Software:Pong: The Next Level

From HandWiki
Short description: 1999 video game
Pong: The Next Level
Pong The Next Level cover.jpg
Developer(s)Supersonic Software
Morning Star Multimedia (GBC)
Publisher(s)Hasbro Interactive
MacSoft (Mac OS)
Producer(s)Dan Kitchen, Kevin Mitchell (GBC)
Programmer(s)Nick Eastridge (GBC)
Artist(s)Bill Jannott (GBC)
Composer(s)Scott Marshall (GBC)
Platform(s)
Release
GBC
  • NA: December 1999
  • EU: 2000
Mac OS
Genre(s)Arcade, Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Pong: The Next Level (known simply as Pong) is a remake of the 1972 Atari game of the same name developed by Supersonic Software and published by Hasbro Interactive.

Gameplay

Pong: The Next Level consists of many levels that are either traditional Pong matches against a computer-controlled opponent in special three-dimensional arenas with special power-ups and environmental gimmicks that affect the way the game is played, or solo challenges that require the player to keep the ball in play and call for precise and skilled moves to win. An example of the former is "Rock and Roll", where the player must win a Pong match against an opponent on an arena that can tilt or deform, and an example of the latter is "Seal Juggle", where the player must "juggle" a ball on a slanted iceberg and use a special power-up to launch it high up the slope so that a seal can pick it up. Matches use the "deuce" rule, in which if both contestants are one point away from winning, the player who takes a two-point lead is declared the winner.

Each level has three variations of increasing difficulty: an initial easy variation that awards the player three golden bars, a slightly more difficult one that awards two gold bars and a challenging one that grants one golden bar. Golden bars are used to unlock other levels and advance to new zones, and players are encouraged to go back and play harder versions of earlier levels if they are unable to get past a newly discovered level. Collecting golden bars will also cause an in-game crystal Atari logo to slowly change to gold. Filling in one of each of the three bars in the logo by completing one particular variation of every level will grant players access to an emulation of the original Pong game, and two other variants.

All "match" levels support multiplayer, with a special mode for more than two players, named "Last Pong Standing". In this mode, each player will be randomly assigned to guard a certain part of the arena edge from balls in each round and attempt to "eliminate" opponents by scoring goals against them. Eliminated players will have their goal areas blocked off. Once one player remains, the round ends and scoring is awarded as follows: the first eliminated player earns no points, subsequently eliminated players are awarded a limited number of points and the last player standing receives full scoring. Subsequent rounds are played until one player reaches the target score.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GBCMacintoshPCPS
AllGame1.5/5[7]N/A3.5/5[8]4.5/5[9]
CGSPN/AN/A3.5/5[12]N/A
EGMN/AN/AN/A6.5/10[13]
GameFanN/AN/AN/A73%[16]
GameSpotN/AN/AN/A4.5/10[17]
IGN2/10[18]N/A7.4/10[19]9/10[20]
Next GenerationN/AN/AN/A4/5[22]
Nintendo Power6.6/10[23]N/AN/AN/A
OPM (US)N/AN/AN/A3.5/5[24]
PC Gamer (UK)N/AN/A45%[25]N/A
PC ZoneN/AN/A28%[26]N/A
Aggregate score
GameRankings66%[4]N/A58%[5]68%[6]

The PC and PlayStation versions received mixed or average reviews, while the Game Boy Color version received unfavorable reviews. Blake Fischer of NextGen, however, called the PlayStation version "Good dumb fun that will keep you hooked for hours at a time. Just don't tell anybody."[22] GamePro said that the PC version "is fun--but not the kind of elaborate fun that will last you six months. It's more like a nifty stocking stuffer than a full-fledged present--one that will keep you warm and nostalgic into January."[27][lower-alpha 1]

Notes

  1. ↑ GamePro gave the PC version two 3/5 scores for graphics and control, 1.5/5 for sound, and 3.5/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ Fudge, James (October 28, 1999). "Hasbro Interactive Releases Pong". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/023/183/pong.html. 
  2. ↑ Kennedy, Sam (October 28, 1999). "Atari's 3D Pong Released". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ataris-3d-pong-released/1100-2448809/. 
  3. ↑ "MACSOFT TAKES PONG TO NEXT LEVEL". June 12, 2001. http://www.infogrames.net/corporate/press/061201_pong.asp. 
  4. ↑ "Pong: The Next Level for Game Boy Color Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/577349-pong-the-next-level/index.html. 
  5. ↑ "Pong: The Next Level for PC". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/187986-pong-the-next-level/index.html. 
  6. ↑ "Pong: The Next Level for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198317-pong-the-next-level/index.html. 
  7. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Pong: The Next Level (GBC) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20359&tab=review. 
  8. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Pong: The Next Level (PC) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20777&tab=review. 
  9. ↑ White, Jason. "Pong: The Next Level (PS) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19643&tab=review. 
  10. ↑ Bannan, Karen J. (January 27, 2000). "Pong: The Next Level (PC)". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0%2C6%2C0-3678%2C00.html. 
  11. ↑ Gaudiosi, Peyton (October 29, 1999). "Pong (PS)". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sony/Pong/. 
  12. ↑ Bauman, Steve (November 8, 1999). "Pong". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/024/037/pong_review.html. 
  13. ↑ "Pong (PS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (125): 284. December 1999. https://retrocdn.net/images/6/6d/EGM_US_125.pdf. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 
  14. ↑ Rog (November 30, 1999). "Pong: The Next Level (PC)". Greedy Productions Ltd.. http://www.elecplay.com/reviews_article.php?article=7630. 
  15. ↑ Hudak, Chris (December 8, 1999). "Pong (PS)". Greedy Productions Ltd.. http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=1613&full=1#mr_toppy. 
  16. ↑ "REVIEW for Pong (PS)". GameFan (Shinno Media). December 20, 1999. 
  17. ↑ Stahl, Ben (December 3, 1999). "Pong Review (PS)". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pong-review/1900-2546039/. 
  18. ↑ Harris, Craig (February 2, 2000). "Pong (GBC)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/02/03/pong-4. 
  19. ↑ Butts, Steve (November 11, 1999). "Pong (PC)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/11/12/pong. 
  20. ↑ Harris, Craig (November 4, 1999). "Pong (PS)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/11/05/pong-3. 
  21. ↑ Sammis, Ian (October 2001). "Pong: The Next Level". MacADDICT (Imagine Media) (62): 47. https://archive.org/details/MacAddict-062-200110/page/n47/mode/2up. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Fischer, Blake (February 2000). "Pong (PS)". NextGen (Imagine Media) (62): 97. https://archive.org/details/NextGen62Feb2000/page/n97/mode/2up. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 
  23. ↑ "Pong [The Next Level]". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 129. February 2000. 
  24. ↑ Kujawa, Kraig (December 1999). "Pong". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 3 (3): 173. https://archive.org/details/Official_US_PlayStation_Magazine_Volume_3_Issue_3_1999-12_Ziff_Davis_US/page/n167/mode/2up. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 
  25. ↑ Gillen, Kieron (March 2000). "Pong". PC Gamer UK (Future Publishing) (78). http://www.pcgamer.co.uk/games/gamefile_review_page.asp?item_id=3858. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 
  26. ↑ Hill, Mark (April 2000). "Pong". PC Zone (Dennis Publishing) (88): 91. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_088_2000-04_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n89/mode/2up. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 
  27. ↑ Werner, Nash (November 3, 1999). "Pong: The Next Level Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG). http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/2826.shtml. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 

External links



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