Software:Platoon (1987 video game)

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Platoon
Amiga cover art
Developer(s)Ocean Software
Publisher(s)Data East
Sunsoft (NES)
Composer(s)Jonathan Dunn (Commodore 64)
Naoki Kodaka (NES)
David Whittaker (Amiga)
Platform(s)Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, NES, ZX Spectrum
Release1987, 1988
Genre(s)Shoot 'em up
Mode(s)Single-player

Platoon is an action game developed by Ocean Software and published by Data East for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, PC DOS and ZX Spectrum in 1987–1988. The NES version was ported and published by Sunsoft in September 1988.[1] It was the first video game adaptation of the 1986 war film Platoon, followed by the 2002 game.

Gameplay

Planting explosive charges on the bridge (Atari ST screenshot)

In Stage 1, the player is in a jungle with a side-scrolling element. The player is able to navigate vertically and horizontally through the screens. The player must also avoid getting hit by enemies, landing on explosive mines, as well as dodge any booby traps in the way. The goal of the first stage is to find the explosives buried deep within the jungle and then navigate out and plant the explosives on the bridge. After planting the explosives, the player will be in a town and must find a torch and a map of the tunnel system for the next level.[2]

In Stage 2, the player is now in a tunnel system and the point of view has changed to a first-person shooter. The player is able to navigate through the tunnel system using the map obtained earlier in stage 1. The player must navigate through the tunnel system and collect flares and a compass along the way. Enemies will continuously appear on the screen and the player must kill them quickly in order to advance through the tunnel system.

In Stage 3, the player is stuck in a bunker overnight that is under constant siege by enemy AI. The player must use flares obtained in the tunnel system in order to see enemy AI outside the bunker to be able to shoot them. The player is still in first-person mode and must navigate the cross-hair onto the enemy players in order to shoot at them. A skilled player could make out the silhouettes of enemies amongst the background without the need for flares. As long as the player survives the siege, the level will be successfully completed by the player.

In Stage 4, the player is now navigating through the jungle in a third-person view. The player has 4 minutes to complete this level and must navigate through the jungle while killing enemies as well as avoiding sniper fire. The compass obtained in the tunnel system is used here to help the player navigate through the jungle. At the end of the jungle is the game's boss, Sergeant Barnes, who is holed up in a brick bunker and shooting at the player. The player must be able to land five grenade shots to defeat Sergeant Barnes.[2]

Reception

Platoon received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its graphics and sound effects, but criticized its gameplay and difficulty.

The game was reviewed by several magazines at the time of its release, such as Computer and Video Games,[3] Zzap!64,[4] The Games Machine,[5] and ACE.[6] Some of the reviewers highlighted the game’s faithful adaptation of the movie, its realistic atmosphere, and its varied gameplay. For example, Zzap!64 gave the game a score of 94%, calling it “A superb combat simulation, and simply the best film tie-in to date - not to be missed.”.[4] Similarly, The Games Machine awarded the game 92%, stating that “Really successful film tie-ins have been few and far between, Platoon is one of the few. A sure-fire winner from Ocean."[5]

However, other reviewers were less impressed by the game, and pointed out its flaws, such as its high difficulty level, its frustrating controls, and its lack of replay value. For instance, ACE gave the game a score of 53%, commenting that “Sluggish control responses and scrolling ruin the game's playability, while the garishly clashy display makes it unappealing stuff to look at.”[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Electronic toys reach new dimensions". June 12, 1988. p. 22. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115687480/st-cloud-times/. Retrieved January 3, 2022. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "CRASH 50 - Platoon". http://www.crashonline.org.uk/50/platoon.htm. 
  3. ↑ "C+VG Reviews". Computer and Video Games: 42–43. March 1988. https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-077/page/n41/mode/2up. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Zzap! Test". ZZap!64: 88–89. February 1988. https://archive.org/details/zzapp_64_issue_034_600dpi/page/n87/mode/2up?view=theater. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Paradise Ungained". The Games Machine: 56–57. February 1988. https://archive.org/details/thegamesmachine-magazine-03/page/n55/mode/2up. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Screen Test". ACE: 59. April 1988. https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-07/page/n57/mode/2up?view=theater. 
  • 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 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]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

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. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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