Software:Mission: T.H.I.N.K.

From HandWiki
Mission: T.H.I.N.K.
Windows cover art
Developer(s)The Learning Company
Publisher(s)The Learning Company
Composer(s)Yellowjackets
Platform(s)PC (Windows, Macintosh)
Release
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Mission T.H.I.N.K. (Thinking Hard Inspires New Knowledge) is the final addition to the Super Solvers series created by The Learning Company. Morty Maxwell tries to take over the Shady Glen Game Factory with help of the Metal Minions. Also the original score in the five levels is by the famous fusion ensemble Yellowjackets. The game cultivates critical thinking skills by encouraging players to solve puzzles and create strategies.[2]

Production

The game was part of a promotion with Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc., where along with Where in the U.S.A. is Carmen Sandiego? and Reader Rabbit's Kindergarten, the game featured in The Family Learning Fun Pack, and packaged inside Tootsie products.[3]

Gameplay and plot

Players must complete five levels to finish the game. The levels themselves are identical to the ones featured in an earlier game, Gizmos & Gadgets!. Each level involves going through a warehouse, solving puzzles to open doors, and collecting pieces that must be used to win a checkers-like strategy game at the end of the level. While exploring the warehouse, the player must avoid having their pieces stolen by the Metal Minions. A magnet can be thrown to trap a Metal Minion and reclaim a stolen piece - the magnets themselves can be used an infinite number of times. After beating Morty at all five levels, a puzzle is put together portraying him leaving the factory. Along the way, the player is helped by Rusty, a Metal Minion who didn't like what Morty was doing.

Critical reception

Hilary Williams of Allgame thought the game was "entertaining", and praised it for cultivating various cognitive skills within the player.[4] [null Rocky Mountain News] wrote the "engaging game" was an easier version of Gizmos & Gadgets!.[5] The Booklist thought the activities within the game are "challenging and skill enriching".[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Video game: Super Solvers Mission: T.H.I.N.K. - an Action-Packed Learning Game". https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/video-game-super-solvers-mission-t-h-i-n-k-an-action-packed-learning-game/cwFdD2tfpBc8Kg?hl=en. 
  2. ↑ Oh, Paul (September 1998). "Guide to curriculum-specific software". Instructor, Primary Ed. (New York) 108 (2): 64–67. ProQuest 211355530. 
  3. ↑ "Tootsie Rolls Offers Consumers Free Learning Software. (Brief Article)". Professional Candy Buyer. 1999-05-01. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55607594.html. 
  4. ↑ "Super Solvers: Mission T.H.I.N.K. - Review - allgame". 2014-11-16. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=21922&tab=review. 
  5. ↑ "KIDS ON COMPUTERS. (Home Front) (Review)". Rocky Mountain News. Tribune Media Services. 1998-05-03. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67618773.html. 
  6. ↑ Fitzhugh, Kathleen (August 1998). "Super Solvers--Mission T.H.I.N.K.". The Booklist 94 (22): 2027. ProQuest 235402438. 
  • 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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