.org/details/edgeuk045/page/n79/mode/2up. Retrieved December 27, 2020. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Kujawa, Kraig; Hager, Dean (September 1997). "F-1 Pole Position [sic"]. Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (98): 129. http://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-1958-129.jpg. Retrieved December 26, 2020. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "ヒューマングランプリ ザ・ニュージェネレーション [NINTENDO64"] (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=14496&redirect=no. Retrieved December 27, 2020. 
  9. ↑ "F1 Pole Position 64". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (55): 80. November 1997. http://www.gameinformer.com/nov97/f1pole.html. Retrieved December 27, 2020. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Stockert, Bruce "Reubus"; Jevons, Dan "Knightmare"; Halverson, Dave "E. Storm" (September 1997). "F1 Pole Position [64"]. GameFan (Metropolis Media) 5 (9): 27. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_5_Issue_09/page/n27/mode/2up. Retrieved September 17, 2025. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Dan Elektro (October 1997). "F1 Pole Position 64". GamePro (IDG) (109): 156. 
  12. ↑ Fish, Eliot (January 1998). "F1 Pole Position 64". Hyper (Next Media Pty Ltd) (51): 76–77. https://archive.org/details/hyper-051/page/76/mode/2up. Retrieved December 27, 2020. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Perry, Doug (October 24, 1997). "F1 Pole Position". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/10/25/f1-pole-position. 
  14. ↑ "Human Grand Prix: The New Generation". N64 Magazine (Future Publishing) (2). May 1997. 
  15. ↑ Davies, Jonathan (October 1997). "F1 Pole Position 64". N64 Magazine (Future Publishing) (7): 44–47. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 "F1 Pole Position 64". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (36): 160–161. December 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_36/page/n161/mode/2up. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Human Grand Prix". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (31): 155. July 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_31/page/n159/mode/2up. 
  18. ↑ "F1 Pole Position 64". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 101: 96. October 1997. http://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-343-96.jpg. Retrieved December 27, 2020. 
  19. ↑ Saul (June 1997). "Human Grand Prix". 64 Extreme (3). https://archive.org/details/64_Extreme_Issue_03_1998_06_Quay_GB/page/n17/mode/2up. Retrieved September 17, 2025. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GSrev
  • 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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