Software:NHL 98

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
NHL 98
North American PlayStation cover art featuring Peter Forsberg
Developer(s)EA Canada
Electronic Arts (SNES, Genesis)
MBL Research (Saturn)
Publisher(s)EA Sports
THQ (SNES, Genesis)
Producer(s)Ken Sayler
Composer(s)Jeff van Dyck (Windows)
David Whittaker (Genesis)
SeriesNHL series
EngineVirtual Stadium
Platform(s)SNES, Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Sega Genesis
Release
Genre(s)Sports (ice hockey)
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

NHL 98 is an ice hockey video game developed by EA Canada. It was released in 1997 and was the successor to NHL 97. It was the last installment of the NHL series to be released on the SNES, Sega Genesis, or Sega Saturn. It is based on the 1997-98 NHL season.

Gameplay

A match in progress between Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings.

NHL 98 took the NHL series ahead by introducing full national teams,[4] although EA could not get the Nagano Olympic Tournament license due to lack of IIHF license, which Gremlin Interactive acquired. The Olympic hockey license itself was acquired by Midway Home Entertainment. Jim Hughson returns for play-by-play, this time joined by Daryl Reaugh, who provided color commentary. EA Sports also introduces 3Dfx Glide support for the first time in the NHL series. Despite his career ending injury, Vladimir Konstantinov was featured in the game. The Sega Saturn version also has Mario Lemieux in it. He retired at the end of the 1996–97 NHL season, yet was still included in the game.

Development

During the planning stages of development, EA Sports consulted with Marc Crawford (then coach of the Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche) on how to improve the realism and strategy of the gameplay.[5][6]

The Saturn version was developed by MBL Research.[7]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarStarHalf star (PC)[14]
StarStarStarStar (GEN)[15]
StarStarStarStar (PS)[16]
StarStarStar (SAT)[17]
EGM8.75/10 (PS1)[8]
7.38/10 (SAT)[9]
IGN8/10 (PS1)[10]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar (PS1)[11]
PSM9/10[12]
Sega Saturn Magazine62% (SAT)[13]

In the United States, the game's Windows version sold 134,714 copies during 1997.[18]

The PlayStation version met with resoundingly positive reviews, with critics hailing it as a return to dominance for the NHL series after the '96 PlayStation edition was cancelled and the '97 edition was average.[8][19][10][11][20] John Ricciardi of Electronic Gaming Monthly went so far as to call it "the greatest hockey game ever made."[8] While IGN and GamePro both cautioned that NHL 98 could not be called the best hockey of the year until NHL FaceOff 98 was complete, they assessed it as "[EA Sports'] best hockey title since its 16-bit glory days" and "a board-battering good time", respectively.[10][20] Next Generation stated that "NHL '98 is a very good game and just that much better than the rest of the competition."[11]

Reviews especially praised the advanced AI,[8][19][11][20] fast gameplay,[8][10][11][20] and the ability to change team strategies on the fly, without going to a pause menu.[8][19][10][20] IGN pointed out that thanks to this last feature, "It only takes a little while for those who don't even care about strategy to experiment with new offenses and defenses that match their playing style. This changes the whole way hockey strategy is used."[10] Glenn Rubenstein added in GameSpot, "Features like these make the game move faster than any other hockey title out there, and they also give the game a thrilling edge that others lack."[19] Critics also praised the sound effects[10][11][20] and the graphics, especially the player animations.[8][19][10][11][20] While some criticized that the controls are a bit loose,[8][20] most critics praised the controls,[19][10][11] with Next Generation arguing that "since the players are on ice, EA's slippery control is actually quite accurate."[11]

Later console versions received comparatively little attention. Lee Nutter of Sega Saturn Magazine and Dan Hsu of Electronic Gaming Monthly both razed the Saturn port as a slipshod conversion which lacks the elements that made the PlayStation and PC versions so highly regarded. They noted that the high resolution textures, translucent and reflective effects, scoreboard, names on jerseys, goal celebrations, and referee were all cut from the Saturn version, which nonetheless runs at a frame rate so choppy that it is almost unplayable.[9][13] With his sole praise being for the play-by-play commentary and sound effects, Nutter dubbed the port "A shambling mockery of its former self" and recommended Saturn owners get NHL All-Star Hockey '98 instead.[13] However, Hsu's three co-reviewers, while acknowledging the port's faults, still felt NHL 98 to be by far the best hockey game for the Saturn, and even Hsu said it was not nearly as bad as NHL All-Star Hockey '98.[9]

NHL 98 was a runner-up for Computer Gaming World's 1997 "Sports Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Baseball Mogul and CART Precision Racing (tie). The editors called NHL 98 "the latest and best [...] in EA's awesome action-oriented" series.[21]

During the AIAS' inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards, NHL 98 was a nominee for "PC Sports Game of the Year",[22] which ultimately went to Software:FIFA: Road to World Cup 98.[23]

In 1998, PC Gamer declared it the 17th best computer game ever released, and the editors called it "quite simply the most entertaining sports game around".[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Electronic Arts - News Room, Electronic Arts Ships NHL 98 for the PlayStation and PC". 1998-02-07. http://www.ea.com/companyinfo/press/nhl98psxpc.html. 
  2. ↑ "sega-europe.online". 1998-12-02. http://www.sega-europe.com/saturn/satinfo.html. 
  3. ↑ "Wayback Machine". Game Informer. 1998-01-21. http://www.gameinformer.com/news/jan98/011498b.html. Retrieved 2023-04-10. 
  4. ↑ "NHL 98: EA Sports' New Hockey Simulation Brings High-Resolution Hockey to the PlayStation". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (99): 187. October 1997. 
  5. ↑ "NHL '98 Training for a Breakaway". GamePro (IDG) (102): 90. March 1997. 
  6. ↑ Nutter, Lee (November 1997). "EA Sports". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (25): 22. https://archive.org/details/Sega_Saturn_Magazine_Issue_25_1997-11_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n21. Retrieved December 5, 2019. 
  7. ↑ Air Hendrix (September 1997). "NHL '98". GamePro (IDG) (108): 114. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 "Review Crew: NHL 98". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (101): 204. December 1997. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Review Crew: NHL 98". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (104): 120. March 1998. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 "NHL '98". September 22, 1997. https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/23/nhl-98. Retrieved 10 February 2020. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 "Slick". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (36): 163. December 1997. 
  12. ↑ NHL 98 review, Official UK PlayStation Magazine, Future Publishing issue 26, October 1997
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Nutter, Lee (March 1998). "Review: NHL '98". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (29): 70–71. 
  14. ↑ "NHL 98 (PC) Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=863&tab=review. 
  15. ↑ "NHL 98 (Sega Genesis) Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=7572&tab=review. 
  16. ↑ "NHL 98 (PlayStation) Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2209&tab=review. 
  17. ↑ "NHL 98 (Sega Saturn) Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1906&tab=review. 
  18. ↑ Staff (April 1998). "How Did the PCG Award Winners Fare?". PC Gamer US 5 (4): 45. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GSPS
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 Air Hendrix (November 1997). "NHL '98 Gets Physical in this Year's Face-Off". GamePro (IDG) (110): 155. 
  21. ↑ Staff (March 1998). "CGW Presents The Best & Worst of 1997". Computer Gaming World (164): 74–77, 80, 84, 88, 89. 
  22. ↑ "The Award; Award Updates". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090128/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm. 
  23. ↑ "The Award; Award Updates". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090115/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm. 
  24. ↑ The PC Gamer Editors (October 1998). "The 50 Best Games Ever". PC Gamer US 5 (10): 86, 87, 89, 90, 92, 98, 101, 102, 109, 110, 113, 114, 117, 118, 125, 126, 129, 130. 
  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



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