Software:Silkworm (video game)

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Silkworm
Silkworm
Cover art (NES)
Developer(s)Tecmo
Publisher(s)Tecmo
The Sales Curve
Sammy
Virgin Mastertronic
Composer(s)Barry Leitch (Amiga)
Platform(s)Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, ZX Spectrum
Release1988
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, Two-player

Silkworm is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed by Tecmo and first released for arcades in 1988. In 1989 it was ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and NES (1990) systems by The Sales Curve and released by Virgin Mastertronic.

Silkworm inspired the game SWIV, while not a direct sequel, it followed the same core gameplay design of a helicopter/jeep team, albeit as a vertically scrolling shooter instead of a horizontally scrolling one and was described as "inspired by" and a spiritual successor by several reviews, both of the time and contemporary, respectively.

Release

Silkworm was released at a time where side-scrolling shooting games were among the most popular genres - it was released at the same time as Forgotten Worlds,[1] Sanxion,[2] Mr. Heli[3] and DNA Warrior.[4]

The Spectrum version took three months to develop and was converted from the Amiga version which was almost identical to the original.[5] The game reached number three in the UK Spectrum sales charts, behind RoboCop and Dragon Ninja.[6]

In November 1990, Virgin re-released Silkworm as part of the Edition 1 compilation, which also included Double Dragon, and the shoot'em ups Gemini Wing, and Xenon.[7]

Gameplay

Silkworm on the Amiga

The player can take control of a jeep mounted with a machine gun or a helicopter mounted with forward and downward firing guns. Two players can work simultaneously and cooperatively against enemies, with one playing as the jeep and one as the helicopter.

Silkworm featured a variety of enemies, some of which had specific weaknesses, such as the armoured AA guns that could only be harmed when their shields were down to fire. Enemies included the "Goose" helicopter - a giant, heavily armoured "mini-boss" helicopter that was composed of several smaller vehicles connected together.

The players collect shields (which could alternatively be shot by the player in order to destroy all enemies on the screen), power cells which increase firepower and an additional bonus can be added to the score achieved. The game gets harder on the completion of each level, which feature destructible environmental elements, such as buildings and ancient ruins.

The speed was one of the defining parts of the gameplay, which the programmers who worked on the home conversions were keen to preserve, using a variety of programming techniques.[5] Silkworm featured a background music theme composed by Barry Leitch, which went on to be included on a Sinclair User covermounted cassette, along with Shinobi and Continental Circus.[8]

Ending

As an arcade game Silkworm has no ending, but the home conversions were altered to have either a victory screen, or a more involved final sequence.[9][10] The end text reads:

AND HISTORY RECORDS THAT DURING THESE 11 DAYS MANY LIVES WERE LOST. PEACE RETURNED TO THE NOW DECIMATED COUNTRYSIDE. THE PEOPLE RETURNED TO FIND CROPS RUINED, CHURCHES DEFILED AND THE VILLAGE POND DRIED UP. A MEETING OF THE ELDER'S PLEASANT PEASANTS IN THE LOCAL PUB DISCOVERED THAT THE PEOPLE SAW THE FUNNY SIDE OF IT.

[11]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Crash73%[13]
CVG87%[15]
Sinclair User86%[14]
Your Sinclair90%[12]
The Games Machine77%[16]
Award
PublicationAward
Your SinclairMegagame

In Japan, Game Machine listed Silkworm on their April 1, 1988 issue as being the fifth most popular table arcade unit at the time.[17]

The game was well received. Your Sinclair praised the 2-player mode and the sound effects.

Legacy

The game SWIV was considered a spiritual successor to Silkworm, which The Sales Curve had previously converted to home computer formats in 1989. The game's heritage is evident from the game design whereby one player pilots a helicopter, and the other an armoured Jeep. SWIV is not an official sequel, as noted by ex-Sales Curve producer Dan Marchant: "SWIV wasn't really a sequel to Silkworm, but it was certainly inspired by it and several other shoot-'em-ups that we had played and loved."[18][19][20]

SWIV was described in the game's manual as meaning both "Special Weapons Intercept Vehicles" and "Silkworm IV".[21]

References

  1. ↑ "The YS Rock'n'Roll Years - Issue 43". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys43.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-22. 
  2. ↑ "The YS Rock'n'Roll Years - Issue 42". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys42.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-22. 
  3. ↑ "The YS Rock'n'Roll Years - Issue 44". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys44.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-22. 
  4. ↑ "The YS Rock'n'Roll Years - Issue 41". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys41.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-22. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue087/Pages/SinclairUser08700060.jpg [bare URL image file]
  6. ↑ "The YS Rock'n'Roll Years - Issue 46". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys46.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-22. 
  7. ↑ "Edition 1". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/edition1.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-22. 
  8. ↑ "World of Spectrum - Sinclair User issue 92: 6 Amazing Coin-Op Tracks". http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0013713. 
  9. ↑ Silkworm (Amiga 50Hz) - All Clear / No Miss (Heli) - 1,229,600 points. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-11.
  10. ↑ (in en) ChinnyVision - Ep 297 - Silkworm - C64, Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRQAQr0HPGM, retrieved 2019-08-30 
  11. ↑ South, Phil (November 1989). "YS Tipshop". Your Sinclair 47. Dennis Publishing. https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines/your-sinclair/47#36. 
  12. ↑ "Silkworm". Ysrnry.co.uk. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/silkworm.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-21. 
  13. ↑ "Archive - Magazine viewer". World of Spectrum. http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue66/Pages/Crash6600025.jpg. Retrieved 2012-01-21. 
  14. ↑ "Archive - Magazine viewer". World of Spectrum. http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue088/Pages/SinclairUser08800027.jpg. Retrieved 2012-01-21. 
  15. ↑ "Archive - Magazine viewer". World of Spectrum. http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue093/Pages/CVG09300036.jpg. Retrieved 2012-01-21. 
  16. ↑ "Archive - Magazine viewer". World of Spectrum. http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=TheGamesMachine/Issue20/Pages/TheGamesMachine2000043.jpg. Retrieved 2012-01-21. 
  17. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc.) (329): 25. 1 April 1988. 
  18. ↑ Bevan, Mike (2008). "The Making of SWIV", Retro Gamer (58): 40-43.
  19. ↑ Mason, Graeme (30 Jul 2023). "The story of SWIV". Eurogamer.net. https://www.eurogamer.net/the-story-of-swiv. 
  20. ↑ Caswell, Mark (April 1991). "SWIV review". Crash. Newsfield. https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-87/page/n48/mode/1up?view=theater. 
  21. ↑ "ACE - Issue 40". ACE. https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-40/page/n41/mode/1up?view=theater. Retrieved 2023-09-09. 
  • 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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