Software:Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt

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Short description: 2002 video game

Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt
Developer(s)Midway Studios San Diego
Publisher(s)Midway Games[lower-alpha 1]
Programmer(s)Detmar Petereke
Daniel Chambers
Rachid El Guerrab
Randy Johns
Gary Kroll
Jeff MacArthur
Composer(s)Aubrey Hodges
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release
  • NA: June 27, 2002 (PS2)[1]
  • NA: September 4, 2002 (Xbox)
  • EU: September 27, 2002[2]
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt is a sports video game developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was released in North America on June 27, 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and on September 4, 2002 for the Xbox. It was the only game released under the Gravity Games license by Midway.

The game garnered mostly negative reception from critics. Reviewers criticized the game's broken gameplay, graphical glitches and collision detection problems. Some critics, however, praised the game's large level designs.

Gameplay

The player grinds on a rail

Gravity Games Bike is a BMX video game and features gameplay similar to that of the Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX games. It features 21 characters and 10 levels.[3] The player controls a BMX biker and is required to complete various goals within levels to unlock later courses.[4] As the player performs tricks, they gain more points and fulfill requirements in the game. The control scheme is similar to that of the Dave Mirra games in that one button on the controller is used to perform tricks and another is used to modify the trick once it is performed.[4] Unlike other similar games, Gravity Games Bike rewards the same number of points for performing the same trick repeatedly.[4] The game has several different multiplayer modes.[5]

Riders

  • Jamie Bestwick
  • Dennis McCoy
  • Tim "Fuzzy" Hall
  • Andre Ellison
  • Leigh Ramsdell
  • Reuel Erickson
  • Matt Beringer

Development

Midway announced a partnership with EMAP USA on January 18, 2000, giving them the rights to the Gravity Games license.[6] It began development under the title Gravity Games: Bike and was the first game developed under the license.[7] The name of the game changed to Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt by August 2001, and IGN noted the game's fluid trick system in one of its initial builds.[8] IGN's Douglass C. Perry noted Midway's attention to detailed level design in a preview for the game.[9] IGN's Chris Carle previewed the game at E3 2002 and praised the game's level design but criticized the graphics and the slow-moving pace of the game.[3]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
Game Informer2/10[12]N/A
GameSpot1.7/10[4]1.4/10[14]
GameSpy20%[15]N/A
GameZone7/10[5]N/A
IGN2/10[16]2/10[17]
Jeuxvideo.com8/20[18]N/A
OPM (US)Half star[21]N/A
X-PlayStar[22]N/A
Aggregate score
Metacritic24/100[10]15/100[11]

The PlayStation 2 version received "generally unfavorable reviews", while the Xbox version received "overwhelming dislike", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[10][11] The game was notable for its negative reception.

GameSpy's Miguel Lopez criticized the PlayStation 2 version's unresponsive controls, collision detection, and sound design, stating "... Dirt has ...a propensity to live up to its name."[15] IGN's Chris Roper compared it unfavorably to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600,[16] which is often considered one of the worst games of all time.[23] Roper noted that the game was full of glitches and had an unresponsive control scheme.[16] GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann called the gameplay "broken" and the game itself "unfinished".[4] GameZone's Natalie Romano praised the PS2 version's sound selection, level size and character variety, while calling the control scheme "one of the game's major weaknesses."[5] Gerstmann criticized the Xbox version for its glitches and control issues, and wrote, "Wasn't it canceled?"[14]

The GameCube version was canceled due to lower than expected sales for all Midway games, though Gerstmann attributed the cancellation to its negative reception.[14][24]

The game won the awards for "Worst Game of the Year on PlayStation 2" and "Worst Game of the Year on Xbox" at GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002 Awards.[25][26]

Notes

  1. ↑ Released under the Midway Sports Asylum publishing label.

References

  1. ↑ "Midway Sports Asylum Unleashes the Ultimate Ride with Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt.". June 26, 2002. http://ps2.gamezone.com/news/06_26_02_04_39PM.htm. 
  2. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (September 27, 2002). "What's New?". https://www.eurogamer.net/article-46746. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Carle, Chris (May 24, 2002). "E3 2002: Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt. Hands-on". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/24/e3-2002-gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt-hands-on. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Gerstmann, Jeff (July 10, 2002). "Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt Review (PS2)". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/gravity-games-street-vert-dirt-review/1900-2873959/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Romano, Natalie (July 11, 2002). "Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt Review - PlayStation 2". http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19807.htm. 
  6. ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (January 18, 2000). "Midway and Emap Join Up for Extreme Games". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/01/19/midway-and-emap-join-up-for-extreme-games. 
  7. ↑ IGN staff (January 24, 2000). "Midway Confirms First Gravity Game". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/01/25/midway-confirms-first-gravity-game. 
  8. ↑ Zdyrko, Dave (August 17, 2001). "Midway Gamers' Day: First Shots of Defender, Gravity Games and Mortal Kombat". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/17/midway-gamers-day-first-shots-of-defender-gravity-games-and-mortal-kombat. 
  9. ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (February 26, 2002). "Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt. (Preview 1)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/02/26/gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt-4. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt. critic reviews (PS2)". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt. critic reviews (Xbox)". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. 
  12. ↑ "Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt (PS2)". Game Informer (GameStop) (113): 81. September 2002. 
  13. ↑ Kuipers, Kévin (October 15, 2002). "Test : Gravity Games, Midway dans la boue (PS2)" (in fr). TF1 Group. https://www.gamekult.com/jeux/gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt-3010000762/test.html. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Gerstmann, Jeff (October 11, 2002). "Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt Review (Xbox)". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt-review/1900-2885404/. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lopez, Miguel (August 17, 2002). "Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt (PS2)". IGN Entertainment. http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/august02/gravitygamesps2/. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Roper, Chris (October 15, 2002). "Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt. (PS2)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/10/15/gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt. 
  17. ↑ Roper, Chris (February 9, 2004). "Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt (Xbox)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/02/09/gravity-games-bike-street-vert-dirt-5. 
  18. ↑ Jihem (October 25, 2002). "Test: Gravity Games: Bike Street Vert Dirt [sic (PS2)"]. Webedia. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00002558_test.htm. 
  19. ↑ "Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt: Volando sobre una BMX... (PS2) [date mislabeled as "March 14, 2012""] (in es). MeriStation. September 27, 2002. https://as.com/meristation/2002/09/27/analisis/1033077600_013186.html. Retrieved June 17, 2023. 
  20. ↑ "Gravity Games Bike: Street Vert Dirt: Gravedad cero (Xbox) [date mislabeled as "March 13, 2012""] (in es). MeriStation. October 21, 2002. https://as.com/meristation/2002/10/21/analisis/1035151200_013245.html. Retrieved June 17, 2023. 
  21. ↑ Zuniga, Todd (October 2002). "Gravity Games Bike: Street, Vert, Dirt [sic"]. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) (61): 147. https://archive.org/details/official-us-playstation-magazine-issue-61-october-2002/page/n159/mode/2up. Retrieved June 17, 2023. 
  22. ↑ Rubenstein, Glenn (August 16, 2002). "'Gravity Games Bike: Street. Vert. Dirt' (PS2) Review". TechTV. http://www.techtv.com/extendedplay/reviews/story/0%2C24330%2C3395774%2C00.html. 
  23. ↑ Parish, Jeremy. "The Essential 50 Archives Part 13 -- E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial". Ziff Davis. http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-part-13-extra-terres. 
  24. ↑ Varanini, Giancarlo (July 2, 2002). "MK delayed, Gravity Games for the GC canceled [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006""]. Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mk-delayed-gravity-games-for-the-gc-canceled/1100-2873339/. 
  25. ↑ "GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002 (Worst Game of the Year on PlayStation 2)". CNET. http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/ps229.html. 
  26. ↑ "GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002 (Worst Game of the Year on Xbox)". CNET. http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/xbox27.html. 
  • 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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