Software:Muscle March

From HandWiki
Short description: 2009 video game
Muscle March
Developer(s)Namco Bandai Games
Publisher(s)Namco Bandai Games[lower-alpha 1]
Producer(s)Shinya Satake
Platform(s)Wii
Release
  • JP: May 26, 2009
  • NA: January 18, 2010
  • PAL: March 19, 2010
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Muscle March, known in Japan as Lua error in Module:Lang/utilities at line 332: attempt to call field '_transl' (a nil value)., is an action game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Wii through the WiiWare service. It was released in Japan in 2009, and in North America and the PAL region in 2010. Players control one of seven different bodybuilders and try to catch a thief that has stolen their bodybuilding friends' tub of protein powder. Its gameplay is similar to Hole In The Wall, where players use the Wiimote and Nunchuck to perform specific bodybuilder poses to pass through corresponding holes in walls left by the thief.

Muscle March is based on an unreleased arcade game of the same name, where players used a set of dual joysticks to make a character perform various poses. The arcade version was developed by a team of newcomers to the company and was canceled due to it being too similar to "another arcade game at the time". Company veteran Hideo Yoshizawa suggested porting Muscle March to the Wii as he believed its motion controls worked well with the game. Critics highlighted its bizarre nature and camp style, which they compared to games such as Namco Bandai's sister franchise Katamari Damacy, though its gameplay was criticized for being too simplistic and suffering from unresponsive controls.

Gameplay

A screenshot of Muscle March, showing the player (as Mr. Pedroso) performing the same pose as the hole.

Muscle March is an action game in which players control a bodybuilder trying to stop a thief that has stolen their bodybuilding friends' tub of protein powder. Players can select one of seven different flamboyant characters, which include the Russian Radimov; the top hat-wearing Spaniard, Mr. Pedroso; and a Norwegian polar bear. The differences between each character are cosmetic, and do not affect the gameplay itself depending on which one is chosen.[1]

The gameplay is similar to Hole In The Wall;[1] the thief will crash through walls, leaving holes in the shape of bodybuilding poses, and players use the Wiimote and Nunchuck to match the pose. Failing to match the pose in time will remove a heart from the players' stamina meter.[2] If the meter is fully depleted, the game is over.[2] Players begin at the end of a single-file line of computer-controlled bodybuilders, which one by one are knocked out of play.[2][3] Once the thief is the only character remaining, players must shake the controllers to catch up and tackle him. The main gamemode is "Arcade", where players complete a series of six stages that increase in difficulty.[1] There is also a time attack mode where the objective is to get as far as possible before a life is lost.[3]

Development

Muscle March was created by Namco Bandai Games, a company formed through the merger of Namco and Bandai in 2006.[3][4] It was originally intended as an arcade game where players used a set of dual joysticks for control.[5][6] The arcade version was created in 2006 by a team of newcomer employees for the company, who were given exactly one month to make it as a learning experience. They came up with a game where players use the joysticks to make the character perform different poses. Though the prototype was completed and later demonstrated at an arcade tradeshow in Tokyo, it was canceled before its test marketing due to it being too similar to "another arcade game at the time".[6]

The same year the arcade version of Muscle March was canceled, Nintendo released the Wii, a home game console that utilized motion controls. Hideo Yoshizawa, a long-time veteran of Namco Bandai and the producer of its Klonoa series, suggested releasing Muscle March for the Wii, as it was his belief the motion controls would work well with the game.[6] Yoshizawa showed the game to Nintendo, who reportedly liked its concept.[6] The Wii version was produced by newcomer Shinya Satake.[7] Muscle March's characters, setting, and plot rarely attempt any semblance of realism, in a manner similar to Katamari Damacy (2004) and Noby Noby Boy (2009).[8][9] This design choice was based on Satake wanting to make games with a comedic tone.[7]

Namco Bandai released Muscle March in Japan on May 26, 2009 through the WiiWare service.[10] Though news outlets believed its heavily-stylized and bizarre design made an international version unlikely,[9][11] Namco Bandai announced a Western release in December.[11] Namco Bandai's North American division worked to promote the game using strange and eccentric advertisements, which generated considerable attention.[6] Muscle March was released in North America on January 10, 2010,[12] and later for the PAL region on March 19.[13]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic62/100[14]
Review scores
PublicationScore
1Up.comD[15]
Eurogamer7/10[17]
GamesRadar+StarStarStarHalf star[19]
IGN6.1/10[3]
NGamer60%[21]
Nintendo LifeStarStarStarStarStarStar[22]
ONM63%[23]

Muscle March received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[14] IGN reviewer Daemon Hatfield considered Muscle March "more fun to watch than it is to play".[3] Reviewers were primarily critical of its controls, which they claimed became unresponsive in later portions of the game.[17][3] Kotaku writer Michael McWhertor expressed his frustration with the game not being able to recognize controller movements at high speeds, making later levels unnecessarily difficult.[8] Nathan Meunier of GamesRadar+, though not as critical as McWhertor, felt the controls required time getting used to, and listed it as being one of Muscle March's weakest aspects.[19] The short length and lack of content were also criticized.[17][3][8] Writing for MeriStation, Ramon Mendez thought the game was too short and lacked a proper challenge, and wrote that Muscle March was "nothing more than a curiosity".[20]

Critics were drawn to the camp style and bizarre premise. Hardcore Gaming 101's Neil Foster described the game as being "a homoerotic Simon Says."[1] Its lack of attempt at realism was compared to games such as Cho Aniki and Katamari Damacy, which similarly used abstract characters and outlandish premises.[20][8] Mendez and McWhertor both suggested playing the game with friends for the same reason.[20][8] Foster complained the graphics were on-par with budget-priced Dreamcast games,[1] while Hatfield felt it added to its charm.[3] The gameplay itself left reviewers indifferent; where as some stated it was too simplistic,[5][8] others believed it was part of what made it appealing.[19] Eurogamer's Ellie Gibson said its simplicity and strangeness were its biggest strengths, and ultimately made it worth the purchase: "Muscle March is shallow, stupid, short, repetitive and crude. It's also the best WiiWare game."[17]

Notes

  1. ↑ Published under the Namco brand outside North America.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Foster, Neil (May 2, 2014). "Muscle March". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/muscle-march/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Geraint (April 2010). "Online WiiWare - Muscle March". NGamer (Future plc) (48): 76. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Hatfield, Daemon (February 2, 2010). "Muscle March Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/02/muscle-march-review. 
  4. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (January 11, 2006). "Bandai Namco Games Opens Doors in March". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/11/bandai-namco-games-opens-doors-in-march. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kohler, Chris (May 28, 2009). "Muscle March: Thanks For Stealing My Money, Namco". Wired (Condé Nast). https://www.wired.com/2009/05/muscle-march-wii-ware/. Retrieved August 7, 2023. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Kemps, Heidi (March 27, 2018). "INTERVIEW: Hideo Yoshizawa and Keiji Yamagishi". http://gaming.moe/?p=2894. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "現代の子どもたちに笑いとつながりを。新規オリジナルRPG『ニンジャボックス』誕生の裏側" (in ja). Bandai Namco Entertainment. December 19, 2019. https://asobimotto.bandainamcoent.co.jp/2791/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 McWhertor, Michael (January 27, 2010). "Muscle March Micro-Review: Flex Crimes". G/O Media. https://kotaku.com/muscle-march-micro-review-flex-crimes-5457936. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sinclair, Brendan (May 15, 2009). "Namco Bandai on Muscle March to WiiWare". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/namco-bandai-on-muscle-march-to-wiiware/1100-6209821/. 
  10. ↑ Tanaka, John (May 15, 2009). "WiiWare Flood Hits Japan". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/05/15/wiiware-flood-hits-japan. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Biessener, Adam (December 2, 2009). "Muscle March Being Brought To U.S. WiiWare, May Be Weirdest Game On Platform". Game Informer (GameStop). https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2009/12/02/muscle-march-being-brought-to-u-s-wiiware-may-be-weirdest-game-on-platform.aspx. Retrieved March 28, 2021. 
  12. ↑ IGN staff (January 19, 2010). "Namco Bandai Games' Muscle March IS Now Available on WiiWare". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/19/namco-bandai-games-muscle-march-is-now-available-on-wiiware. 
  13. ↑ Fletcher, JC (March 19, 2010). "European Nintendo downloads: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Muscle March ... Flashlight". Yahoo!. https://news.yahoo.com/2010-03-19-european-nintendo-downloads-castlevania-rondo-of-blood-muscle.html. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Muscle March". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/muscle-march/. 
  15. ↑ Watts, Steve (January 21, 2010). "Muscle March Review". Ziff Davis. http://www.1up.com/reviews/muscle-march-review. 
  16. ↑ Constantine, John; Wolinsky, David; Jones, Scott; Nelson, Samantha; Teti, John (February 8, 2010). "February 8, 2010". G/O Media. https://www.avclub.com/february-8-2010-1798219803. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Gibson, Ellie (March 25, 2010). "Muscle March". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/muscle-march-review. 
  18. ↑ Lassinat-Foubert, Loup (March 19, 2010). "Test : Muscle March" (in fr). TF1 Group. https://www.gamekult.com/jeux/muscle-march-96544/test.html. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Meunier, Nathan (February 2, 2010). "Muscle March review". Future plc. https://www.gamesradar.com/muscle-march-review/. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Mendez, Ramon (March 18, 2010). "Muscle March: La última proteína". MeriStation (PRISA). https://as.com/meristation/2010/03/18/analisis/1268895600_019276.html. Retrieved August 7, 2023. 
  21. ↑ "Muscle March". NGamer (Future plc): 76. April 2010. 
  22. ↑ Wahlgren, Jon (January 20, 2010). "Muscle March Review". Hookshot Media. https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2010/01/muscle_march. 
  23. ↑ "Muscle March review". Official Nintendo Magazine (Future plc): 89. May 2010. 
  • 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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