Software:Solstice (video game)

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Solstice
North American cover art
Developer(s)Software Creations
Publisher(s)
Programmer(s)Mike Webb
Artist(s)Mark Wilson
Composer(s)Tim Follin
Platform(s)Nintendo Entertainment System
Release
  • NA: June 1990
  • JP: July 20, 1990
  • EU: September 26, 1991
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Solstice is a puzzle-oriented video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System created by Software Creations[1] and influenced by Ultimate Play the Game's Knight Lore and Pentagram.[citation needed] Its theme music was scored by composer Tim Follin.[2]

Plot

The events of the game occur at the Winter Solstice. On the eve of the Winter Solstice, Morbius the Malevolent kidnaps Eleanor, Princess of Arcadia, to sacrifice her ritually and become the Evil Baron of Darkness.[3] Shadax the wizard, after witnessing the kidnapping,[4] heads to Morbius' stronghold, the fortress Kâstleröck, to rescue Eleanor. Once while researching Kâstleröck in the Library of Arcadia to find a way to overthrow Morbius,[5] Shadax learned of a secret entrance into Kâstleröck and the whereabouts of the Staff of Demnos, an ancient weapon with the power to defeat Morbius. The staff was hidden in Kâstleröck because that was where Morbius would least expect to find it.[6] Morbius' spies searched for the Staff but did not find it because it was broken into six pieces and made invisible.[7] However, every one hundred years on the Winter Solstice all six pieces become visible.[8] Knowing a way in, Shadax enters Kâstleröck to reassemble the Staff of Demnos, overthrow Morbius' forces of darkness, and save Princess Eleanor.[6]

Gameplay

The player controls a wizard named Shadax and explores a maze of isometric rooms and gardens of the fortress Kastlerock to find the six pieces of the Staff of Demnos, the only weapon that can defeat Morbius. The non-linear adventure game does not impose a fixed sequence of play, although Shadax must collect various keys, depress "plungers", and set off bombs before he can enter parts of the dungeon. Shadax can jump, pick up objects, and use various potions, and must generally avoid touching monsters to survive.

By solving a room's puzzle, the player obtains a necessary item or proceeds to another room. The player must avoid pitfalls, spiked floors, and monsters (such as slimes and trolls). Some monsters are used to solve puzzles. Shadax can also simultaneously jump off a falling block and pick it up to use again. In some rooms he must do this repeatedly to cross a gap.

On completing the game, the player receives a percentage score. The game has 252 rooms, each worth 1, and 52 items, each worth 5. Visiting all rooms and getting all items is worth 512, or 100 percent.

Development

Soundtrack

Tim Follin's music loop for the title and demo scenes runs for nearly three minutes before starting over. It draws upon Arabian and Irish folk themes and other rock themes, using varied orchestration and complex rhythms while frequently shifting tempo and timbre. The website Flying Omelette says "Solstice has one of the best opening theme songs I've ever heard in an NES game."[9]

Sequel

A sequel to Solstice was released for the Super NES titled Equinox.

References

  1. ↑ Instruction booklet, p. 3
  2. ↑ Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demnos (credits) MobyGames. Accessed February 9, 2011.
  3. ↑ Instruction Manual, p. 7
  4. ↑ Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demnos (Opening Sequence)
  5. ↑ Instruction Booklet, p. 9
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Instruction Booklet p. 10
  7. ↑ Instruction Booklet pp. 4, 7
  8. ↑ Instruction Booklet p. 4
  9. ↑ "Solstice Review". Flying Omelette. http://www.flyingomelette.com/reviews/nes/solstice.html. Retrieved 14 February 2013. 
  • 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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