Software:Hot Wheels Extreme Racing

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Hot Wheels: Extreme Racing
Hot Wheels: Extreme Racing cover art (PAL version)
Developer(s)Atod, HotGen
Publisher(s)THQ
SeriesHot Wheels
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: September 25, 2001[1]
  • PAL: October 12, 2001
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player
Multiplayer

Hot Wheels: Extreme Racing is a racing game for the PlayStation, released in 2001. It features vehicles based on the Hot Wheels series of toys.

Gameplay

The basic gameplay is similar to most racing games. The player controls their car in order to get around the tracks as fast as possible. By collecting pickups they can obtain new properties, such as nitro boosts, oil slicks, projectiles and other weapons. The computer-controlled cars can also collect pickups. The game contains a total of 24 stages, of which 12 are simply reversed versions of the first twelve.

In Hot Wheels Extreme Racing the vehicles have the ability to transform into four different element types: land, water, air, and all-terrain. In transformation the body of the car stays normal while the side of the car "grows" wheels, wings or fins. The stages are divided into different parts, each designed for a specific vehicle. The parts are separated by a "transformation portal". When the players drive though such a portal the vehicle will change into another type.

Game modes

Hot Wheel Extreme Racing features four game modes: Championship, Arcade, Time Trial and Multiplayer. In Championship mode the player races against three other computer-controlled cars in one of the available cups. There are six Cups, Easy, Medium, Hard, Rev.Easy, Rev.Medium, and Rev. Hard. Each cup contains four stages. Points are given according to placement, and after all stages a winner is appointed. By winning a cup unlocks an hidden cheat code, such as new vehicles, and more cups. The players can choose from 8 different vehicles. 3 are available on start, the rest must be unlocked by completing tasks such as completing cups.

Arcade mode allows the player to choose one of the available tracks, and then race it against three other computer-controlled cars. In time trial mode they race alone and must try to get the best time on each track.

The game also supports a multiplayer mode that allows up to four players to race against each other, using a multitap device. The multiplayer tracks are not the same as the single player tracks. There are a total of 12 multiplayer tracks.

The game was originally based on the Hot Wheels: Mechanix car models, and the environments were playgrounds where kids had built imaginary raceways, such as a track modeled in a sandbox. However, in the middle of production the producers decided to change the target group and the whole game got a more mature look and feel. The cars were also changed to ordinary Hot Wheels cars, although the idea of cars transforming into different shapes was kept.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic53/100[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CVG4/10[3]
IGN5/10[4]

The game received "mixed" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "PR - 09/25/01 - THQ SHIPS HOT WHEELS EXTREME RACING FOR THE PLAYSTATION GAME CONSOLE". 2004-04-16. http://www.thq.com/Corporate/PressReleases/press-342.asp. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Hot Wheels Extreme Racing for PlayStation Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/hot-wheels-extreme-racing/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation. Retrieved April 24, 2016. 
  3. ↑ CVG staff (October 14, 2001). "PlayStation Review: Hot Wheels Extreme Racing". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on May 31, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070531221649/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=19962. Retrieved April 24, 2016. 
  4. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (December 3, 2001). "Hot Wheels Extreme Racing". http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/12/04/hot-wheels-extreme-racing. Retrieved April 23, 2016. 
  • 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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