Software:Top Gear Overdrive

From HandWiki
Short description: 1998 video game
Top Gear Overdrive
North American Nintendo 64 cover art
Developer(s)Snowblind Studios
Publisher(s)Kemco
Composer(s)Grindstone
SeriesTop Gear
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • NA: November 23, 1998[2]
  • EU: November 25 1998[1]
  • JP: March 19, 1999
  • AU: 1999
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Top Gear Overdrive is a racing game released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 and the sequel to Top Gear Rally. The game has support for high-resolution graphics if used with the Expansion Pak and features music from the band Grindstone.

Gameplay

A gameplay screenshot of Top Gear Overdrive on the Nintendo 64.

In the main mode of play, the player races through six seasons, each season containing more races from more tracks, with faster cars competing.

At the beginning of the race the player starts at the back of the grid at the start line. Computer players at the front of the grid often start one-third of the way around the first lap. Players start with three charges of nitrous oxide, which are used to give the player a temporary speed boost.

While racing, the player can pick up two power-ups: nitrous oxide and cash. The nitrous oxide can be used straight away, while the cash is added to the winnings at the end of the race and used for buying upgrades to the player's car.

Shortcuts are available on each track, and often the use of these decide the outcome of the races, particularly in later seasons.

At the end of each race the player is presented with a screen to allow for various upgrades to their car, such as to acceleration and handling. The player is also able to change their car for a better (or worse) vehicle and can buy extra nitrous oxide to use in the next race.

At the end of the season, if the player places fourth or better in all of that season's tracks, they are allowed to progress to the next season.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack in this game was entirely scored by the band Grindstone from Portland, Oregon.[3] They were made the first band in history to feature on an N64 game.[4][5]

Lamar Stilwell, the bands lead singer at the time, said he came across an advert in The Rocket Magazine which was "looking for a band that sounds like Alice In Chains and Soundgarden". Knowing Grindstone would fit that sound he wrote back describing his love for video games, the band got the gig and were offered $4000 for their soundtrack to be used.[6]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings76%[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarHalf star[8]
Edge6/10[9]
EGM7.5/10[10]
Game Informer7.25/10[11]
GameProStarStarStarStar[12]
GameSpot7.3/10[13]
Hyper85%[14]
IGN8/10[15]
Nintendo Power7.6/10[16]

The game received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Arcade de conducción de gran velocidad y gráficos notables". 16 March 2017. https://as.com/meristation/1998/12/15/analisis/913728480_012393.html. 
  2. ↑ "Five to Five" (in en). 1998-12-04. https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/12/04/five-to-five. 
  3. ↑ "Grindstone lineup, biography" (in en). https://www.last.fm/music/Grindstone/+wiki. 
  4. ↑ "Artist Bio: Grindstone". 15 February 2017. http://www.in4.com/in4music/poprock/G/grindstone/index.html. 
  5. ↑ "ALL ACCESS LIVE with POINT DEFIANCE'S LAMAR STILWELL" (in en). https://www.youtube.com/live/gYqhjwKBWnA?si=TY9M6I_bo4ZvQsP5&t=1245. 
  6. ↑ "ALL ACCESS LIVE with POINT DEFIANCE'S LAMAR STILWELL" (in en). https://www.youtube.com/live/gYqhjwKBWnA?si=TY9M6I_bo4ZvQsP5&t=1245. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Top Gear Overdrive for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/n64/199067-top-gear-overdrive/index.html. 
  8. ↑ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Top Gear Overdrive - Review". AllGame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14370&tab=review. 
  9. ↑ Edge staff (January 1999). "Top Gear Overdrive". Edge (67). 
  10. ↑ "Top Gear Overdrive". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1999. 
  11. ↑ McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (January 1999). "Top Gear Overdrive". Game Informer (69): 36. https://gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3899. Retrieved May 28, 2017. 
  12. ↑ Vicious Sid (1999). "Top Gear Overdrive Review for N64 on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://gamepro.com:80/nintendo/n64/games/reviews/231.shtml. Retrieved May 29, 2017. 
  13. ↑ GameSpot staff (January 4, 1999). "Top Gear OverDrive Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/top-gear-overdrive-review/1900-2545295/. 
  14. ↑ Shea, Cam (February 1999). "Top Gear Overdrive". Hyper (64): 48. http://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-694-48.jpg. Retrieved May 29, 2017. 
  15. ↑ Schneider, Peer (December 1, 1998). "Top Gear Overdrive". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/1998/12/02/top-gear-overdrive. 
  16. ↑ "Top Gear Overdrive". Nintendo Power 115: 125. December 1998. 
  • 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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