Software:Rally Cross (video game)

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Rally Cross
North American cover art
Developer(s)Sony Interactive Studios America
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Producer(s)Ken George
Programmer(s)Mark Lyons
Artist(s)Scott Atkins
Composer(s)Rex Baca
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Rally Cross is a racing video game developed by Sony Interactive Studios America and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. A sequel was released in 1998 titled Rally Cross 2.

Gameplay

The game supports up to four players via a split screen.[3]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings85.40% (10 reviews)[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM8.75/10[4]
GameSpot7.7/10[5]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar[6]
Fort Worth Star-Telegram4/5[8]

Critics typically compared the game to Sega Rally Championship, identifying the major difference from the Sega game as the more dramatic consequences of driving over unfavorable terrain, which results in an emphasis on careful driving rather than speed.[4][5][6][9] Opinions on this aspect of the game varied. Kraig Kujawa, who reviewed Rally Cross in both Electronic Gaming Monthly and GamePro, hailed it as a major innovation for the racing genre, assessing that it makes the game more realistic and creates a more intelligent challenge.[4][5] Kujawa's EGM co-reviewer Dean Hager noted that it results in slower racing, but agreed that the overall experience is more challenging and overall better than Sega Rally Championship.[4] A reviewer for Next Generation echoed Hager to an extent: "What the game lacks in outright speed, however, is more than made up for by the strategy that is required to select the best line through the undulating tracks." However, he argued that the ease with which cars are flipped over is unrealistic and results in a frustratingly steep learning curve, and concluded the gameplay to ultimately fall second to that of Sega Rally Championship.[6] GamePro's Dr. Zombie took a fairly neutral position, noting that the unique racing style can be mastered but might be disappointing to players who like high-speed racing.[9]

Critics almost unanimously praised the detailed graphics[5][6][9] and the high level of replayability resulting from the large number of tracks, variety of vehicles, numerous modes, and four-player capability.[5][6][9]

References

  1. ↑ "Racing that's scary". Reading Evening Post: pp. 28. July 4, 1997. https://www.newspapers.com/image/808305590/?terms=%22Rally%20Cross%22&match=1. "TWO new Sony titles this week especially for road ragers, but unlike many others, the steering control in Rage Racer is superb...The second title is an excellent 4x4 simulation for one to four players called Rally Cross." 
  2. ↑ "Game Informer News". Game Informer. 1999-02-10. http://www.gameinformer.com/news/feb97/021397a.html. Retrieved 2023-04-05. 
  3. ↑ "Rally Cross". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (91): 145. February 1997. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Kujawa, Kraig; Hager, Dean (May 1997). "Team EGM Sports: Rally Cross". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (94): 116. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Kujawa, Kraig (March 6, 1997). "Rally Cross Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rally-cross-review/1900-2549007/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "Finals: Rally Cross". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (30): 118. June 1997. https://archive.org/stream/NextGeneration30Jun1997/Next_Generation_30_Jun_1997#page/n119. 
  7. ↑ "Rally Cross Gamerankings Review Score". https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198405-rally-cross/index.html. 
  8. ↑ Mayhew, Malcolm (March 1, 1997). "Replay". p. 63. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104140287/fort-worth-star-telegram/. Retrieved June 21, 2022. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Rally Cross". GamePro (IDG) (104): 106. May 1997. 
  • 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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