Software:Top Gun: Fire at Will

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Top Gun: Fire at Will
Developer(s)Spectrum HoloByte (PC)
MicroProse (PS)
Publisher(s)Spectrum HoloByte
Platform(s)DOS, Windows, PlayStation, Mac OS
ReleasePC
PlayStation
  • NA: June 12, 1996[2]
  • EU: July 15, 1996
Mac OS
Genre(s)Combat flight simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Top Gun: Fire at Will is a video game developed and published by Spectrum HoloByte for DOS, Windows, PlayStation, and Mac OS. It is a licensed game in the Top Gun franchise. A sequel, Top Gun, was released in 1998.

Gameplay

The game's overall plot focuses on the player-character, Maverick, going to combat in Cuba, North Korea, and Libya against a secret group of mercenary pilots called the "Cadre".

The PlayStation version differs greatly from the PC versions, emphasizing action over simulation; in particular, take-offs and landings were cut, and the player begins each mission with enemies near at hand, rather than having to hunt them down.[3]

Development

Top Gun: Fire At Will was released by Spectrum HoloByte in 1996 for DOS, Windows, and PlayStation. Mac OS port was released in 1998. It is the only title to feature any actors from the film, with James Tolkan reprising his role as a commanding officer (he is called "Stinger" in the film, but is called "Hondo" in Fire at Will).[3]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStarStarStar (PC)[4]
EGM5.75/10 (PS1)[7]
GameSpot3.8/10[5]
IGN3/10 (PC)[6]
Next GenerationStarStar (PC, PS1)[8][9]
PC PowerPlay6/10[10]

The MS-DOS version received average reviews. A Next Generation critic called Top Gun: Fire at Will a flight sim without being simulation, having no video clips and lame plot. While he complimented the variety of missions, the networked multiplayer, and aspects of the graphics, he held to his overall negative assessment of the game.[8] Robin G. Kim of Computer Gaming World praised the game for "action-filled missions with great atmosphere and an intriguing storyline", but conceded the game suffered from "blotchy terrain graphics", poor sound design and technical issues.[4]

A reviewer for PC PowerPlay admitted "Top Gun is not a flight sim, nor does it claim to be", but that the simplicity of the gameplay will appeal to the person who wants to play a jet style shoot-em-up with a bit of a story line to keep them interested.[10]

The PlayStation version also received middling reviews. Critics noted that the game is more of an action-heavy, arcade-style shoot 'em up than a realistic flight simulator,[7][9][11] but were divided over whether this unexpected choice of gameplay style was reasonably successful. Some praised the mixture of arcade-style and simulation style gameplay,[7][11] while others criticized the lack of takeoff and landing sequences and the way the controls differ from most flight sims.[7][9] However, critics generally agreed that the graphics are very good,[7][11] and that the enemy pilots are boringly easy to defeat.[7][9][11]

The game sold more than 375,000 copies.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "MicroProse: Press Release: Top Gun: Fire At Will". 1998-01-20. http://www.microprose.com/corporatedesign/press/tgpc.html. 
  2. ↑ "MicroProse: Press Release: Top Gun: Fire At Will". 1998-01-20. http://www.microprose.com/corporatedesign/press/tgpsx.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Top Gun: Fire at Will". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (16): 62. April 1996. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kim, Robin G. (May 1996). "Review: Top Gun: Fire at Will". Computer Gaming World (142): 202–204. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_142/page/n205/mode/2up. 
  5. ↑ Varner, Jim (May 2000). "Top Gun : Fire at Will". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/top-gun-fire-at-will-review/1900-2559961/. 
  6. ↑ "Top Gun : Fire at Will". November 1996. https://www.ign.com/articles/1996/11/27/top-gun-fire-at-will. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 "Review Crew: Top Gun: Fire at Will". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (84): 26. July 1996. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Top Gun". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (18): 125–6. June 1996. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Top Gun". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (20): 91. August 1996. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 P., T. (May 1996). "Top Gun: Fire at Will". PC PowerPlay (1): 58–59. https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-001-1996-05. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "ProReview: Top Gun: Fire at Will". GamePro (IDG) (95): 62. August 1996. 
  12. ↑ Dunkin, Alan (April 8, 1998). "Top Gun License Lives". Archived from the original on October 6, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20001006121813/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_04/08_topgun/index.html. Retrieved November 1, 2022. 
  • 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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