Software:Thinkin' Things

From HandWiki
Short description: Series of educational video games
Thinkin' Things
Genre(s)Edutainment
Developer(s)Edmark Corporation
Publisher(s)Edmark Corporation
Platform(s)Windows 3.x, Windows, Macintosh
First releaseThinkin' Things Collection 1
1993
Latest releaseThinkin' Things: Toony the Loon's Lagoon
1999
Spin-offsThinkin' Science

Thinkin' Things is a series of educational video games by the Edmark Corporation and released for Windows and Mac in the 1990s. Entries in the series include Thinkin' Things Collection 1 (Formerly Thinkin Things) (1993), Thinkin' Things Collection 2 (1994), Thinkin' Things Collection 3 (1995), the adventure game Thinkin' Things: Sky Island Mysteries (1998), Thinkin’ Things Galactic Brain Benders (1999), Thinkin' Things: All Around Frippletown (1999) and Thinkin' Things: Toony the Loon's Lagoon (1999).

Gameplay

The Thinkin' Things series allows players to experiment and explore with interactive objects in different ways and methods throughout the games. This can be in the form of playing with shapes, patterns, motions, sound effects and music tunes. Every game has its own preset designs and demonstrations to give the player an idea of how the game works before the player can customize a design of their own. Some games also permit the player to record their own sounds with a microphone.

Reception

Critical reception

TERC commented that two activities within Thinkin' Things Collection 1 have the opportunity to "provide variety and continued challenge".[1] Computer Gaming World stated that it was "an excellent example of educational software ... a well-designed and creative program that really enhances learning".[2] PC Player thought the game fell short due to its inferior graphics, sound, and gameplay.[3] Teaching Children Mathematics deemed it "delightful".[4]

Thinkin' Things Collection 2 was the 5th most popular title in the Macintosh category sold across seven Software Etc. stores in the Washington area in the week ending December 28, 1996.[5] New Straits Times commented that the activities in this version were targeted at an older demographic than its predecessor.[6]

TERC posited that Thinkin' Things Collection 3 was not a traditional game due to having no story, impersonal characters, no overarching goals, and no competitive play, considering the title inferior to others that have these qualities.[7] The New York Times thought the game was terrific, while the activities were superbly designed and beautiful.[8] MacUser named Thinkin' Things Collection 3 the best children's software of 1995.[9]

Alamo PC Organization said that Thinkin' Things: Sky Island Mysteries praised the game's ability to reward players for successfully completing activities, and for allowing parents to change the difficulty of challenges.[10] SuperKids said the game stretches children's minds, encouraging them to learn and achieve [11] The Boston Herald thought it was a "point-and-click sleep-inducer"[12]

Alamo PC Organization wrote that Thinkin’ Things Galactic Brain Benders contained a "wonderful, colorful world full of excitement".[13] Parent's Choice deemed the game a "winner".[7]

Parent's Choice said Thinkin' Things: All Around Frippletown would be entertaining and challenging to the player.[13] The Washington Post thought the game was " thought-promoting".[14]

Parent's Choice explained that Thinkin' Things: Toony the Loon's Lagoon's activities had enough enjoyment to mask the fact that they were drawing "creativity, strategic skills and imagination" from the player.[15] The Boston Herald wrote that the game contained a "fascinating and endlessly creative activity" called Flying Shapes.[16]

Awards

By 1997, the series had won 18 awards.[17] |- | 1994 | Thinkin' Things Collection 1 | CODiE Award for Best Early Education Program |style="background: #99FF99; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="yes table-yes2"|Won[18] |- | 1996 | Thinkin' Things Collection 3 | CODiE Award for Best Education Software Program |style="background: #99FF99; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="yes table-yes2"|Won[19] |- | 1999 | Thinkin' Science Series: ZAP! | AIAS Award for Computer Educational Title of the Year (9-16 years) |style="background: #99FF99; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="yes table-yes2"|Won[20] |}

References

  1. ↑ "Review: Thinkin' Things: Galactic Brain Benders". http://www.alamopc.org/pcalamode/reviews/archive2/rev119916.htm. 
  2. ↑ McCauley, Dennis (February 1994). "Thinkin' Things". Computer Gaming World: 168, 170. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=115. 
  3. ↑ "PC Player review". http://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/thinkin-things-collection-1/mobyrank. 
  4. ↑ "Thinkin' Things, Ages 4-8. (Software Review)". Teaching Children Mathematics. 1994-09-01. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-16547066.html. 
  5. ↑ BESTSELLERS. 1997-01-06. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-714573.html. 
  6. ↑ Innovative series for children. 1997-12-01. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-4604430.html. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Thinkin' Things: Galactic Brain Benders". http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=354&StepNum=1. 
  8. ↑ Slade, Margot (1999-02-11). "LIBRARY/THINKING SKILLS; Thinkin' Things Collection 3". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/11/technology/library-thinking-skills-thinkin-things-collection-3.html. 
  9. ↑ Myslewski, Rik; Editors of MacUser (March 1996). "The Eleventh Annual Editors' Choice Awards". MacUser 12 (3): 85–91. 
  10. ↑ "Review: Thinkin' Things; Sky Island Mysteries". http://alamopc.org/pcalamode/reviews/archive2/rev020011.htm. 
  11. ↑ "SuperKids Software Review of Thinkin' Things Sky Island Mysteries.". http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/problem/3/skyland/merge.shtml. 
  12. ↑ It's a mystery why 'Sky' falls short.. 1998-04-12. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-56366145.html. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Thinkin' Things: All Around Frippletown". http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=353&StepNum=1&award=aw. 
  14. ↑ SCREEN SHOTS. 1999-07-02. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-612105.html. 
  15. ↑ "Thinkin' Things: Toony the Loon's Lagoon". http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=55&award=xx&from=Edmark/IBM. 
  16. ↑ Thinkin' Things show Edmark's wise approach.. 1999-07-12. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55141616.html. 
  17. ↑ "New Straits Times - Google News Archive Search". https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19971201&id=HP1OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_RQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5627,5626637. 
  18. ↑ "SIIA Codie Awards Past Winners – 1994". http://www.siia.net/archive/codies/2015/pw_1994.asp. 
  19. ↑ "SIIA Codie Awards Past Winners – 1996". http://archive.siia.net/codies/2014/pw_1996.asp. 
  20. ↑ "Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Computer". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html. 
  • 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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