Software:Golvellius

From HandWiki
Short description: 1987 video game
Golvellius
Developer(s)Compile
Publisher(s)Compile
Sega (Master System)
Platform(s)MSX, Master System, iPhone OS
ReleaseMSX
  • JP: April 1987
Master System
MSX2
  • JP: December 15, 1988
MSX2 (Super Cooks)
  • JP: May 1, 1989
iPhone OS
  • WW: September 22, 2009
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Maou Golvellius (魔王ゴルベリアス, lit. "Devil Golvellius") is an action role-playing video game developed by Compile and originally released for the Japanese MSX home computer system in 1987. In 1988, Compile released a remake for the MSX2 system, titled Shin Maou Golvellius (真・魔王ゴルベリアス, lit. "True Devil Golvellius"). This game featured mostly the same graphics as the ones in the Sega Master System version, but the overworld and dungeon layouts are entirely different.

Master System

Sega licensed the franchise in 1988 and released the game for the Master System (the Mark III in Japan), featuring enhanced graphics and entirely different overworld and dungeon layouts. This version was released worldwide under the name Golvellius: Valley of Doom. The plot revolved around the hero (Kelesis) entering the Valley of Doom to rescue Princess Rena, who had gone to the valley to obtain a rare herb needed to heal her father the King.[3]

Gameplay mostly focused on a top down action game, where the player attacked monsters with a sword. Sometimes a secret chamber opened up where various characters would offer advice, better weapons, and other items. The game was divided into eight distinct environments[N 1] each ruled by a boss, which needed to be defeated before progressing to the next area of the map.[N 2] The game also consisted of an underground portion in caverns, rotating between a sideways advancing and top down scrolling screen in order to reach a level boss's lair.

The final level, only reachable once all boss monsters have been beaten, is to defeat Golvellius who has a secret lair revealed by following clues of the game characters. Once Golvellius is defeated, it is revealed he was possessed by a demon and is in fact a good and kind creature who will now travel with the hero Kelesis. The game implies a sequel involving Kelesis, Golvellius and Rena, but this was never produced.

Other versions

In 2009, it was announced by DotEmu/D4 Entreprise that Golvellius was to be re-released for the iPhone OS platform.[4] It is a port of the Master System version.[5]

The scenario is the same in all the three different versions of Golvellius.[5] The ending promised a sequel, which was never developed/released. However, there is a spin-off game titled Super Cooks that was included in the 1989 release of the Disc Station Special Shoka Gou.[6]

Reception

Computer and Video Games rated the Sega Master System version 87% in 1989.[7] Console XS rated it 82% in 1992.[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Valley, desert, graveyard, fields, swamp, beach, woods, and forest. The "fields" level connects the graveyard and swamp and has no boss to defeat
  2. ↑ A loophole in the game allows the player, once acquiring aqua-boots, to enter the final level much earlier using an underground river, yet the level is nearly impossible to navigate due to the lack of proper weapons and experience levels

References

  1. ↑ "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer 7 (10): 12. January 1989. https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/aad8c276-4320-4683-b3f5-eb0052fc9175. 
  2. ↑ "Software List" (in ja). Sega Corporation. https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html. 
  3. ↑ "Golvellius, Valley of Doom", Instruction Manual (Sega Master System), pg 2-3
  4. ↑ Games Press (2009-07-23). "Golvellius: Valley of Doom". Gamesindustry.biz. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/golvellius--valley-of-doom--master-system-s-answer-to-the-legend-of-zelda--coming-to-the-iphone-next-month. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Golvellius: Valley of Doom – Hardcore Gaming 101". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/golvellius-valley-of-doom/. 
  6. ↑ "Disc Station Special 2 - Early Summer Edition (1989, MSX2, Compile) | Releases | Generation MSX". http://www.generation-msx.nl/software/compile/disc-station-special-2---summer-edition/release/1365/. 
  7. ↑ "Complete Games Guide". Computer and Video Games (Complete Guide to Consoles): 46–77. 16 October 1989. https://retrocdn.net/images/9/98/CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf#page=46. 
  8. ↑ "Software A-Z: Master System". Console XS (United Kingdom: Paragon Publishing) (1 (June/July 1992)): 137–47. 23 April 1992. https://archive.org/details/console-xs-01/page/137. 
  • 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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