Software:Super Hydlide
| Super Hydlide | |
|---|---|
European Mega Drive cover art | |
| Developer(s) | T&E Soft |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Platform(s) | MSX, MSX2, PC-8801mkII SR, X1, Famicom, Genesis/Mega Drive, PC-9801, X68000, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch |
| Release | MSX
|
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Super Hydlide is an action role-playing game for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. It was originally released in 1987 in Japan only under the title Hydlide 3: The Space Memories (ハイドライド3 異次元の思い出 Haidoraido 3: I Jigen No Omoide) for the MSX, MSX2, and PC-8801mkII SR. It's the third game in the Hydlide series. Ports were also released for the X1, Famicom, X68000, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch.[3] The game was developed by Hydlide series veterans T&E Soft and released worldwide on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive on October 6, 1989, in Japan, early 1990 in the United States, and 1991 in Europe. This remake evidences substantial graphical upgrades to the original Hydlide 3, though the gameplay remains largely identical.[4] Before its release, it was called Hollo Fighter in some Sega advertising material and was one of the first third party published titles to be released in the U.S, the other being Air Diver.
Story
Many years after the events of Hydlide II, an explosion of flames appeared near The City of the Woods. After that, monsters spread throughout the world. A young man is chosen to find the source of the evil.
Gameplay
The game incorporates a 'good/evil character' morality/alignment system. Like its predecessor Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness (1985), the player has a morality meter that can be aligned with either Justice, Normal, or Evil. The game has both good and evil monsters. Evil monsters attack the player character on sight, while good monsters only attack if the player character attacks them first. Killing any monster, good or evil, results in a reward of experience points, money, and occasionally a piece of equipment. However, if the player kills a good monster, points are lost from a statistic called "MF" (Moral Fiber). If the player's MF stat drops to zero, frequent traps will appear across the world. If the player manages to keep it over 100, rewards appear in the form of random items found around Fairyland. Unlike Hydlide II, the morality meter no longer affects the way in which the townsfolk react to the player.[4]
The game also features an in-game clock setting day-night cycles, where the character must eat two times a day and sleep regularly. If the characters stay up late or fail to eat regularly, their HP and attack power gradually drop. Every item in the game (including money) has weight. If the total weight of items the player character carries exceeds their "Load Capacity" (LC), they will move slowly. The game uses cut scenes for its opening and ending sequences, a combat system similar to Ys, a choice between four distinct character classes, and a wide variety of equipment and spells.
Reception
GamePro gave a positive review, citing the varied experiences offered by the different playable characters, the morality system, and the inclusion of four save slots.[5]
Computer and Video Games scored it 81%, stating that, like Phantasy Star II, "this is a huge role-playing game", and that it is "a very tough game" in which requires a strategy. They criticized the graphics and sound, but were positive to the gameplay. They recommended it to those who like games with steady pace and puzzles despite lacking the action.
Legacy
In 2007, Alex Lucard of Diehard GameFan listed Super Hydlide at number 27 in his list of top 30 RPGs. He cited the realism instilled by gameplay mechanics such as the encumbrance system, banks, the 24-hour clock, and the need to eat and sleep, and described the game as "Morrowind before there was Morrowind".[6]
During production of Scalebound, PlatinumGames director Hideki Kamiya said he was inspired by Hydlide 3 on the PC-8801 MA as well as Sorcerian.[7][8] He said Hydlide 3 was one of the first games he played on a PC and was inspirational because it had a hardcore game design that no one was doing on consoles at the time.[9]
References
- Englhart, Stephen (August 1992). "Böse überraschung" (in de). Video Games (8): 91. http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=10979. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- Hoogh, Eva (November 1990). "Nicht von dieser welt" (in de). Aktueller Software Markt (Tronic Verlag) 5 (11): 138. http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=6879. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- Hengst, Michael (November 1990). "Ich Wollt' Ich Wär' Ein Held" (in de). Power Play: 141. http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_powerplay_1990-11_seite140.
- Delpierre, Christophe (April 1992). "Il est tout de même étonnant de voir à quel point le monde des jeux vidéos est soumis aux desseins funestes des forces du Mal..." (in fr). Player One (Média Système Édition) (19): 88. ISSN 1153-4451. http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Player%20One/playerone_numero019/Player%20One%20019%20-%20Page%20088%20(1992-04).jpg. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- Horowitz, Ken (8 December 2005). "Super Hydlide". http://www.sega-16.com/2005/12/super-hydlide.
- ↑ "ハイドライドIII" (in Japanese). Famitsu. https://www.famitsu.com/games/t/28170/. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ↑ "Complete Guide to Sega, the (1990)(EMAP Images)(GB)". 1990. https://archive.org/stream/Complete_Guide_to_Sega_The_1990_EMAP_Images_GB#page/n48/mode/1up.
- ↑ "「ハイドライド3 Gold Pack」11月26日発売。Tシャツも5名に" (in Japanese). 6 October 1999. https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/games/news/9910/06/news02.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Greene, Robert (28 February 2012). "Super Hydlide". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/super-hydlide/.
- ↑ "Genesis ProView: Super Hydlide". GamePro (IDG) (21): 66–67. June 1990.
- ↑ Lucard, Alex (July 12, 2007). "The Top 30 RPG Countdown". http://diehardgamefan.com/2007/07/12/68802/.
- ↑ "Hideki Kamiya: Making Scalebound with a Western publisher | Life in Japan — an 18-part look inside Japan's game industry". http://www.polygon.com/a/life-in-japan/Hideki-Kamiya-Scalebound.
- ↑ "Scalebound is a different kind of Platinum Game". 7 August 2015. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-08-07-scalebound-is-a-different-kind-of-platinum-game.
- ↑ "Ask PlatinumGames Anything About Scalebound - IGN". 27 August 2015. http://ign.com/articles/2015/08/27/ask-platinumgames-anything-about-scalebound.
External links
- 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

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
- ↑ 1.0 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/.
- ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
- ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
- ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
- ↑ "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/.
- ↑ "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/.
- ↑ 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/.
- ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
- ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
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