Software:Soul Bubbles

From HandWiki
Short description: 2008 video game
Soul Bubbles
PAL box art
Developer(s)Mekensleep
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
  • NA: June 10, 2008
  • EU: June 13, 2008
  • AU: June 20, 2008
  • JP: July 16, 2009
Genre(s)Puzzle, adventure, art game
Mode(s)Single-player

Soul Bubbles is a puzzle video game for the Nintendo DS handheld console. It was developed by the French studio Mekensleep, and was published by Eidos Interactive in the PAL regions and North America in 2008.[1] It was released in Japan in 2009 by Interchannel under the title Awatama (あわたま; lit. "Bubble Ball").

Gameplay

The core gameplay involves transporting "spirits" within protective bubbles through varying environments. Bubbles are moved by being blown by the main "spirit herder" character based on stylus strokes on the DS touch screen. Bubbles may be created, joined, split, deflate and burst using animal "masks", worn by the spirit herder, again using the touch screen. These mechanics are then used to navigate through levels featuring wind currents, enemies, water, fire, gases, spikes, sticky surfaces, and further complexities. At the same time there are collectible "stardust" items that contribute to the player's end-of-level score, and "calabash" that unlock additional levels.

Plot

The player plays as a young shaman apprentice, whose duty is to care for lost souls. The player must create protective bubbles to keep the souls safe. The game contains eight worlds and 40 levels.

The player has to complete each level by moving all the spirits to the Gateway Cube, where the souls will forever rest, while collecting stardust and Calabash.

Development

The team responsible for final game design consists of Olivier Lejade and Omar Cornut, with the help of experienced game developer Frédérick Raynal. Raynal left the team in spring of 2006, to start working with Ubisoft.[2] The game was initially released in North America exclusively through Toys "R" Us retail stores.[3] In late 2008, a demo of the game was made available on the DS Download Service of the Wii Nintendo Channel.[4]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic78/100[5]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Edge7/10[6]
Eurogamer8/10[7]
Famitsu28/40[8]
GameSpot7/10[9]
GameSpyStarStarStarStar[10]
GameZone8.6/10[11]
IGN(UK) 8.4/10[12]
(US) 8/10[13]
Nintendo Power6.5/10[14]
ONM93%[15]
VideoGamer.com8/10[16]

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[5] N-Europe described it as a "wonderfully calming" game and feels like the "title the DS was built for".[17] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of all four sevens for a total of 28 out of 40.[8]

The game was a nominee for several Nintendo DS-specific IGN awards, including Best Puzzle Game,[18] Best New IP,[19] and Most Innovative Design.[20] It was nominated for the 9th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards "Best Debut" award[21] and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Video Game Awards "Handheld" category.[22] It was number one on Gamasutra's 2008 top 5 overlooked games.[23]

References

  1. ↑ IGN staff (March 18, 2008). "Eidos Announces Soul Bubbles". http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/18/eidos-announces-soul-bubbles. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  2. ↑ Delahaye, Sébastien (January 21, 2008). "Le stylet décoince la bulle" (in French). Libération. http://www.liberation.fr/ecrans/2008/01/31/le-stylet-decoince-la-bulle_63913?page=article. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  3. ↑ IGN staff (June 26, 2008). "Soul Bubbles Available Exclusively at Your Local Toys "R" Us Store". http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/06/26/soul-bubbles-available-exclusively-at-your-local-toys-r-us-store. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  4. ↑ Harris, Craig (December 1, 2008). "DS Download Service: December 1". http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/01/ds-download-service-december-1. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Soul Bubbles for DS Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/soul-bubbles/critic-reviews/?platform=ds. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  6. ↑ Edge staff (July 2008). "Soul Bubbles". Edge (190): 97. 
  7. ↑ Reed, Kristan (June 18, 2008). "Soul Bubbles Review". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/soul-bubbles-review. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 rawmeatcowboy (July 7, 2009). "Famitsu - review scores". GoNintendo. https://gonintendo.com/stories/96343-famitsu-review-scores. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  9. ↑ Coby, Alex Sassoon (June 30, 2008). "Soul Bubbles Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/soul-bubbles-review/1900-6193110/. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  10. ↑ Graziani, Gabe (June 27, 2008). "GameSpy: Soul Bubbles". GameSpy. http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/soul-bubbles/885047p1.html. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  11. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (July 9, 2008). "Soul Bubbles - NDS - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/soul_bubbles_nds_review. 
  12. ↑ MacDonald, Keza (June 5, 2008). "Soul Bubbles UK Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/06/05/soul-bubbles-uk-review. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  13. ↑ Harris, Craig (July 7, 2008). "Soul Bubbles Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/07/soul-bubbles-review. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  14. ↑ "Soul Bubbles". Nintendo Power 230: 90. July 2008. 
  15. ↑ "Soul Bubbles Review". Official Nintendo Magazine: 78. June 2008. http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/4737/reviews/soul-bubbles-review/. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  16. ↑ Orry, Tom (June 9, 2008). "Soul Bubbles Review". VideoGamer.com. https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/soul-bubbles-review. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  17. ↑ Lee, Mark (August 14, 2008). "Soul Bubbles". N-Europe. http://n-europe.com/reviews/soul-bubbles. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  18. ↑ "Best of 2008: Best Puzzle Game (DS)". December 15, 2008. http://bestof.ign.com/2008/ds/5.html. 
  19. ↑ "Best of 2008: Best New IP (DS)". December 15, 2008. http://bestof.ign.com/2008/ds/19.html. 
  20. ↑ "Best of 2008: Most Innovative Design (DS)". December 15, 2008. http://bestof.ign.com/2008/ds/20.html. 
  21. ↑ "9th Annual GDCA". Game Developers Choice Awards. http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/archive/gdca_9th.html. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  22. ↑ "Video Games Awards Winners". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. March 10, 2009. http://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/video-games-awards-winners. Retrieved October 15, 2017. 
  23. ↑ Caoili, Eric (December 10, 2008). "Gamasutra's Best Of 2008: Top 5 Overlooked Games". https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21371. 
  • 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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