Software:Lightning Swords

From HandWiki
Short description: 1991 video game
"Ken-Go" redirects here. For the 2000 PlayStation 2 game, see Kengo: Master of Bushido.
Lightning Swords
Japanese arcade poster
Developer(s)Nanao Corporation
Publisher(s)Irem
Platform(s)Arcade
Release1991
Genre(s)Hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Lightning Swords, known in Japan as Ken-Go (剣豪),[1] is a 1991 arcade video game developed by Nanao Corporation and published by Irem.

The game was an arcade-exclusive game until an emulated version was released in 2022 for the Evercade as part of Irem Arcade 1 cartridge.[2][3]

Gameplay

Lightning Swords is a side-scrolling hack and slash game set in feudal Japan where the player controls a samurai named Blue Dragon. The game consists of five levels. The game has a single action button that controls the sword. By holding the button, the sword's power increases, and the longer the button remains pressed, the stronger the attack becomes once it's released (up to a maximum of five levels). The jumping is done by holding the joystick up.[4] The player can take four hits before losing a life.[5] The game includes a two-player co-op mode.[4]

Reception

Contemporary

Your Sinclair compared the game to Strider (1989) and said it introduces nothing new to the genre. They complained that the boss enemies take too many hits to defeat.[6] Japanese trade press magazine Game Machine (jp) gave the game a rating of 5.53 out of 10.[7]

Retrospective

Hardcore Gaming 101 summarized the game as "a fun, short, no-nonsense game that aims to do its own thing and does pretty well at it."[5] Retro Gamer wrote: "This mediocre run-and-gun game starts off well, but quickly becomes a churn of recycled enemies, frustrating bosses and tedious and bland level design."[8] Sega-16 compared the game to The Revenge of Shinobi (1989) and said: "With colorful graphics, a varied soundtrack, and interesting bosses, it wasn’t a bad way to spend a pocketful of quarters."[4]

References

  1. ↑ "出展ビデオゲームリスト" (in Japanese). Comptiq (Kadokawa Shoten) (73): 250. December 1990. https://archive.org/details/comptiq-vol.-73-december-1990/Comptiq%20-%20Vol.%2073%20December%201990/page/n249/mode/1up. 
  2. ↑ McFerran, Damien (21 November 2023). "Review - Irem Arcade 1 (Evercade) - Come For R-Type, Stay For Genuine Coin-Op History". Hookshot Media. https://www.timeextension.com/reviews/evercade/irem-arcade-1. 
  3. ↑ Lada, Jenni (31 May 2022). "Evercade EXP Handheld and Irem and Toaplan Carts Announced". Gamurs. https://www.siliconera.com/evercade-exp-handheld-and-irem-and-toaplan-carts-announced/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Horowitz, Ken (26 August 2023). "Lost in the Arcade: Irem Games". https://www.sega-16.com/2023/08/lost-in-the-arcade-irem-games/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Provost, Hugo (17 December 2019). "Lightning Swords / Ken-Go". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/lightning-swords-ken-go/. 
  6. ↑ "Slots of Fun - Lightning Sword". Your Sinclair (Future plc) (62): 76. February 1991. https://archive.org/details/YourSinclair37Jan89/YourSinclair/YourSinclair62-Feb91/page/n75/mode/1up. 
  7. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25" (in Japanese). Game Machine (jp) (Amusement Press (jp)): 25. 15 April 1991. https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19910415p/page/n12/mode/1up. 
  8. ↑ "The Unconverted - Ken-Go". Retro Gamer (Imagine Publishing) (112): 53. 2013. https://archive.org/details/retro-gamer-raspberry-pi-buenos-aires/Retro%20Gamer%20112/page/53/mode/1up. 
  • Ken-Go 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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