Software:MVP 06: NCAA Baseball

From HandWiki
Short description: 2006 video game
MVP 06: NCAA Baseball
North American cover art for PlayStation 2
Pictured: David Maroul
Developer(s)EA Canada
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, Multiplayer

MVP 06: NCAA Baseball is the fourth edition of the baseball video game series developed by Electronic Arts. Because of Electronic Arts' loss of the Major League Baseball (MLB) license to Take Two Interactive in 2005, which held the exclusive MLB license until 2014,[2] the publishers decided to transition the MVP series to feature NCAA baseball, joining the publisher's NCAA football and basketball lines. MVP 06 was released on January 17, 2006 for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 consoles. The athlete on the cover is former Texas Longhorn David Maroul.

Changes to gameplay

While MVP 06 offers several large changes to gameplay in batting and fielding to reflect the switch to the collegiate game (aluminum bats, fielding by collegiate players), pitching remained essentially unchanged. Also, MVP 06 offers the player an option to change hitting and fielding to "classic" mode, reverting the controls to those of MVP Baseball 2005.

Load and fire batting

MVP 06 offers a brand new method for controlling the batter called "load and fire" batting. The player takes control of the batter's body by pressing and holding a button to lift the hitter's leg at the correct time so the hitter can use his hips to rip into the ball.

Precision throw control

The game also features a new precision throw control. Players use the right analog stick in order to throw the ball to the bases. If a player holds the button too long, he can overthrow the base, and if he does not hold the throw button long enough the ball could fall short, likely causing an error.

Create-a-Ballpark mode

In addition to the features mentioned above, the game has also improved the "create-a-ballpark" feature. The player can set the distance and height of the walls, as well as the surrounding backdrop, the field surface, and the size of foul territory. It could be convenient to MVP Baseball 2005 fans that there are preset walls that resemble those for all Major League ballparks, but instead of mentioning the parks' names, the selection involves the names of the cities.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
EGM6.67/10[3]6.67/10[3]
Game Informer7/10[4]7/10[4]
GameProStarStarStarHalf star[5]StarStarStarHalf star[5]
GameRevolutionB[6]B[6]
GameSpot8/10[7]8/10[7]
GameSpyStarStarStarStar[8]StarStarStarStar[9]
GameZone8/10[10]N/A
IGN8.5/10[11]8.7/10[12]
OPM (US)StarStarStarStar[13]N/A
OXM (US)N/A7/10[14]
Detroit Free PressStarStar[15]StarStar[15]
USA TodayStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[16]StarStarStarStarStarStarStar[16]
Aggregate scores
GameRankings77.98%[17]77.61%[18]
Metacritic76/100[19]75/100[20]

The game was met with positive reception upon release. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it a score of 77.98% and 76 out of 100 for the PlayStation 2 version,[17][19] and 77.61% and 75 out of 100 for the Xbox version.[18][20]

The A.V. Club gave it an A−, stating that "the mini-games are awesome, especially the batting challenge, which lets you get used to EA's "load and fire" batting system (which, we hear, was licensed from Club Jenna)".[21] The New York Times gave it a favorable review and said: "The big news is a different online feature, ESPN Integration, which uses your network connection to run a live ESPN news ticker along the bottom of your screen as you play. This is a wonderfully ingenious way to increase the sense that you are experiencing an actual baseball game, and to keep sports aficionados satisfied".[22] Maxim, on the other hand, gave it a score of seven out of ten and stated that "after nine innings, it's basically the same game, including easy to master controls that'll finally allow you to be big man on campus. Or at least big man on LAN party".[23] USA Today similarly gave it seven stars out of ten and said that the game "shows promise for the genre with its innovative take on batting. But a game that is as thrilling as a bunt could have been fun as a grand slam".[16] Detroit Free Press gave it two stars out of four: "The game itself has decent game play, but is hurt because of the lack of attention given to the bells and whistles".[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Robinson, Jon (2005-12-20). "MVP Ship Date, Price" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/12/20/mvp-ship-date-price. 
  2. ↑ "MLB 2K Is No More as 2K Sports' MLB License Ends" (in en). 5 March 2013. https://www.playstationtrophies.org/news/news-11984-mlb-2k-is-no-more-as-2k-sports-mlb-license-ends.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 EGM staff. "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball". Electronic Gaming Monthly (200): 106. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Reiner, Andrew (February 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball". Game Informer (154): 104. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/5476E5E0-56AF-4CFA-A6ED-57120CC04072.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mr. Marbles (February 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball". GamePro: 84. Archived from the original on February 18, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060218150418/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/51439.shtml. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dodson, Joe (February 3, 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/mvp-06-ncaa-base. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Provo, Frank (January 23, 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mvp-06-ncaa-baseball-review/1900-6142861/. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  8. ↑ Leahy, Dan (January 23, 2006). "GameSpy: MVP 06 NCAA Baseball (PS2)". GameSpy. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/mvp-06-ncaa-baseball/682857p1.html. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  9. ↑ Leahy, Dan (January 23, 2006). "GameSpy: MVP 06 NCAA Baseball (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on February 3, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060203040440/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/mvp-06-ncaa-baseball/682874p1.html. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  10. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (January 18, 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081230214553/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r27740.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  11. ↑ Miller, Jonathan (January 13, 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball (PS2)". Archived from the original on January 17, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060117101820/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/681/681376p1.html. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  12. ↑ Miller, Jonathan (January 13, 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball (Xbox)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/14/mvp-06-ncaa-baseball. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  13. ↑ "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. February 2006. http://www.1up.com/reviews/mvp-06-ncaa-baseball_9. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  14. ↑ "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball". Official Xbox Magazine: 77. February 2006. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Rucker, Rashaun (February 4, 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060205/ENT06/602050323/1044. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Molina, Brett (February 4, 2006). "'MVP 2006 [sic]: NCAA Baseball' only has warning track power". USA Today. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-01-29-ncaa-baseball_x.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/929700-mvp-06-ncaa-baseball/index.html. Retrieved August 2, 2015. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball for Xbox". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/929699-mvp-06-ncaa-baseball/index.html. Retrieved August 2, 2015. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "MVP06 NCAA Baseball for PlayStation 2 Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/mvp-06-ncaa-baseball/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved August 2, 2015. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball for Xbox Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/mvp-06-ncaa-baseball/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved August 2, 2015. 
  21. ↑ Wheaton, Wil (February 15, 2006). "MVP06 NCAA Baseball". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 17, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060217062309/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/45468. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  22. ↑ Herold, Charles (January 21, 2006). "Mayhem With a Beautiful View". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/21/sports/othersports/21vide.html?emc=eta1&_r=0. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  23. ↑ Semel, Paul (January 17, 2006). "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball". Maxim. Archived from the original on February 13, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060213010823/http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews.aspx?p_id=11315. Retrieved August 3, 2015. 
  • 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 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]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

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. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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