Software:Karnov

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Short description: 1987 video game
For the Danish law collection, see Karnovs Lovsamling.
Karnov
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)Data East[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Arcade, NES, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, IBM PC, Mac OS
Release
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Karnov (カルノフ, Karunofu) is a 1987 platform game developed and published by Data East for arcades. A Nintendo Entertainment System port followed, which was released in Japan by Namco the same year and in North America by Data East in 1988. Players take control of the title character Jinborov Karnovski, or "Karnov" for short. Karnov is a strongman popularly illustrated as being from an unspecified part of the Soviet Union's Central Asian republics, as shown on the arcade flyer.

As a character created by Data East, Karnov was reintroduced in several other games from the company, including Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja in which he is a boss in the first level. Karnov later appeared in the 1993 fighting game Fighter's History, in which he is the final boss, and as a playable character in its sequel, Karnov's Revenge, also known as Fighter's History Dynamite.

Gameplay

The game's hero, Karnov, a muscular fire-breathing ex-circus strongman, goes on a quest through nine different levels to search for the ultimate treasure.[5] However, between him and the treasure are several horrendous monsters, including sword-wielding monks, dinosaurs, djinn, hopping fish men, gargoyles, tree monsters, will-o-wisps, rock creatures, centipede women, and ostrich-riding skeleton warriors.

Karnov can walk, jump, and shoot to make his way through these levels and find special items that help him. Acquiring red orbs can upgrade Karnov until he shoots three fireballs at a time. The end of each level has one or more bosses which he must defeat to receive a new piece of a treasure map. The end of the game features a powerful boss called "The Wizard" who defends the last map piece that leads to the treasure.

Ports

Karnov was later ported to numerous home systems, such as the NES, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum and others.

IBM PC

The IBM PC compatibles port was developed by Quicksilver Software.[6] Like Quicksilver's other Data East ports, such as Commando, Ikari Warriors, and Guerrilla War, it was sold as a self-booting disk.

NES

The Famicom/NES version was co-developed by Data East (design and audio) and SAS Sakata (programming).[7][8] It was released on December 18, 1987 in Japan by Namco,[9] and in North America in January 1988 by Data East.[10] Although it plays similarly to the arcade game, there are some noticeable differences:

  • Karnov takes two hits to die instead of just one. After being hit once he will turn a blue color in which he has one hit left or can gain an extra hit back by grabbing a blue fireball orb.
  • The Super Fireball is replaced with the Spike Bomb which destroys every enemy on screen. The Trolley item is replaced with the Shield which is used to reflect an enemy's fireballs.
  • Levels 4 and 8 are completely different from the arcade levels.
  • The final boss is no longer the Wizard, but a giant three-headed dragon. Both fights, however, take place in similar rooms.

The NES version is noticeably more difficult since it has limited continues, and the option is not visibly present after all lives are lost, instead requiring pressing Select and Start at the same time. The NES game, however, provides unlimited continues, and it also allows Karnov to be killed when both the A and B buttons are pressed on the second controller.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Crash76%[12]
CVG30/40[11]
Sinclair UserStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[13]
Your Sinclair9/10[14]
The Games Machine88%[15]
ACE612[16]

In Japan, Game Machine listed Karnov as the fourth most successful table arcade unit of February 1987.[17] Karnov's sales had surpassed 250,000 copies by November 1989.[18]

Bill Kunkel reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World, calling it an off-beat variation on a familiar video game play mechanic.[19]

The IBM PC version of the game was reviewed in 1989 in Dragon #142 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4½ out of 5 stars.[20]

Legacy

Although no direct sequel to Karnov was released, Data East has used the title character as an enemy. In some games, such as Garyo Retsuden, Tumblepop and Trio The Punch - Never Forget Me... (featuring enormous stone statues and even mini versions of the character), Karnov is featured as a regular enemy.

In other Data East games, he is featured as a boss character. In Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja, Karnov is the first level's boss. A pale grey version of Karnov appears later in the game. According to the credits sequence of the Japanese version of the game, this version of Karnov is called Kusamochi Karnov, after the green sweet kusamochi.

Karnov is also the last opponent in the original Fighter's History, and becomes a playable character in its sequels: Karnov's Revenge and Software:Fighter's History: Mizoguchi Kiki Ippatsu!!. Although not an official cameo, the guard boss from the Gaelco game, Big Karnak, is almost identical to Karnov's and Kusamoci Karnov's sprites from Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja.

Karnov has also made various cameo appearances. He appears in the alley background of the Neo-Geo game Street Slam. He is shown wearing a shirt with a "K" on it. Karnov also appears in the credits of the independently-developed freeware game I Wanna Be the Guy. In Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, a ghostly silhouette who helps the titular character is highly similar to Karnov, and is even implied to be her long-lost father.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ NES version developed by Data East and SAS Sakata; Commodore 64 version developed by Mr. Micro Ltd. and Software Studios; Amstrad CPC version developed by Software Studios; IBM PC version developed by Quicksilver Software; Mac OS version developed by Technology Works.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006) (in ja). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 48, 115. ISBN 978-4990251215. https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n49/mode/2up. 
  2. ↑ "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer 7 (4): p. 14. July 1988. https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/54fb89b8-2ade-40a3-ba6c-b042a812a66a. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Street Scene". Computer and Video Games (EMAP) (77). March 1988. https://archive.org/details/ComputerAndVideoGamesIssue077Mar88/page/n13/mode/1up. 
  4. ↑ "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer 7 (6): p. 14. September 1988. https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/a0358c56-b638-4760-b363-343c0e92f4d9. 
  5. ↑ "Karnov". The International Arcade Museum. http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8283. Retrieved 17 Oct 2013. 
  6. ↑ Karnov screenshots. PixelatedArcade. Retrieved on 2016-11-30.
  7. ↑ sasgames – エス・エー・エス株式会社 » 部門紹介 . Sasgames.jp. Retrieved on 2016-11-30.
  8. ↑ タッグチームプロレスリング. sas-sakata.co.jp (1987-12-18)
  9. ↑ "All Famicom games sorted from the latest release to the earliest". Famitsu. https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/recent/fc/. 
  10. ↑ "NES Games". Nintendo of America. https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf. 
  11. ↑ "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer". http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue080/Pages/CVG08000057.jpg. 
  12. ↑ "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer". http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue52/Pages/Crash5200088.jpg. 
  13. ↑ "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer". http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue074/Pages/SinclairUser07400089.jpg. 
  14. ↑ "Karnov". ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/karnov.htm. Retrieved 3 Sep 2015. 
  15. ↑ "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer". Archive.md. http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=TheGamesMachine/Issue07/Pages/TheGamesMachine0700046.jpg. 
  16. ↑ "World of Spectrum - Archive - Magazine viewer". http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ACE/Issue09/Pages/ACE0900053.jpg. 
  17. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc.) (303): 25. 1 March 1987. 
  18. ↑ Staff (November 1989). "Chart-Busters; SPA Platinum". Game Players (5): 112. 
  19. ↑ Kunkel, Bill (June 1988). "Video Gaming World". Computer Gaming World 1 (48): 40. 
  20. ↑ Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (February 1989). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (142): 42–51. 
  • Karnov at the Killer List of Videogames
  • 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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