Software:Ninja: Shadow of Darkness

From HandWiki
Short description: 1998 video game
Ninja: Shadow of Darkness
Developer(s)Core Design
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
Producer(s)Troy Horton
Designer(s)Joby Wood
Brian Tomczyk
Programmer(s)Martin Jensen
Derek Leigh-Gilchrist
Dan Scott
Composer(s)Martin Iveson
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • EU: September 1998
  • NA: 8 October 1998[1]
Genre(s)Action, beat 'em up, platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Ninja: Shadow of Darkness is an action beat 'em up platform video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive for the PlayStation. The story follows a warrior named Kurosawa, who is tasked of ridding Feudal Japan of an unspeakable evil.

Gameplay

The player character, Kurosawa, can combat enemies with hand-to-hand moves, magic spells, or weapons such as swords and throwing star that appear as item pick-ups.[2] There are also pick-ups used to recover health.[2]

Development

Though Ninja was developed immediately following the popular Tomb Raider, Core Design did not want to be restricted to the Tomb Raider engine's interiors-only nature, and instead built the game engine for Ninja: Shadow of Darkness from scratch.[3]

The game was announced for release in August 1997 on Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and PC, and a near-complete beta of the Saturn version was unveiled at this time.[2] The PlayStation version was a port of the Saturn version. Mid-development, programmer Derek Leigh-Gilchrist commented that the port "has involved taking a lot of C code across from Saturn and modifying the 3D-specific bits to use the GTE [Geometry Transfer Engine]. This all worked fine, but it still wasn't fast enough to run the game at 30 frames per second, so I then converted the C code into optimized R3000 assembler with inline GTE code, which halved the processing time. Ninja now easily runs in 30 fps and has enabled us to start adding more detail to the game environment".[4]

The Saturn version created floor surfaces with the Saturn's Mode 7-style scaling,[3] a feature unique to the console which allows it to perform scaling effects without burdening the CPU with geometry calculations, whereas the PlayStation must construct floors out of polygons, a task which lowers the frame rate.[5] Using the resulting performance benefit, the team tagged objects in the Saturn version with depth-cues, allowing them to create transparency effects in the game's water bodies.[3]

The PlayStation version was delayed for over a year, and the Saturn and PC versions were cancelled entirely.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings66%[6]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStar[7]
Consoles +83%[8]
CVGStarStar[9]
Edge6/10[10]
EGM3.5/10[11][lower-alpha 1]
Game Informer2.5/10[12]
GameRevolutionC[13]
GameSpot5.3/10[14]
IGN6.5/10[15]
OPM (US)StarHalf star[16]

The game received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[6] Game Informer panned the game for its bad graphics and controls and not having a story, and recommended to play Software:Tenchu: Stealth Assassins instead.[12] GamePro however was more positive despite its problematic controls.[17][lower-alpha 2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Four critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 3.5/10.
  2. ↑ GamePro gave the game 5/5 for graphics, two 4.5/5 scores for sound and fun factor, and 3/5 for control.

References

  1. ↑ IGN staff (8 October 1998). "Ninja Ships Today". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/10/09/ninja-ships-today. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Rider, David; Semrad, Ed (April 1997). "Core: Ninja". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (93): 74. https://retrocdn.net/images/b/b2/EGM_US_093.pdf. Retrieved 8 July 2022. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "NG Alphas: Ninja". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (30): 102–4. June 1997. https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration30Jun1997/page/n103/mode/2up. Retrieved 8 July 2022. 
  4. ↑ "Sony PlayStation: The People's Choice". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (30): 54–57. June 1997. https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration30Jun1997/page/n56/mode/2up. Retrieved 8 July 2022. 
  5. ↑ "Sega Saturn: The Coder's Machine". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (30): 58–60. June 1997. https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration30Jun1997/page/n59/mode/2up. Retrieved 8 July 2022. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198204-ninja-shadow-of-darkness/index.html. 
  7. ↑ White, Jason. "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12755&tab=review. 
  8. ↑ Spy; Ahl (November 1998). "Ninja [Shadow of Darkness]" (in fr). Consoles + (82): 100–1. 
  9. ↑ Davies, Paul (October 1998). "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness". Computer and Video Games (EMAP) (203): 56. https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_203_1998-10_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n55/mode/2up. Retrieved 9 July 2022. 
  10. ↑ Edge staff (October 1998). "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness". Edge (Future Publishing) (63): 91. https://retrocdn.net/images/4/48/Edge_UK_063.pdf. Retrieved 9 July 2022. 
  11. ↑ Williams, Ken "Sushi-X"; Davison, John; Hsu, Dan; Smith, Shawn (January 1999). "Ninja [Shadow of Darkness"]. Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (114): 227. https://retrocdn.net/images/6/6c/EGM_US_114.pdf. Retrieved 9 July 2022. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Ninja [Shadow of Darkness; Import"]. Game Informer (FuncoLand) (66): 69. October 1998. https://archive.org/details/Game_Informer_Issue_066_October_1998/page/n69/mode/2up. 
  13. ↑ Dick, Kevin (October 1998). "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/34031-ninja-shadow-of-darkness-review. 
  14. ↑ Mollohan, Gary (4 November 1998). "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness Review [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ninja-shadow-of-darkness-review/1900-2546030/. 
  15. ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (12 October 1998). "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/10/13/ninja-shadow-of-darkness. 
  16. ↑ "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 2 (3). December 1998. 
  17. ↑ Four-Eyed Dragon (December 1998). "Ninja: Shadow of Darkness". GamePro (IDG) (123): 180. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_113_December_1998/page/n183/mode/2up. Retrieved 9 July 2022. 
  • 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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