Software:The Ant Bully (video game)

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The Ant Bully
North American Wii version cover art
Developer(s)Artificial Mind and Movement
Publisher(s)Midway Home Entertainment
Director(s)John A. Davis
Producer(s)Hans Lo
Composer(s)Gilles Léveillé
Alexander Brandon (GBA)
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Windows, Wii
Release
  • NA: July 24, 2006[1]
  • EU: July 28, 2006 (PS2, GBA)
  • EU: August 25, 2006 (Windows)
Wii
  • NA: November 19, 2006
  • AU: December 10, 2006
  • EU: January 17, 2007
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

The Ant Bully is a video game based on the movie of the same name. It was released on July 24, 2006 alongside the theatrical release of the movie before becoming a launch game for the Wii on November 19 of that same year. The story and actions of the game correspond to that of the film.

Gameplay

The game is broken down into missions, though the game follows a linear design. The game is a traditional action-adventure game, with players able to use different weapons to clear a mission and advance to the next level.

Plot

Players control the protagonist, Lucas Nickle, as he is shrunk to a miniature size and forced to work in an ant colony. He goes on many adventures throughout his backyard. From the Cactus Garden, to the Spiders lair, Lucas must overcome the challenges and become an ant. Getting in his way is the local wasp hive and the Exterminator. After overcoming many challenges, Lucas eventually has a mano-a-mano showdown. Lucas first must shoot the Exterminators ear with the Dart bow and avoid his hands and poison. Next, Lucas must blind the Exterminator with the Larva silk squirter. Eventually, Lucas and the wasps drive the Exterminator away after stinging him in the butt. Afterwards, Lucas collects the last of the Fire crystals and returns to normal size, finishing the game.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GBAGCPCPS2Wii
EurogamerN/AN/AN/AN/A4/10[2]
Game InformerN/A6.5/10[3]6.5/10[3]6.5/10[3]6.5/10[3]
GameSpot6.2/10[4]4.3/10[5]4.3/10[5]4.3/10[5]3.7/10[6]
GameTrailersN/A5/10[7]5/10[7]5/10[7]N/A
GameZoneN/AN/AN/AN/A6.1/10[8]
IGN4.5/10[9]5.5/10[10]5.5/10[10]5.5/10[10]4.5/10[11]
Nintendo PowerN/A5/10[12]N/AN/AN/A
Nintendo World ReportN/AN/AN/AN/A4/10[13]
OPM (UK)N/AN/AN/A4/10[14]N/A
PC Gamer (US)N/AN/A60%[15]N/AN/A
Detroit Free PressN/AN/AN/AStarStarStar[16]N/A
The TimesN/AN/AN/AStarStarStar[17]N/A
Aggregate score
Metacritic54/100[18]51/100[19]47/100[20]52/100[21]45/100[22]

The Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions received "mixed" reviews, while the PC and Wii versions received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[18][19][20][21][22]

Detroit Free Press gave the PS2 version a score of three stars out of four and stated: "The best part of the game is Lucas' maneuverability in getting from Point A to Point B. In some instances, he must glide on a rose pedal. In others, he summons other ants through telepathy, and the group either flings Lucas through the air or operates as an impromptu ladder."[16] The Times gave the same console version a score of three stars out of five and said, "This must be one of the first instances in which a video game actually seems like the natural format. But even here, as you acquire weapons, ride wasps and beat up tiny-huge creatures, it seems never to aspire to much beyond adequacy."[17] However, The Sydney Morning Herald gave the PC and PS2 versions two stars out of five, saying, "The twitchy movement makes it unnecessarily difficult to target enemies with your primitive ant weapons (a lock-on button turns out to be little help) and it's all too easy to fall when carefully crawling up walls."[23]

References

  1. ↑ Adams, David (2006-07-24). "The Ant Bully Torments Stores" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/07/24/the-ant-bully-torments-stores. 
  2. ↑ Leadbetter, Richard (May 30, 2007). "Wii Games Roundup (Page 2)". Eurogamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/wii-games-roundup-review?page=2. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Reeves, Ben (February 2007). "The Ant Bully (GC, PC, PS2, Wii)". Game Informer (166): 102. Archived from the original on January 12, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080112095954/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/A1DA4FF3-87D5-467E-AD66-0686782350BF.htm. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  4. ↑ Provo, Frank (July 31, 2006). "The Ant Bully Review (GBA)". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-ant-bully-review/1900-6154945/. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Provo, Frank (July 31, 2006). "The Ant Bully Review (GC, PC, PS2)". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-ant-bully-review/1900-6154967/. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  6. ↑ Provo, Frank (December 18, 2006). "The Ant Bully Review (Wii)". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-ant-bully-review/1900-6163351/. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "The Ant Bully Review (GC, PC, PS2)". GameTrailers. August 3, 2006. Archived from the original on April 3, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080403090256/http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=2466. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  8. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (December 14, 2006). "The Ant Bully - WII - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081006030311/http://wii.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r27521.htm. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  9. ↑ DeVries, Jack (August 17, 2006). "The Ant Bully Review (GBA)". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/08/17/the-ant-bully-review-2. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Bozon, Mark (August 1, 2006). "The Ant Bully (GCN, PC, PS2)". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/08/02/the-ant-bully-3. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  11. ↑ Bozon, Mark (January 19, 2007). "The Ant Bully Review (Wii)". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/01/19/the-ant-bully-review. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  12. ↑ "The Ant Bully (GC)". Nintendo Power 208: 87. October 2006. 
  13. ↑ Rodriguez, Steven (January 2, 2007). "The Ant Bully (Wii)". Nintendo World Report. http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/12663/the-ant-bully-wii. Retrieved April 11, 2016. 
  14. ↑ "The Ant Bully". Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine: 95. September 2006. 
  15. ↑ "The Ant Bully". PC Gamer: 120. November 2006. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Toby, Al (August 20, 2006). "'THE ANT BULLY' (PS2)". Detroit Free Press. https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/doc/436701722.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+20%2C+2006&author=Toby%2C+Al&pub=Detroit+Free+Press&edition=&startpage=F.10&desc=%27THE+ANT+BULLY%27. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "The Ant Bully (PS2)". The Times. August 5, 2006. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/article2407535.ece. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "The Ant Bully for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-ant-bully/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "The Ant Bully for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-ant-bully/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "The Ant Bully for PC Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-ant-bully/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "The Ant Bully for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-ant-bully/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "The Ant Bully for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-ant-bully/critic-reviews/?platform=wii. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  23. ↑ Fish, Eliot (September 16, 2006). "The Ant Bully (PC, PS2)". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/game-reviews/the-ant-bully/2006/09/12/1157826942099.html. Retrieved April 10, 2016. 
  • 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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