Software:Friday the 13th: The Computer Game

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For the 2017 video game, see Friday the 13th: The Game.
Friday the 13th
Developer(s)Domark[1]
Publisher(s)Domark
Platform(s)Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum
Release1986[2]
Mode(s)Single-player

Friday the 13th: The Computer Game (often shortened to Friday the 13th) is the first game adaptation based on the films of the same name. It was released in 1986 by Domark for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.[1] The game was released on floppy diskette and cassette tape. The player's goal is to find and kill Jason, while making sure their friends or they themselves are not killed by Jason.

Gameplay

The player can roam freely around the scenery and walk both inside and outside buildings. Jason, as well as other characters, do the same. It is the player's task to make sure their friends do not get killed by Jason, who often appears disguised as one of them, unless he is hit once and becomes visible as a man dressed in black.[3] Various improvised weapons (e.g., a chainsaw, a pitchfork, a machete, etc.) are scattered around the camp and inside various buildings such as a barn, a church and a cabin. Once picked up, they can be used to confront Jason.[4] There are five levels in the game and each time the player assumes the role of another character. The character assignment is random at the start of the round.[4] The game uses an early pseudo-3D view along with a more traditional side view, depending on the character's location.[4] The game also features a "fear meter", in the form of a blonde woman's head with hair standing on end, to symbolize the player character's level of fright at the time.[4][5] Unlike the later Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) title, the game included scenes of gore consistent with the film franchise.[4] For example, when a character is killed by Jason, sometimes there is a scream followed by a quick cut to a graphic image of a machete embedded into their head.[6][4]

Development

Domark based the game on Friday the 13th Part 2.[7] The game was revealed to journalists at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in London, England. In the cellar of the pub, Dominic Wheatley, co-founder of Domark burst through a solid door dressed as Jason and holding a cleaver, scaring the assembled journalists.[8] According to The Games Machine, some magazines refused to run ads for the game due to the game's graphic packaging;[9] Crash ran ads for the game and prominently featured Jason Voorhees on the cover of issue #23, which caused the magazine to receive many complaints from parents, including one woman who also wrote to the Press Council about the incident.[10] Computer Gamer described the game's advertising as being "the subject of much controversy";[11] in March 1986 it was reported that ads for Friday the 13th were withdrawn by Domark due to complaints about their violent content, and the cover was redesigned.[12] Another redesigned version of the cover was used for copies sold at John Menzies stores,[9][13] omitting the knife.[14]

In regards to the game's controversial marketing and the criticism that children can buy the game, Dominic Wheatley stated that "Many X-rated films are accompanied by books which are often more vivid in their descriptions and yet under 18s can buy those. We are trying to amuse people — Friday the 13th will not incite anyone to run around and hurt someone."[13]

The game came packaged with two capsules of fake blood,[15] which was omitted when Prism Leisure re-released the game as a budget title.[9] To promote the game, Domark ran a trivia contest in Amtix magazine, with two winners receiving a "ghost hunting" trip to New York.[16] In a 1987 interview, Mark Strachan, co-founder of Domark, called the game "something I'd rather forget about", and said that the game's quality issues stemmed from being made by inexperienced programmers.[17]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Micromanía8/10 (C64)[18]
Computer + Video Games7/10[15]
Commodore HorizonsStarStarStarStarStar (C64)[19]
Your Commodore6.5/10 (C64)[20]
Computer GamerStarStarHalf star (C64)[21]
StarHalf star (Spectrum)[11]
Sinclair UserStarStar (Spectrum)[22]
Popular Computing WeeklyStarStar[23]
Crash32% (Spectrum)[24]
Commodore UserStarHalf star (C64)[25]
Your Sinclair3/10 (Spectrum)[26]
Aktueller Software Markt2.75/12[27]
Zzap!6413% (C64)[28]

The game's main appeal was the obvious horror elements, which included atmospheric music and digitized screams.[5][6] Some criticized that it changed elements from the franchise, such as Jason being dressed all in black, which has nothing in common with his appearance from the movies.[6]

The game received otherwise negative reviews, regardless of the platform. Zzap!64 gave it 13%,[28] Your Sinclair gave it 3/10,[26] Crash 32%[24] and Sinclair User 4/10.

In 1987, Crash called Friday the 13th "one of the worst tie-ins ever".[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Friday the 13th: The Computer Game". IGN. Imagine Games Network. http://www.ign.com/games/friday-the-13th-the-computer-game/c64-14280383. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Candy, Robin (December 1987). "Tie-Ins Part One". Crash (Newsfield Limited) (4): 36. ISSN 0954-8661. https://archive.org/details/Crash_Magazine_047/page/36/mode/2up. 
  3. ↑ John Squires (August 21, 2014). "Remembering the 'Friday the 13th' Video Game That Time Forgot". http://halloweenlove.com/remembering-the-friday-the-13th-video-game-that-no-one-remembers/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Bernard Perron (2018). The World of Scary Video Games: A Study in Videoludic Horror. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 45, 223, 224 443. ISBN 978-1501316197. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bernard Perron, ed (2009). Horror Video Games: Essays on the Fusion of Fear and Play. McFarland. p. 33. ISBN 978-0786441976. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Judge Greg (December 1, 2014). "Friday the 13th for Commodore 64". http://www.enthusiacs.com/the-attic-friday-the-13th-for-commodore-64/. 
  7. ↑ Spencer, Jeremy (December 1985). "D-D-Domark's N-N-New G-G-Game... Friday the 13th!". Crash (Newsfield Limited) (23): 146, 148. ISSN 0954-8661. https://archive.org/details/Crash_Magazine_023/page/146/mode/2up. 
  8. ↑ "Domarketting a Game". Crash (Newsfield Limited) (29): 51. June 1986. ISSN 0954-8661. https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-29/page/n49/mode/2up. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Gilbert, John (February 1988). "The Chainstore Massacre". The Games Machine (Newsfield Limited) (3): 93, 94. ISSN 0954-8092. https://archive.org/details/The_Games_Machine_Issue_003/page/n91/mode/2up. 
  10. ↑ Mangram, Lloyd (February 1986). "Lloyd Mangram's Forum". Crash (Newsfield Limited) (25): 31, 32. ISSN 0954-8661. https://archive.org/details/Crash_Magazine_025/page/30/mode/2up. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Hamlett, Gordon (April 1986). "Friday the Thirteenth". Computer Gamer (Argus Specialist Publications) (13): 68. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue_13_1986-04_Argus_Press_GB/page/n67/mode/2up. 
  12. ↑ "Gremlin". Sinclair User (EMAP Business & Computer Publications) (48): 114. March 1986. ISSN 0262-5458. https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_048/page/114/mode/2up. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Friday 13: too violent". Sinclair User (EMAP Business & Computer Publications) (56): 7. January 1986. ISSN 0262-5458. https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_046/page/6/mode/2up. 
  14. ↑ "Censored!". The Games Machine (Newsfield Limited) (20): 54, 55. July 1989. ISSN 0954-8092. https://archive.org/details/The_Games_Machine_Issue_020/page/54/mode/2up. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "C+VG FEB Software Reviews - Friday the 13th". Computer + Video Games (52): 35. February 1986. ISSN 0261-3697. https://archive.org/details/ComputerAndVideoGamesIssue052Feb86/page/n33/mode/2up. 
  16. ↑ Spencer, Jeremy (December 1985). "Aaaaarrrgh!!!". Amtix (Newsfield Limited) (2): 46–48. ISSN 0952-3022. https://archive.org/details/Amtix_Magazine_Issue_02/page/46/mode/2up. 
  17. ↑ Eddy, Richard (February 1987). "Mark Strachan - The man who put Mark into Domark". Amtix (Newsfield Limited) (16): 80, 81. ISSN 0952-3022. https://archive.org/details/Amtix_Magazine_Issue_16/page/n79/mode/2up. 
  18. ↑ "La venganza de Jason - Friday the 13th" (in Spanish). Micromanía (Hobby Press) (10): 18. March 1986. ISSN 9955-8726. https://archive.org/details/MicromaniaPrimerEpocaspanishIssue10/page/n17/mode/2up. 
  19. ↑ "Slasher". Commodore Horizons (Scot Press): 15. February 1986. ISSN 0265-4164. https://archive.org/details/CommodoreHorizonsIssue261986Feb300dpi/page/n13/mode/2up. 
  20. ↑ Doyle, Eric (February 1986). "Friday the 13th". Your Commodore (Argus Specialist Publications) (17): 50. ISSN 0269-8277. https://archive.org/details/Your_Commodore_Magazine_17/page/50/mode/2up. 
  21. ↑ Hamlett, Gordon (January 1986). "Friday the 13th". Computer Gamer (Argus Specialist Publications) (10): 73. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue10/page/n71/mode/2up. 
  22. ↑ Gilbert, Jason (April 1986). "Friday the 13th". Sinclair User (Sportscene Specialist Press) (49): 33. ISSN 0262-5458. 
  23. ↑ Moss, Andy (26 December 1986). "Horror story". Popular Computing Weekly (Sunshine Publications) 5 (1): 17. ISSN 0265-0509. https://archive.org/details/NH2021_Popular_Computing_Weekly_Issue851226.pdf/page/16/mode/2up. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Friday 13th". Crash (Newsfield Limited) (29): 130. June 1986. ISSN 0954-8661. https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-29/page/n129/mode/2up. 
  25. ↑ Lacey, Eugene (January 1986). "Screen Scene - Friday the 13th". Commodore User (EMAP Business and Computer Publications) (28): 28, 29. ISSN 0265-721X. https://archive.org/details/commodore-user-magazine-28/page/n27/mode/2up. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Hughes, Gwyn (May 1986). "Screen Shots - Friday the 13th". Your Sinclair (Sportscene Specialist Press) (5): 3. ISSN 0269-6983. https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-05/page/n37/mode/2up. 
  27. ↑ Zimmermann, Bernd (May 1986). "Friday the 13th The Computer game - der flop des tages Friday the 13th" (in German). Aktueller Software Markt (Tronic-Verlag): 18. ISSN 0933-1867. https://archive.org/details/asm_magazine-1986-04/page/n13/mode/2up. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Gary Penn; Paul Sumner; Julian Rignall (February 1986). "Friday the 13th". Zzap!64 (Newsfield Limited) (10): 37. ISSN 0954-867X. https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-010/page/n35/mode/2up. 
  • 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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