Software:NBA Baller Beats

From HandWiki
Short description: 2012 video game
Not to be confused with NBA Ballers.
NBA Baller Beats
File:Frameless
Retail package with the included ball and Deron Williams on the game case.
Developer(s)HB Studios
Publisher(s)Majesco Entertainment
Platform(s)Xbox 360
Release
  • NA: September 11, 2012
Genre(s)Rhythm
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

NBA Baller Beats is a rhythm game developed by HB Studios and released by Majesco Entertainment on the Xbox 360 for use with the Kinect motion sensing controller. Unlike most rhythm games that revolve around dancing or playing musical instruments, NBA Baller Beats instead has players dribbling a basketball to the rhythm of popular music. The game is officially licensed by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is bundled with a replica Spalding basketball.[1] Deron Williams is the cover athlete for the game.[2]

The game received above-average reviews, with critics commenting that the game can improve basketball handling skills. However, concerns were raised with playing the game in a small room, as well as noise issues from both the game and the bouncing ball. Despite being well received, NBA Baller Beats did not sell well and was attributed to Majesco posting decreased earnings for 2012.

Gameplay

Players dribble the ball according to onscreen instructions for points; in-game environments feature actual NBA team logos.

In the game, various instructions to handle the basketball scroll down a lane on screen. Players are instructed to handle the ball various ways, including dribbling it in the left or right hand, passing it from one hand to another, dribbling between legs or faking a pass, all to the rhythm of the in-game music.[3] The more accurate and timely the player's motions are, the more points are awarded.[4] In this respect, the game has been considered as a possible way to teach basic basketball handling skills to novices.[5] A tutorial mode called "Beat School" can assist players with the various moves.[6]

Players can choose an NBA team and play in an environment adorned with that team's logo. Various unlockable content is also available, including in-game posters, trading cards and highlight videos for each team's players. Three different skill levels can be chosen - Rookie, Pro and Baller.[7] Songs can be played in different venues, including a basketball court, beach and an amusement park. The in-game environments visually react to the beats of each song. In addition to the game's single player mode, there is also a versus mode in which players switch out at different points of the match.[8]

Development and promotion

The game was developed by the Halifax division of HB Studios, which closed after development on the game was completed.[9] The developers wanted to use an actual basketball for gameplay and programmed the game to pick up the motion of a basketball along with the motion of players.[7]

A playable demo was exhibited at E3 2012.[3] In addition to having Deron Williams as the cover athlete, former NBA player Kenny Smith[5] as well the WNBA's New York Liberty were tapped to market the game.[10] Smith also provided narration for the in-game tutorial.[11]

Soundtrack

The game features a variety of popular music tracks:[1]

  • "Access Hollywood" – Consequence
  • "Amazing" – Kanye West ft. Young Jeezy
  • "Another One Bites the Dust" – Queen
  • "Autobiotics" – Calling All Cars
  • "Bangarang" – Skrillex ft. Sirah
  • "Blue Sky" – Common
  • "Bust a Move" – Young MC
  • "Canon" – Justice
  • "Championship Fever" – Najee
  • "Chillin" – Wale ft. Lady Gaga
  • "C'Mon Catch 'Em By Surprise" – Tiësto vs. Diplo ft. Busta Rhymes
  • "Disparate Youth" – Santigold
  • "Don't Sweat the Technique" – Eric B. & Rakim
  • "Get Ur Freak On" – Missy Elliott
  • "It's OK" – Cee Lo Green
  • "It's Tricky" – Run DMC
  • "Let It (Edit Remix)" – Machine Drum ft. Melo X
  • "Music Makes Me Feel So Good" – Static Revenger
  • "New Fang" – Them Crooked Vultures
  • "Night by Night" – Chromeo
  • "Obstacle 1" - Interpol
  • "O.N.E." – Yeasayer
  • "Party Rock Anthem" – LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett and GoonRock
  • "Roll Up" – Wiz Khalifa
  • "Satellite" – Rise Against
  • "Slam" – Onyx
  • "So Good" – B.o.B
  • "Stylo" – Gorillaz
  • "Surf Hell" – Little Barrie
  • "Tightrope" – Janelle Monáe

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic73/100[12]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM7.5/10[13]
GameRevolutionStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[14]
GameSpot7/10[4]
GameZone7.5/10[8]
JoystiqStarStarStarHalf star[15]
OXM (US)7.5/10[6]

The game received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[12] Some reviewers pointed out that the game could improve basketball handling skills. The New York Daily News said that the game "Actually can make you a better ball-handler",[16] while Official Xbox Magazine said that players "definitely learn moves and increase your skills even if you never graduate past the Rookie difficulty level",[6] and a reviewer for GameZone wrote that the game "will undoubtedly help you with ball control."[8] While the Daily News admitted that the game was playable in a living room even on a carpeted floor,[16] all three reviews raised concerns about playing in a small space and possible noise issues with neighbors.[6][8] GameRevolution echoed those concerns, while admitting that it does improve player's skills but also commenting that the game was not worth the full retail price.[14] GameSpot also commented that the game might not be worth the price, citing the lack of content and the repetitive gameplay, writing "there's not enough variety to keep you invested in the long term." Nevertheless, they had a positive impression of the game as a teaching tool, calling the title a "refreshing if flawed take on the rhythm genre."[4]

The game sold only 3,000 units in its initial month of release.[17] The title's lower than expected sales figures were cited as a cause of Majesco's decreased earnings for 2012.[18]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fletcher, JC (July 24, 2012). "These are the beats to which you'll play NBA Baller Beats". Yahoo. https://www.engadget.com/2012-07-24-these-are-the-beats-to-which-youll-play-nba-baller-beats.html. 
  2. ↑ McCann, Zach (June 7, 2012). "Deron Williams on new game, free agency". https://www.espn.com/blog/playbook/tech/post/_/id/878/deron-williams-on-new-game-free-agency. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Fletcher, JC (June 7, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats: best basketball-controlled music game of E3". Yahoo. https://www.engadget.com/2012-06-07-nba-baller-beats-best-basketball-controlled-music-game-of-e3.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Neigher, Eric (October 5, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats Review". Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/nba-baller-beats-review/1900-6397717/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Robinson, Jon (July 26, 2012). "Kenny Smith talks 'NBA Baller Beats,' Heat". https://www.espn.com/blog/playbook/tech/post/_/id/1390/kenny-smith-talks-%E2%80%98nba-baller-beats%E2%80%99-heat. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Rudden, Dave (September 11, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats review". Official Xbox Magazine (Future US). http://www.oxmonline.com/nba-baller-beats-review. Retrieved September 12, 2022. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Snider, Mike (April 23, 2012). "Xbox 360's 'NBA Baller Beats' could be a game-changer". Gannett Company. https://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/story/2012-04-23/NBA-player-beats-video-game/54514042/1. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Splechta, Mike (September 14, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats review". https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/nba-baller-beats-review/. 
  9. ↑ Totilo, Stephen (July 25, 2012). "Halifax-Based NBA Baller Beats Studio Shuts Down After Five Years [UPDATE"]. G/O Media. https://kotaku.com/halifax-based-nba-baller-beats-studio-shuts-down-after-5928975. 
  10. ↑ "New York Liberty Announce Marketing Partnership With First-of-Its-Kind Basketball Video Game NBA Baller Beats". August 16, 2012. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/york-liberty-announce-marketing-partnership-140000471.html. 
  11. ↑ Rougeau, Michael (September 11, 2012). "'NBA Baller Beats' Review: 7 Ways to Up Your Game with Kinect (Page 6)". Complex Networks. http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/09/nba-baller-beats-review-7-ways-to-up-your-game-with-kinect/page/6. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "NBA Baller Beats for Xbox 360 Reviews". Red Ventures. https://www.metacritic.com/game/nba-baller-beats/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360. 
  13. ↑ Harmon, Josh (September 12, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats review". EGMNow (EGM Media LLC). https://egmnow.com/egm-review-nba-baller-beats/. Retrieved September 12, 2022. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Charles, Devin (September 13, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/57131-nba-baller-beats-review. 
  15. ↑ Mitchell, Richard (October 26, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats review: Sweat the technique". Yahoo. https://www.engadget.com/2012-10-26-nba-baller-beats-review.html. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Samuel, Ebenezer (September 11, 2012). "Video Game Review: NBA Baller Beats". Daily News Enterprises. https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/video-game-review-nba-baller-beats-article-1.1156955. 
  17. ↑ Sliwinski, Alexander (October 12, 2012). "NBA Baller Beats sold 3,000 copies in debut month". Yahoo. https://www.engadget.com/2012-10-12-nba-baller-beats-sold-3-000-copies-in-debut-month.html. 
  18. ↑ Goldfarb, Andrew (January 15, 2013). "Low NBA Baller Beats Sales Deflate Majesco Earnings". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/15/low-nba-baller-beats-sales-deflate-majesco-earnings. 
  • Official website
  • Official webpage at Majesco Entertainment
  • 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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