Software:Image Fight

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Short description: 1988 video game

Image Fight
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)Irem
Publisher(s)Irem
Platform(s)Arcade, Nintendo Entertainment System, PC Engine, X68000, FM Towns
ReleaseArcade
  • JP: November 1988
Famicom/NES
  • JP: March 16, 1990
  • NA: June 1990
PC Engine
  • JP: July 27, 1990
X68000
  • JP: December 14, 1990
FM Towns
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Lua error in Module:Lang/utilities at line 332: attempt to call field '_transl' (a nil value)., also stylized as ImageFight, is a 1988 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Irem for arcades. It was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System, PC Engine, X68000 and FM Towns in 1990. The NES version was the only version that was released in North America. It was followed by Software:Image Fight II: Operation Deepstriker.

Plot

The following is taken directly from the NES instruction manual:

On a fateful day in 20XX, the Earth's moon exploded into four large fragments and a multitude of meteors. Aliens from afar had succeeded in destroying the West's moon base. One after another, mankind's other military industrial space complexes were being lost. What mankind dreaded had come to pass. Scores of unidentified fighters were in the area. In addition, the moon's main computer, still intact after the explosion, had a strange vegetation coiled around it. Their trademark evil exploits being a dead giveaway, invaders from the Boondoggle Galaxy had arrived to take over the Earth. To counter these evil forces, leading scientists from all over the globe created the "OF-1" Fightership. Combat pilots depart the Earth to fend off the invaders and earn everlasting glory.

Gameplay

Image Fight was released one year after Irem's successful horizontal scroller, R-Type, and, although not directly related, the two games have some similarities.

The player flies a futuristic red ship. The game begins with five stages taking place inside a combat simulation, and the player's ability to destroy enemy entities is tested. Upon finishing a simulation stage, the game displays results and shows if their score is considered passing or failing. The player must have an average kill rate of 90% or better in the simulation stages to immediately proceed to real combat. If the player fails, they must play an additional stage before entering real combat. Real combat consists of three stages. The real combat stages play much like a traditional shoot em' up game, where the player immediately proceeds to the next stage upon completing the current stage.

Pods

The defining feature of Image Fight is the Pod, a small, coloured sphere with two short gun barrels attached to it. The Pod, once collected, floats alongside the player's ship.

Screenshot of Image Fight (arcade version)

There are two different kinds of Pod:

  • Red Pod – this changes direction based on the movement of the ship, and can therefore be aimed at enemies. This can be very useful, as enemies can and do attack from any direction.
  • Blue Pod – similar to the Red Pod, except it always points forward and the direction cannot be changed. This makes it more powerful in direct confrontations, but less versatile.

The ship can support up to three Pods. The first two Pods collected will take up positions on the left and right sides of the ship; the third Pod hovers behind it.

Pod Shot

The Pod Shot is a special attack in which the side Pods are launched forward at high speed, before circling back and returning to the ship. This enables them to be used as projectiles themselves, and thrown at enemies ahead. This attack can be performed with either one or two side Pods; the rear Pod, if present, does not participate.

Speed control

The ship has four different levels of speed that the player can switch between, to allow for more precise manoeuvering in confined spaces. The structure of the ship transforms during a speed change, the wings angling down and back at higher speeds.

The ship's thrusters exhaust a large blue flame whenever the ship changes speed; this can be used as a weapon to damage or destroy enemies.

'Forces'

The player can acquire various butterfly-shaped devices that attach to the front of the ship. These are similar in function to the Force in R-Type: they turn the player's blaster into a powerful laser weapon. They can also act as a weak shield, protecting the ship from impact; this destroys them but leaves the ship intact. Unlike the Force in R-Type, they cannot be ejected from the ship; the only way to remove them, in fact, is to have them destroyed. The ship cannot pick up a new device if one is already attached. There are a number of different kinds, each of which provides a different weapon. The weapon names are taken from R-Type Final. R-Type Final implies that these devices are in fact early versions of what it calls the OF Force, but this may be retroactive continuity.

The arcade game was also ported for the Nintendo Entertainment System as well as becoming a Japan-only game for the PC Engine, Sharp X68000, and FM Towns in 1990. The PC Engine version was later re-released for the Wii Virtual Console only in Japan. In 1998, Image Fight, along with another arcade game by Irem, X-Multiply, was released only in Japan as a one-disc double-bill for the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn, titled AG Arcade Gears Image Fight & X-Multiply.

The arcade game was followed by Image Fight II: Operation Deepstriker, a sequel for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² in 1992 exclusively in Japan. Like the PC Engine version of the first game, Image Fight II was re-released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in Japan in 2015 and for the first time in the United States in February 2018 for both games.[1][2][3][4] Image Fight II and its PC Engine predecessor also made their European debut in February 2018.[5][6]

Hamster Corporation released the arcade version as part of their Arcade Archives series for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in 2019.[7]

The ship from this game is included in R-Type Final, where it is the first in a series of five fighters called the OF series. The Pods are also available on fighters of the OF series.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Image Fight in their December 15, 1988, issue as being the most-successful table arcade unit among operators surveyed during that two-week period.[8]

Legacy

According to producer Hiroshi Iuchi, creator of Radiant Silvergun, Image Fight was the main inspiration for Radiant Silvergun's design.[9] Tomonobu Itagaki, creator of the Dead or Alive series, listed Image Fight as one of his five favorite games.[10] Image Fight is also said to be the favorite shooter game of Granzella's Kujo Kazuma.[11]

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "IMAGEFIGHT for Wii U - Nintendo Game Details" (in en-US). https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/imagefight-wii-u/. 
  2. ↑ "IMAGEFIGHT 2 for Wii U - Nintendo Game Details" (in en-US). https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/imagefight-2-wii-u/. 
  3. ↑ イメージファイト | Wii U | 任天堂 , nintendo.co.jp, (Translated)
  4. ↑ イメージファイトII | Wii U | 任天堂 , nintendo.co.jp, (Translated)
  5. ↑ "ImageFight™" (in en-GB). https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/TurboGrafx/ImageFight--1335146.html. 
  6. ↑ "ImageFight II" (in en-GB). https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/TurboGrafx/ImageFight-II-1335147.html. 
  7. ↑ Calvert, Darren (2019-05-30). "Nintendo Download: 30th May (North America)" (in en-GB). https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/05/nintendo_download_30th_may_north_america. 
  8. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc.) (346): 25. 15 December 1988. 
  9. ↑ "Hiroshi Iuchi Interview". Emuxhaven. 2004. http://www.emuxhaven.net/~silver/Hiroshi%20Iuchi%20Interview.html. Retrieved 2009-07-30. 
  10. ↑ Mielke, James (September 29, 2005). "Itagaki's Hit List from 1UP.com". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3144194. Retrieved 2009-07-30. 
  11. ↑ Barder, Ollie. "Kujo Kazuma On The Legacy Of Irem, The Brilliance Of 'Image Fight' And The Future Of 'R-Type'" (in en). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2021/10/02/kujo-kazuma-on-the-legacy-of-irem-the-brilliance-of-image-fight-and-the-future-of-r-type/?sh=4bfa5ad91dda. 

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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