Software:Turok: Battle of the Bionosaurs

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
Turok: Battle of the Bionosaurs
European box art
Developer(s)Bit Managers
Publisher(s)
[1]
Designer(s)Rubén Angel Gómez
Programmer(s)Isidro Gilabert
Composer(s)Alberto Jose González
SeriesTurok
Platform(s)Game Boy
Release
  • NA: December 18, 1997[2]
  • EU: 1998
  • JP: August 7, 1998
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Turok: Battle of the Bionosaurs is a 1997 platform game developed by Bit Managers and published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Game Boy. An entry in the Turok series of games, it was intended to be a companion to the Nintendo 64 game Software:Turok: Dinosaur Hunter.[3] The game includes eight stages, has a password system, and can be played in four different languages (English, French, Spanish, and German).

Gameplay

The gameplay is split into levels, each of which is in a different perspective. Level 1 is mostly side-scrolling while level 2 has a half bird's eye and half side-scrolling view. The third level is completely side-scrolling while other levels continue using this pattern. To combat enemies, players are equipped throughout the game with many types of weapons, including knives, bows, and various guns. The game also retains the emphasis of exploration found in Turok: Dinosaur Hunter by giving the player many collectible items hidden throughout each level, as well as encouraging the revisiting of certain levels with new abilities in order to obtain things they couldn't obtain earlier.

Plot

The plot remains the same as Software:Turok: Dinosaur Hunter.

The player assumes control of Tal'Set (Turok), a Native American[4] time-traveling warrior. The mantle of Turok is passed down every generation to the eldest male. Each Turok is charged with protecting the barrier between Earth and the Lost Land,[5] a primitive world where time has no meaning.[6] The Lost Land is inhabited by a variety of creatures, from dinosaurs to aliens.[7] An evil overlord known as the Campaigner seeks an ancient artifact known as the Chronoscepter, a weapon so powerful that it was broken into pieces to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. The Campaigner plans on using a focusing array to magnify the Chronoscepter's power, destroying the barriers that separate the ages of time and rule the universe. Turok vows to find the Chronoscepter's eight pieces and prevent the Campaigner's schemes.[8]

Development

The game was developed as a companion piece to the Nintendo 64 game Software:Turok: Dinosaur Hunter.

References

  1. ↑ Hiroyuki Maeda (2018). "2". Game Boy Software All Catalog 1998. Japan: Starfish Inc.. p. 134. 
  2. ↑ "Game Informer News". Game Informer. 1999-02-25. http://www.gameinformer.com/news/dec97/121897b.html. Retrieved 2023-04-06. 
  3. ↑ "Turok: Battle of the Bionosaurs: Controls". Nintendo.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070930024535/http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=m-Game-0000-533. Retrieved 2007-02-24. 
  4. ↑ Hellaby, David (1997-04-21). "On the trail of the dinosaur". The Daily Telegraph: p. 65. 
  5. ↑ Iguana Entertainment (1996). "The Making of Turok: Dinosaur Hunter". Turok: Dinosaur Hunter manual. United States: Acclaim Entertainment. p. 3. 
  6. ↑ Szadkowski, Joseph (1997-03-22). "Plugging into comic world". The Washington Times: p. B4. 
  7. ↑ Wapshott, Tim (1997-06-07). "Computer games and pastimes". The Times. 
  8. ↑ Iguana Entertainment (1996). "Introduction". Turok: Dinosaur Hunter manual. United States: Acclaim Entertainment. p. 4. 
  • 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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