Software:Fuzion Frenzy

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Short description: 2001 video game


Fuzion Frenzy
North American box art
Developer(s)Blitz Games
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
Director(s)Darren Wood
Programmer(s)Steve Bond
Neil Campbell
Tom Drummond
Artist(s)Rehaan Akhtar
Mark Capewell
Jonathan Evans
Composer(s)Rob Lord
EngineBlitzTech
Platform(s)Xbox
Release
  • NA: 15 November 2001
  • EU: 14 March 2002
Genre(s)Party
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Fuzion Frenzy is a 2001 party video game developed by Blitz Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox. The game is a four-player party game featuring 45 different minigames. Developed as a launch title for the Xbox in the United States, Fuzion Frenzy was the first game mastered for the console and developed to fill the niche for a party game in its launch strategy. The game was released to mixed to average reviews, with critics praising the game's accessibility and visual presentation as an early showcase of the capabilities of the Xbox, whilst faulting the game's repetition and limited variety of minigames. Fuzion Frenzy was a moderate commercial success, although slow initial sales led Microsoft Game Studios to discontinue work by Blitz Games on a sequel for the Xbox. A sequel developed by Hudson Soft for the Xbox 360, Fuzion Frenzy 2, was later released in 2007.

Gameplay

A screenshot of gameplay in Fuzion Frenzy.

Fuzion Frenzy is an action-based party game in which up to four players can compete in one of two game modes, 'Tournament', in which players complete a series of minigames across several stages, and 'Mini-Game Frenzy' modes, in which players can play specific minigames. In the core Tournament game mode, players select a character and compete to earn the most points by participating in three minigames across two, four or six stages. In contrast to other party games, Fuzion Frenzy does not contain a persistent game board, with players participating in a succession of minigames. Each stage is assigned a randomly-selected Zone, which determines the type of minigame to be played. Minigames pit players against each other or in teams, and allocate orbs to players based on the outcome.

Each stage ends with a Fuzion Frenzy Round, in which players grab orbs of their color and rush them to a goal to score the most points in a time limit. Players are able to use the orbs accumulated throughout a stage to either convert to points at the end of a stage or wager in a Fuzion Frenzy round, providing them with more opportunities to score points in the round. During a Fuzion Frenzy Round, players can steal orbs from other players by attacking when they are carried. At the end of the Fuzion Frenzy Round, the player with the most points from banked orbs or orbs collected during the round wins the stage, with the player that wins the most stages or earns the most points winning the game.[1]

Development

Fuzion Frenzy was developed by British studio Blitz Games, founded by twin brother developers Andrew and Philip Oliver. In 2000, Microsoft invited the studio to pitch a game for the upcoming Xbox, seeking to fill a niche for a party title aimed at a more mature audience in the American market.[2] Blitz Games completed work on the game, originally titled Blitz Party, with a team of 35 staff in ten months to coincide with the release of the Xbox.[3] The studio took an open-ended and collaborative approach to the game's design, splitting the development into small teams to prototype minigames and working with Microsoft to identify the best concepts.[3] To create a coherent visual style, the studio's art department took inspiration from films such as Blade Runner and The Running Man and skateboarding culture to create a "strong futuristic sport arena look" for the game.[3] Producing a title for an upcoming console presented difficulties, with Philip Oliver reflecting that Microsoft micromanaged the production's finances and arranged confidentialities and private meetings.[2] Fuzion Frenzy was the first game to be finalized as a master release for the Xbox, with the game meeting the planned release date of the console's launch in November 2001.[4]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic70/100[5]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStar[6]
Edge3/10[7]
EGM3.67/10[8]
Game Informer6/10[9]
GameProStarStarStarHalf star[10]
GameRevolutionC+[11]
GameSpot6.7/10[12]
GameSpy68%[13]
GameZone8/10[14]
IGN8.3/10[15]
Next GenerationStarStarStar[16]
OXM (US)7.8/10[17]

Fuzion Frenzy received "mixed or average reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic, with an average score of 70%.[5] Positive reviews praised the game's accessible and unique approach to the party game formula. IGN praised the game's pacing, stating "Fuzion Frenzy (gets) you to the games as quickly as humanly possible, always keeping you moving and playing, not watching and waiting."[15] Official Xbox Magazine praised the game's accessibility, writing "the instructions and gameplay concepts are so simple that absolutely anyone can play".[17] GameZone described Fusion Frenzy as the "ultimate party game...intended to be played by everyone", whilst noting the game "defies the traditional party game style".[14] However, several critics noted that the game had fewer merits as a single-player title,[6] with GameSpy remarking that the mode "isn't very compelling...without other players around".[13]

Reviewers were mostly positive about the visual presentation of the game as an early showcase of the potential of the Xbox. IGN described the game as a "perfect example of what the Xbox can do with its power", citing "fast framerates, crisp textures, tons of realtime lighting and particle effects".[15] GameZone described the characters and backgrounds as "stunning", highlighting the special effects used for lighting and water rendering.[14] GameSpot noted the game's use of "vibrant" colored lighting and particle effects to "create a distinct look for the game", and wrote "the arenas have a good level of detail, and the high-resolution textures look nice and sharp", although remarked that the game was "unable to maintain a constant frame rate".[12]

Critics were mixed on the quality of the minigames, with negative reviews critiquing their limited variety. Describing the game as lacking "imagination, innovation, impact or fun", Edge noted most minigames "fit into several oft-visited categories" and critiqued the "appalling dash and collect rounds", finding the game had "nothing to surprise".[7] Similarly, Electronic Gaming Monthly critiqued the repetition and lack of differences between minigames, observing "most are too similar" and possess "similar themes".[8] AllGame noted that "the overwhelming majority of contests involve quickly collecting icons or tokens to score points", faulting the game's lack of "team-specific activities" and "directly confrontational mini-games", making the game "best played in small increments".[6] GamePro similarly wrote "most of the games aren't deep enough to survive repetitive play."

Sales

Fuzion Frenzy received moderate commercial success upon release. Next Generation estimated the game sold 680,000 copies and earned $16 million in the United States by July 2006, making it the 93rd highest-selling console title since 2000 at that time.[18] Andrew Oliver remarked that the game had a slow sales performance, estimating the game sold "around half a million" units in its first quarter, but "over a million" in total,[3] reflecting that sales were constrained by a "small install base" and the "cost of additional controllers limited its potential".[3]

Legacy

Following release, plans to expand the Fuzion Frenzy brand were discontinued by Microsoft due to weak initial sales performance, including a 'premium pack' bundle of the game with multiple controllers,[2] and cancellation of work by Blitz Games on a sequel compatible with Xbox Live.[3] The sequel, tentatively planned for release on 1 June 2004, would have featured 50 revamped and new minigames and Xbox Live support.[19] As sales of Fuzion Frenzy increased in later years, Microsoft put the concept of a sequel to tender, awarding the project to another company, Hudson Soft.[3] The sequel, Fuzion Frenzy 2, was released for the Xbox 360 in 2007.

References

  1. ↑ Fuzion Frenzy: Game Manual. Microsoft Game Studios. 2001. https://archive.org/details/xboxmanual_Fuzion_Frenzy/mode/2up. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Craddock, David (13 November 2020). "Bet on Black: How Microsoft and Xbox Changed Pop Culture". https://www.shacknews.com/article/120300/bet-on-black-how-microsoft-and-xbox-changed-pop-culture?page=24. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Q&A: Philip Oliver & Andrew Oliver". Retro Gamer. 2 November 2017. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/retro-gamer/20171102/282102046931751. 
  4. ↑ "MTBS Interviews Andrew Oliver, CTO of Blitz Games Studios". 9 December 2008. https://www.mtbs3d.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=7143. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Fuzion Frenzy for Xbox Reviews". Red Ventures. https://www.metacritic.com/game/fuzion-frenzy/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved November 8, 2015. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Marriott, Scott Alan. "Fuzion Frenzy - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141115012952/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=33535&tab=review. Retrieved November 8, 2015. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Fuzion Frenzy". Edge (Future Publishing) (105). Christmas 2001. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 EGM staff (January 2002). "Fuzion Frenzy". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (150): 228. 
  9. ↑ "Fuzion Frenzy". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (104): 108. December 2001. 
  10. ↑ The D-Pad Destroyer (November 20, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050207114133/http://gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/18401.shtml. Retrieved November 8, 2015. 
  11. ↑ Gee, Brian (November 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151002174327/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/fuzion-frenzy. Retrieved October 10, 2021. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Davis, Ryan (November 9, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review". Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fuzion-frenzy-review/1900-2823808/. Retrieved November 8, 2015. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Chick, Tom (January 16, 2002). "Fuzion Frenzy". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050217082214/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/january02/fuzionfrenzyxbox/. Retrieved November 8, 2015. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Bedigian, Louis (November 19, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review - Xbox". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081006061228/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r18369.htm. Retrieved November 8, 2015. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Lopez, Vincent (November 8, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/09/fuzion-frenzy. Retrieved November 8, 2015. 
  16. ↑ "Fuzion Frenzy". NextGen (Imagine Media) (85): 26. January 2002. https://archive.org/details/NextGen85Jan2002/page/n27/mode/2up. Retrieved October 10, 2021. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Fuzion Frenzy". Official Xbox Magazine (Imagine Media). December 2001. https://vgpavilion.com/mags/2001/12/oxm/pages/. 
  18. ↑ Campbell, Colin; Keiser, Joe (July 29, 2006). "The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century". Future US. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071028115051/http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2&pop=1&page=1. 
  19. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (8 March 2004). "Fuzion Frenzy 2 to go Live in June?". https://www.eurogamer.net/news080304fuzionfrenzy2. 
  • 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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