Software:MX Unleashed

From HandWiki
Not to be confused with MX vs. ATV Unleashed.
Short description: 2004 video game
MX Unleashed
Developer(s)Rainbow Studios
Humagade (mobile)
Publisher(s)THQ
Programmer(s)Glenn O'Bannon
SeriesMX
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Xbox
mobile phone
Release
  • NA: February 17, 2004
  • NA: August 19, 2004 (mobile)
  • EU: March 26, 2004
  • AU: 2004 (PS2)
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

MX Unleashed (known in Australia as Chad Reed MX Unleashed) is a 2004 racing video game developed by Rainbow Studios and published by THQ for PlayStation 2, Xbox and mobile phones. The game is also backwards compatible for the Xbox One as of April 2018. It was also made free for Xbox Live Gold members in August 2020.

As a sequel to Locomotive Games' MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael and MX Superfly, Unleashed is the third and final game in THQ's MX trilogy before Rainbow Studios began the MX vs. ATV series one year later with MX vs. ATV Unleashed, which is a crossover with Sony's ATV Offroad Fury series.

Gameplay

The sharp controls allow for the players to weave around obstructions in the course as well as other opponents controlled by artificial intelligence. The turns are very tight and the responsiveness of the controls allow the player to do as many tricks as possible before landing after a jump. To gain more height on the jumps to do more tricks, the player can make the bike rider push back on the shocks at the bottom of a hill and release them at the top to create a springboard-like effect, and go to heights unattainable without doing so. The player's speed, bike angle, and rider posture all affect how the bike responds to the ground it is driving over. In the career mode, the player must place in the top three to unlock another race, with unlimited tries allowed to make the podium finish. The freestyle mode is much different. There are a variety of challenges one has to complete in order to unlock more challenges and move on to another freestyle map. The challenges include a series of targets that the player's bike must land on after every jump, a timed freestyle measured by the number of points scored in the time frame, a race against a different vehicle across the 5 different freestyle maps such as a monster truck, a biplane, a dune buggy, a trophy truck, or a helicopter, and a contest in which the player must hit ten targets after jumps before the other seven racers. Successfully completing a challenge will unlock a more difficult version of it, as well as more challenges.[1]

Development

As Rainbow Studios was completing the first two installments of the ATV Offroad Fury series, which released to critical acclaim, THQ took notice of the games' high quality and wanted its next MX game to run on their engine,[2] one factor that resulted in its decision to acquire that developer. Following this acquisition,[3] Rainbow Studios relinquished control of the ATV Offroad Fury series to Climax Studios and drew upon prior experience in developing high-quality motocross racing games after the success of Microsoft's PC-exclusive Motocross Madness duology to make a MX game with the high level of quality THQ expected. This involved utilizing various graphical enhancements and effects from its prior off-road racing titles such as cleanly dynamic fog effects, a high draw distance and large, detailed race environments with many small objects that could be interacted with, as well as realistic physics.[4] The Australian release was endorsed by Australian pro motocross racer Chad Reed. Everywhere else, the game received no endorsement from any pro MX racer and had its full title simply shortened to MX Unleashed.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
EGM8/10[5]8/10[5]
Game Informer8/10[6]8/10[6]
GameSpot7.9/10[7]7.9/10[7]
GameSpyStarStarStarStar[8]StarStarStarStar[8]
GameZoneN/A7.7/10[9]
IGN8.8/10[10]8.8/10[11]
OPM (US)StarStarStarStar[12]N/A
OXM (US)N/A8.1/10[13]
TeamXboxN/A8.6/10[14]
X-PlayN/AStarStarStarStar[15]
The Village VoiceN/A8/10[16]
Aggregate score
Metacritic80/100[17]81/100[18]

MX Unleashed received "generally positive" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[17][18]

By July 2006, the PlayStation 2 version of MX Unleashed had sold 740,000 copies and earned $22 million in the United States. Next Generation ranked it as the 88th highest-selling game launched for sixth-generation consoles between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country. Combined sales of the MX trilogy reached 1.5 million units in the United States by July 2006.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "MX Unleashed" (in en-US). 2004-02-13. http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/02/13/mx-unleashed-5?page=4. 
  2. ↑ Bartels, Billy (24 February 2009). "ATV Offroad Fury 3 - ATV Video Game Showdown!". https://www.atvrider.com/atv-offroad-fury-3-atv-video-game-showdown. 
  3. ↑ IGN Staff (January 3, 2002). "THQ Completes Rainbow Studios Acquisition". https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/01/03/thq-completes-rainbow-studios-acquisition. 
  4. ↑ Roper, Chris (2004-02-13). "MX Unleashed" (in en-US). http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/02/13/mx-unleashed-5. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 EGM staff (April 2004). "MX Unleashed". Electronic Gaming Monthly (177): 118. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kato, Matthew (March 2004). "MX Unleashed". Game Informer (131): 94. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/2D04BB06-71A0-45DB-86B5-DDA34ECFE530.htm. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Gerstmann, Jeff (February 23, 2004). "MX Unleashed Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mx-unleashed-review/1900-6089877/. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Leeper, Justin (February 29, 2004). "GameSpy: MX Unleashed". GameSpy. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/mx-unleashed/499128p1.html. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  9. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (March 5, 2004). "MX Unleashed - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081006061325/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r22259.htm. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  10. ↑ Roper, Chris (February 13, 2004). "MX Unleashed (PS2)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/02/13/mx-unleashed-5. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  11. ↑ Roper, Chris (February 19, 2004). "MX Unleashed (Xbox)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/02/19/mx-unleashed-4. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  12. ↑ "MX Unleashed". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 99. April 2004. 
  13. ↑ "MX Unleashed". Official Xbox Magazine: 76. May 2004. 
  14. ↑ Nardozzi, Dale (April 9, 2004). "MX Unleashed Review (Xbox)". TeamXbox. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090116153449/http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/736/MX-Unleashed/p1/. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  15. ↑ D'Aprile, Jason (March 17, 2004). "'MX Unleashed' (Xbox) Review". X-Play. Archived from the original on March 18, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040318041757/http://www.techtv.com/xplay/reviews/story/0%2C24330%2C3638775%2C00.html. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  16. ↑ Catucci, Nick (March 2, 2004). "They know not what they do: The passion of the MX racers". The Village Voice. http://www.villagevoice.com/news/they-know-not-what-they-do-the-passion-of-the-mx-racers-6408129. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "MX Unleashed for PlayStation 2 Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/mx-unleashed/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "MX Unleashed for Xbox Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/mx-unleashed/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved March 21, 2015. 
  19. ↑ "The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century". Next Generation. July 29, 2006. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071028115051/http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2&pop=1&page=1. 
  • 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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