Software:Speed Racer (1996 video game)

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Speed Racer
Speed Racer
North American cover art
Developer(s)Graphic Research
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • JP: September 27, 1996
  • NA: March 27, 1998[1]
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player

Speed Racer, known in Japan as Mach Go Go Go (マッハGoGoGo, Mahha Gō Gō Gō), is a PlayStation game based on the television show of the same name. It was released by the company Jaleco (Tomy in Japan) in 1996, though it did not appear in North America until March 27, 1998. It met with overwhelmingly negative reviews which cited simplistic and outdated gameplay and graphics.

Gameplay

Speed Racer is an arcade type game that resembles Daytona USA. The major difference between the two games is the performance of the car and the fact that the player can use all the gadgets of the anime Mach 5. The gadgets can be used to "shunt" other cars (even with the Cutter, the cars only bounce and there is no damage), or take shortcuts by cutting down trees and driving underwater through lakes.[2] The player switches over the gadgets and the camera views. The player can choose the length of the race in the menu, along with basic sound options and difficulty options.

In the options menu the player can watch a video that explains all the functionalities of the gadgets on the Mach 5.

Sound

The opening movie is the same as the anime, carrying the Japanese version's song. The North American version of the opening movie is the same as the English dub's opening.[3] The game has music which can be listened to in the options menu.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStar[4]
EGM5/10[3][lower-alpha 1]
Famitsu25/40[5]
Game Informer6.75/10[6]
GameFan82%[7][lower-alpha 2]
GameSpot4.2/10[8]
IGN5/10[9]
Next GenerationStarStar[10]
OPM (US)StarStar[11]
PSMStarStar[12]

Speed Racer met with overwhelmingly negative reviews. A number of critics described it as nothing more than a rebranded clone of the aging game Ridge Racer.[3][8][10] Even those who did not make this specific comparison agreed that Speed Racer did nothing to distinguish itself from past racing games; GamePro called it "an average fast-paced racing game that doesn't break any new barriers",[13][lower-alpha 3] and IGN said it is a straightforward racer which fails to exploit the defining characteristics of the Speed Racer license.[9] Most critics said that the game's one distinguishing feature, the Mach V gizmos, are underutilized to the point of irrelevance, being useful only for breaking into certain shortcuts.[8][9][10][13]

A number of reviews also criticized that the game is too short, with just one track subdivided into two smaller tracks,[3][8][10][13] and that the voice clips during the races are annoying and incessant.[3][13] The lack of a multiplayer mode was also criticized,[9][13] and some found both the gameplay features and graphics were severely outdated by the time the game was released in North America.[3][8][10] Next Generation stated that "With all of the racing games coming down the pipeline this year, old technology and stale gameplay just don't make the cut."[10] Kelly Rickards of Electronic Gaming Monthly was one of the few to defend the game, saying that while the description of it as a rebranded Ridge Racer is not completely untrue, the ways in which the player must access shortcuts and hidden areas help it stand out. He gave it a 7 out of 10, while his three co-reviewers all gave it a 5 out of 10 or lower, razing its simplicity and lack of longevity.[3] GameSpot's Joe Fielder ventured that "you could pick just about any other racer off the shelf and have more fun."[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Four critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 7/10, 3.5/10, 5/10, and 4.5/10.
  2. ↑ In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, three critics gave it each a score of 82, 84, and 81.
  3. ↑ GamePro gave the game two 3/5 scores for graphics and fun factor, 2/5 for sound, and 4/5 for control.

References

  1. ↑ GameSpot staff (March 27, 1998). "videogames.com Calendar". Ziff Davis. http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_03/27_vgcal/index.html. 
  2. ↑ "Speed Racer". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (105): 64. April 1998. https://retrocdn.net/images/9/9c/EGM_US_105.pdf. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Richards, Kelly; Hsu, Dan; Williams, Ken "Sushi-X"; Smith, Shawn (May 1998). "Speed Racer". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (106): 102. https://retrocdn.net/images/f/f0/EGM_US_106.pdf. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  4. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Speed Racer - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12783&tab=review. 
  5. ↑ "マッハGoGoGo" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=5020&redirect=no. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  6. ↑ "Speed Racer". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (62). June 1998. http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=jun98&doc=speed. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  7. ↑ Ngo, George "Eggo"; Chau, Anthony "Dangohead"; Higgins, Geoff "El Nino" (May 1998). "Speed Racer". GameFan (Metropolis Media) 6 (5): 11. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_6_Issue_05/page/n11/mode/2up. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Fielder, Joe (March 18, 1998). "Speed Racer Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/speed-racer-review/1900-2549430/.  Article date is mislabeled as May 2, 2000; the correct date can be viewed by the article's headline on this page.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 IGN staff (March 27, 1998). "Speed Racer". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/03/28/speed-racer. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 "Speed Racer". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (42): 142. June 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_42/page/n145/mode/2up. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  11. ↑ Mollohan, Gary (May 1998). "Speed Racer". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 1 (8): 84. https://archive.org/details/official-u.-s.-play-station-magazine-volume-1-issue-08-may-1998/page/n87/mode/2up. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  12. ↑ "Speed Racer". PSM (Imagine Media) (9): 34. May 1998. https://archive.org/details/psm-9-may-1998/page/23/mode/2up. Retrieved July 1, 2023. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Four-Eyed Dragon (May 1998). "PlayStation ProReview: Speed Racer". GamePro (IDG) (116): 92. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_106_May_1998/page/n93/mode/2up. Retrieved July 2, 2023. 
  • 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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