Software:Steep Slope Sliders

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
Steep Slope Sliders
Developer(s)Cave
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Yasuyuki Hirota
Producer(s)Yasuo Ono
Kenichi Takano
Programmer(s)Akiyoshi Hanai
Seiji Iwakura
Composer(s)Takehiro Sibasaki
Toru Wada
Platform(s)Sega Saturn, Arcade
ReleaseSega Saturn
  • JP: October 23, 1997
  • NA: December 16, 1997[1]
  • EU: January 16, 1998[2]
Arcade
Genre(s)Snowboarding
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer
Arcade systemSega ST-V

Steep Slope Sliders (スティープ・スロープ・スライダーズ, Sutīpu Surōpu Suraidāzu) is a 1997 video game that was made for the Sega Saturn and Sega Titan ST-V arcade system. It was developed by a collaboration of Victor Interactive Software, and the Cave Company. The game was released by Victor Interactive Software in Japan and by Sega in other territories. Capcom released the arcade version. The game was met with positive reviews, drawing favorable comparison to other snowboarding video games for its sharp graphics, innovative design, and intuitive control system.

Gameplay

Players can either race for the best possible time or perform tricks to earn the most freestyle points, with half-pipe and snowboard park courses available for the latter choice.[3] A ghost mode is included, allowing players to compete against a saved run.[3]

While UEP Systems' Cool Boarders system of executing moves is extremely regimented by a combo interface, Steep Slope Sliders' allows the player far more autonomy. Instead of actually holding in a direction while jumping (similar to the system that the SSX snowboarding series uses), everything was based on the face buttons that were pressed, but the method of performing tricks was completely based on the Jamma configuration that was used in the arcades. Many other Sega arcade ports were like this as well, most notably Die Hard Arcade, Virtua Fighter: Remix, Virtua Fighter Kids, Radiant Silvergun and Winter Heat.

In the Saturn version, the Saturn's internal clock is utilized to change the in-game setting to reflect the time of day in the real world.[3]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings77% (SAT)[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Consoles +93%[5]
Edge7/10[6]
EGM7.875/10 (SAT)[7][lower-alpha 1]
Famitsu28/40[9]
Game Informer7.75/10 (SAT)[10]
GameRevolutionB−[11]
GameSpot7/10 (SAT)[12]
Hyper80%[13]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar (SAT)[14]
Sega Saturn Magazine92% (SAT)[15]

Steep Slope Sliders was met with positive reviews. The Saturn version held a 77% on the review aggregation website GameRankings based on four reviews.[4] Critics praised the game for having varied course designs which accommodate exploration and experimentation,[7][10][14][15][16] tight controls,[7][12][15][16] numerous unlockables,[7][12][14][15] and fast-moving graphics.[7][12][15][16]

Game Informer concluded that Steep Slope Sliders was a strong entry in the snowboarding genre but still fell second to its competitor, the PlayStation's Cool Boarders 2.[10] However, most critics held that Steep Slope Sliders had edged out Cool Boarders 2 as the superior snowboarding game.[7][12][14][15] In particular, a number of reviews commented that Steep Slope Sliders has relatively little pop-up and polygon breakup, which was often cited as the biggest shortcoming of the Cool Boarders series.[12][14][15] However, Joe Fielder of GameSpot argued that the biggest advantage Steep Slope Sliders holds over Cool Boarders 2 is that the controls are more accessible and easier to learn. At the same time, he concluded that the lack of a multiplayer mode or AI opponents to race against keep Steep Slope Sliders from being a truly great game instead of just a good one.[12] The lack of multiplayer was a common criticism against the game.[12][15][16]

Next Generation gave Steep Slope Sliders a strong recommendation, deeming it one of the deeper entries in the genre due to its innovative course design and tricks.[14] Electronic Gaming Monthly's four-person review team similarly deemed it the most fun and replayable snowboarding game for consoles, with Shawn Smith going so far to say it was in his personal top ten Saturn games of all time.[7] Sega Saturn Magazine called it "the most realistic and enjoyable translation of the sport to date."[15] GamePro summed up that "A healthy variety of courses, fun gameplay, fast-moving graphics, and responsive controls make this an appealing game for snowboard aces and novices alike."[16][lower-alpha 2]

Sequel

Cave made a follow-up game called Trick'N Snowboarder, released in 1999.

Notes

  1. ↑ Four critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Saturn version 8.5/10, 7/10, 8.5/10, and 7.5/10.
  2. ↑ GamePro gave the Saturn version 3.5/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 4.0/5 for control, and 4.0/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ Johnston, Chris (December 15, 1997). "Saturn Gets Extreme [date mislabeled as "April 26, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 3, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19990203102601/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_12/15_extreme/index.html. Retrieved December 15, 2020. 
  2. ↑ "sega-europe.online". 1998-12-02. http://www.sega-europe.com/saturn/satinfo.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Yeo, Matt (January 1998). "Slip Slidin' Away". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (27): 46–51. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Steep Slope Sliders for Saturn". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190518200408/https://www.gamerankings.com/saturn/198809-steep-slope-sliders/index.html. Retrieved December 15, 2020. 
  5. ↑ Panda; Switch (December 1997). "Steep Slope Sliders (Japan Import)" (in fr). Consoles + (71): 120–21. 
  6. ↑ "Steep Slope Sliders". Edge (Future Publishing) (54): 93. January 1998. https://archive.org/details/edgeuk054/page/n77/mode/2up. Retrieved December 15, 2020. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Boyer, Crispin; Rickards, Kelly; Smith, Shawn; Sushi-X (February 1998). "Review Crew: Steep Slope Sliders". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (103): 110. https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly103/page/n113/mode/2up. Retrieved December 15, 2020. 
  8. ↑ Lucas, Victor (February 24, 1998). "Steep Slope Sliders". Greedy Productions. Archived from the original on July 15, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030715024429/http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=2843&full=1#mr_toppy. Retrieved March 25, 2021. 
  9. ↑ "スティープ・スロープ・スライダーズ [セガサターン"] (in Japanese). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=4693&redirect=no. Retrieved December 15, 2020. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Steep Slope Sliders - Sega Saturn". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (58). February 1998. http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=sat&path=feb98&doc=steep. Retrieved December 15, 2020. 
  11. ↑ Dr. Moo (February 1998). "Steep Slope Sliders Review". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on June 13, 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/19980613164023/http://www.game-revolution.com/games/saturn/steepslope.htm. Retrieved December 16, 2020. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 Fielder, Joe (December 14, 1997). "Steep Slope Sliders Review [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/steep-slope-sliders-review/1900-2534110/. Retrieved December 15, 2020. 
  13. ↑ Fish, Eliot (March 1998). "Steep Slope Sliders". Hyper (Next Media Pty Ltd) (53): 60–61. https://archive.org/details/hyper-053/page/60/mode/2up. Retrieved December 16, 2020. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 "Steep Slope Sliders". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (38): 117. February 1998. https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration38Feb1998/page/n117/mode/2up. Retrieved December 14, 2020. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 Yeo, Matt (January 1998). "Review: Steep Slope Sliders". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (27): 68–69. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Dr. Zombie (February 1998). "Steep Slope Sliders". GamePro (IDG) (113): 110. 

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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