Software:The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield
Developer(s)Digital Evolution
Publisher(s)Fox Interactive
SeriesThe Simpsons
Platform(s)Windows, Mac OS
ReleaseSeptember 1997
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield is a 1997 adventure video game developed by Digital Evolution and published by Fox Interactive for Windows and Macintosh computers. The objective of the game is to explore a virtual representation of the fictional town Springfield featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. Throughout the town, there are various character cards that the player collects. It features dialogue performed by the cast members of the series. Critics have given Virtual Springfield mixed reviews. The plot and gameplay have been the target of criticism, while the game has been praised for its humor.

Gameplay

Moe's Tavern, as shown in the game

Virtual Springfield is a first-person adventure game[1] that allows players to explore a 3D simulation of Springfield, the fictional town featured in the animated television series The Simpsons and the home of the Simpson family.[2][3] Many of the familiar locations from the show are present, including Moe's Tavern, Springfield Elementary School, the Kwik-E-Mart, Krustylu Studios, and the Simpsons' house.[1][2] Players can interact with Simpsons characters such as Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner and Ned Flanders in the game.[1]

Virtual Springfield has the overall goal of collecting an entire set of character cards throughout Springfield.[2] To fully do so, the player must unlock hidden areas by obtaining secret items.[1] A map of the town is featured that gives instructions to players on where to go so that they can progress through the game.[1] Various minigames can be played at certain locations in the game.[2] These include some video games that have previously been seen on The Simpsons, such as the boxing game Slugfest that Homer and Bart played in the season one episode "Moaning Lisa".[1]

Development

Virtual Springfield was published by Fox Interactive for Windows and Macintosh computers in 1997.[4] It was developed by Digital Evolution.[5]

Cast members of The Simpsons, including Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Russi Taylor, Tress MacNeille, Maggie Roswell, and Phil Hartman, provided their voices for the dialog in the game.[5] Bonita Pietila, who has worked on the show, directed the voice actors.[5]

Promotion

When the designers were working on the 3D-visualizations of Springfield at Fox Interactive for the game, they conceived of the project to construct a real-life replica of the Simpsons' house and gave it away in a contest.[6] This replica was constructed in Henderson, Nevada, in collaboration with Kauffman and Broad, and it has been popular with tourists and YouTubers to visit.[7]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
About.comStarStarStar[2]
AllGameStarStarStar[1]

Critics have given the game mixed reviews. Billboard's Doug Reece called the game ambitious, though feeling its high level of detail can cause it to become "somewhat tedious."[8] Nancy Basile of About.com gave the game a three out of five rating, criticizing the lack of a plot but praising the humor.[2] She wrote that Virtual Springfield "isn't so much a game as an interactive tour of Springfield and The Simpsons characters. Though your task is to collect trading cards around town, it doesn't offer any difficulty in finding them. The game controls make it difficult, however, to pick up the cards and collect them. The real fun of Virtual Springfield is browsing the Kwik-E-Mart, visiting Krustylu Studios or hangin' on Evergreen Terrace with the Simpson family. The entire cast lent their voice to this game, so meeting the characters and hearing their quotes is a lot of laughs."[2]

Mark Kanarick of All Game Guide also gave Virtual Springfield a three out of five rating. He praised the game for its references to the television series, noting that "The inside jokes and story-lines alone make the game worth it for those that are fans. For casual viewers and non-viewers, however, there is not enough here to warrant purchase of The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield."[1] Kanarick further wrote that while exploring Springfield was fun at times, "it is also very tedious. Reading the map can be a problem, especially for younger kids. If you do not utilize the map to its full extent, you will most likely find yourself lost in the town and unsure of where to go next. Although it is a full town, you do at times feel very constricted, as you can only change directions at certain corners. The rest of the time you are just moving where the computer is telling you to."[1]

Joe Toledo of Animation World wrote in his review that "While the software has game-like elements, it is lacking the depth of a true game. The individual objectives to get into each location are very easy to achieve. Once you've been around town a few times, traveling in real time between locations starts to get a bit long. [...] Plus, even though there are 17 great locations to visit, once you've been to them several times, the novelty starts to wear off. [...] Virtual Springfield would have benefited from having a better gaming element incorporated into it, slowly revealing more locations around town and introducing the characters one by one to extend playing time and add an extra layer of depth."[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Kanarick, Mark. "The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=24146&tab=review. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Basile, Nancy. "Virtual Springfield". http://animatedtv.about.com/cs/merchandis1/gr/vrtlsprngfld.htm. 
  3. ↑ "The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield (PC)". http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/simpsonsthevirtuals/index.html. 
  4. ↑ "The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield - PC". http://pc.ign.com/objects/009/009318.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield Tech Info". http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/simpsonsthevirtuals/tech_info.html?tag=tabs%3Bsummary. 
  6. ↑ Jackson, Wendy (1997-10-01). "Springfield, Nevada". http://mag.awn.com/?article_no=689&ltype=acrmag. 
  7. ↑ Yarwood, Jack (October 8, 2020). "The Story of Virtual Springfield, The Simpsons Walking Simulator That Spawned a Tourist Attraction". https://www.pcgamer.com/the-story-of-virtual-springfield-the-simpsons-walking-simulator-that-spawned-a-tourist-attraction/. 
  8. ↑ Reece, Doug (1997-11-15). "Reviews & Previes - General Media". Billboard 109 (46): 69. ISSN 0006-2510. https://books.google.com/books?id=6QkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Virtual+Springfield%22&pg=RA1-PA69. Retrieved 2011-09-04. 
  9. ↑ Toledo, Joe (October 1997). "Mmmmmm...A Virtual Travel Guide: Virtual Springfield". Animation World Magazine (Animation World Network) 2 (7). http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.7/2.7pages/2.7toledosimpsons.html. Retrieved 2025-02-20. 
  • 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

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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