Software:Vegas Stakes

From HandWiki
Short description: 1993 video game


Vegas Stakes
North American box art
Developer(s)HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Composer(s)Kimitaka Matsumae (SNES)
Manami Matsumae
Platform(s)Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy
ReleaseSuper NES
Game Boy
Genre(s)Casino
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Vegas Stakes, known as Las Vegas Dream in Japan, is a 1993 gambling video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in North America in April 1993, in Europe the same year and in Japan by Imagineer in September 1993. A port for the Game Boy was released only in North America in December 1995. The Super NES version supports the Super NES Mouse,[2] while the Game Boy version is compatible with the Super Game Boy, and features borders which use artwork from the Super NES version. It is the sequel to the NES game Vegas Dream.

The game sees the player go to Las Vegas to gamble with $1000. Using that $1000, the player must try to win $10 million at different casinos.

Gameplay

In the Super NES version, the player can choose to play either a single-player or multiplayer game. The multiplayer mode is not included in the Game Boy version. In the single-player game, a computerized friend accompanies the player around various casinos. In the multiplayer game, poker cannot be played since everyone could see everyone else's cards. At the beginning of the single-player game, a car is seen driving to Las Vegas. The various "friends" of the player are introduced as Cliff, Maria, Isabelle and Richard. All are eager to begin gambling. The "friends" are not present in the Game Boy version.

The player is given $1,000. The player's goal is to win $10 million. If the player loses all the money, the game ends, and an image is shown of a man showing his empty pockets.

The game features blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, and slot machines.[3][4] When the player wins $100,000, the Laurel Palace casino is unlocked.[3] A total of five casinos are featured in the Super NES version,[4] while four are featured in the Game Boy version.[3]

Aside from gambling, the player will also have interactions with the traveling party, and with random casino patrons. The player can make or lose money, depending on the response given to these patrons. In one example, a patron may attempt to pickpocket the player's character by pretending to wipe a spot off the character's shirt.[3][4] There are no random encounters in multiplayer mode. Several additional patron interaction situations exist in the Game Boy version.

At the end of the Super NES version, the player gets to type in what they plan to do with their winnings. At the end of the game, a couple drive up to a casino with the player's name on it. Also at the end of the Super NES version, the game tells the player what they typed in came true.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame(SNES) 4/5[5]
CVG(SNES) 71/100[6]
EGM(SNES) 7/10, 8/10, 8/10, 8/10, 7/10[7]
Famitsu(SNES) 8/10, 7/10, 7/10, 5/10[1]
IGN(GB) 7.0/10[8]
Nintendo Power(SNES) 7.2/10[9]
(GB) 6.3/10[10]
Dengeki Super Famicom(SNES) 7/10, 7/10,
7/10, 7/10[11]
ProGames(SNES) 3/5[12]

Vegas Stakes on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System garnered generally favorable reception from critics.[1] Readers of Japanese publication Super Famicom Magazine voted to give the game a 19.2 out of 30 score in a public poll.[13] Nintendo Power praised its realistic gambling games, four-player mode, and compatibility with the Super NES Mouse, but criticized the lack of variety in the games and live interactions with other opponents during multiplayer.[9] A writer for Computer and Video Games commended the audiovisual presentation, but felt that its gameplay became dull after the first half hour.[6]

Electronic Gaming Monthly's five reviewers stated that "Nintendo gives casino life a great video game feel". They noted that the game's recurring incidents at the casino added humor and variety.[7] ProGames's Chu-Chi commented that the game was "very satisfying" for fans of the genre, highlighting the unique characteristics and dialogues of each character. He also gave positive remarks to the visuals, sound, challenge and overall fun factor.[12] AllGame's Scott Alan Marriott regarded Vegas Stakes as "an excellent example of how to do a casino game on the console format", noting the inclusion of surrounding in-game characters, adventure element and diverse game selection. However, Marriott expressed disappointment with the game ending once the main goal is met.[5]

The Game Boy version carried similar response as the original Super NES release. Nintendo Power's six editors praised it for being a solid recreation of the Super NES version, as well as its accessible controls and adventure element, but was criticized for featuring "only four games of chance".[10] GamePro's brief review found it fun, giving positive remarks to its variety of games, "crisp and clean" visuals, and "cheesy" music for being fitting.[14] IGN's Monica Wilbur commended its suitable graphical presentation, audio and replayability, writing "if playing classic games of chance with virtually no risk attached sounds like a good way to pass the time, Vegas Stakes offers a solid gameplay experience."[8]

Retrospective coverage

Retrospective reviews for the title have been more mixed since its Virtual Console re-release. Nintendo Life's Marcel van Duyn recommended it for gambling fans, noting that the random character events and optional advise from the player's companion added variety and extra interaction to the game, while commending the detailed backgrounds but criticized the music for being "annoying".[15] Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead found its multiplayer component more interesting than the main campaign, but he ultimately expressed that "if you peek over the fence at Xbox Live Arcade, and take a look at fully-featured online gambling games like Texas Hold 'em, you can't help feeling that games like this just highlight the shortcomings of the Virtual Console while adding little of value."[16] IGN's Lucas M. Thomas commended the overall presentation, visuals, audio, gameplay and lasting appeal, but stated that more variety and different versions for some of the included casino games would have been welcomed.[17] GameSpot's Frank Provo wrote that "When it originally came out for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993, this collection of five parlor classics was one of just a few gambling compilations available for home consoles. However, now that Nintendo has made Vegas Stakes available once again on the Wii's Virtual Console service, there are a near-infinite number of gambling collections out there for a multitude of platforms, and most of them provide a wider selection of casino staples than the ones included here."[18]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "New Games Cross Review: ラスベガスドリーム (スーパーファミコン)". Famitsu (ASCII Corporation) (248): 37. September 17, 1993. 
  2. ↑ "Let's Get Technical". GamePro (IDG) (76): 14. January 1995. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Vegas Stakes". Nintendo Power: 90–93, 105. December 1995. https://archive.org/stream/Nintendo_Power_Issue_079_December_1995#page/n95/mode/2up. Retrieved 2016-06-01. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Super Casino Games: Vegas Stakes". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America): 20–22. June 1993. https://archive.org/stream/Nintendo_Power_Issue_049_June_1993#page/n19/mode/2up. Retrieved 2016-06-01. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Marriott, Scott Alan (1998). "Vegas Stakes (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=137&tab=review. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "CVG Review: High stakes gambling hits SNES - Vegas Stakes". Computer and Video Games (EMAP) (142): 92. September 1993. https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ACVG_UK_142.pdf&page=92. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Semrad, Ed; Carpenter, Danyon; Alessi, Martin; Williams, Ken; Weigand, Mike (November 1993). "Review Crew - Major Mike's Game Roundup: Vegas Stakes (Nintendo / Super NES)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) (52): 45. https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_52/page/n45/mode/1up. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wilbur, Monica (June 23, 1999). "Game Boy: Vegas Stakes". IGN Entertainment. http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/161/161994p1.html. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Now Playing - Vegas Stakes (Super NES)". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) (47): 103–104, 107. April 1993. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Pelland, Scott; Swan, Leslie; Bafus, Jeff; Jon; Dan; Munson, Terry (December 1995). "Now Playing - Vegas Stakes (Game Boy)". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) (79): 105, 107. 
  11. ↑ "新作 Checker: ラスベガスドリーム" (in ja). Dengeki Super Famicom (MediaWorks) 1 (16): 24. September 24 – October 8, 1993. https://archive.org/details/dengeki-super-famicom-24-september-1993-09-24-600dpi-ozidual/Dengeki%20SFC%201993%2009%2024%20%28J%20OCR%29/page/24/mode/1up. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Chu-Chi (1993). "SNES: Vegas Stakes — Cansado de gritaria no jogo de truco? Se seu negocio e jogar em grande estilo, Vegas Stakes e o game para voce". ProGames (Editora Escala (pt)) 1 (2): 17. https://archive.org/details/ProGames_Ano_1_No._2_199x_Editorial_Escala_BR_pt/page/n16/mode/1up. 
  13. ↑ (in ja) 超絶 大技林 '98年春版: スーパーファミコン - ラスベガスドリーム (Special). 42. Tokuma Shoten Intermedia. April 15, 1998. p. 415. ASIN B00J16900U. 
  14. ↑ "ProReview: Portable Systems - Vegas Stakes (Game Boy)". GamePro (IDG) (80): 69. March 1996. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_080_March_1996/page/n70/mode/1up. 
  15. ↑ van Duyn, Marcel (September 1, 2007). "Vegas Stakes Review (SNES) - Always bet on black". Nintendo Life. Nlife Media. https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/vc/vegas_stakes_snes. 
  16. ↑ Whitehead, Dan (September 3, 2007). "Virtual Console Roundup: Bonk 3 and Vegas Stakes". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/r-virtualconsole-310807. 
  17. ↑ Thomas, Lucas M. (December 6, 2007). "Vegas Stakes Review - Discover the joys of addiction". IGN. Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/12/07/vegas-stakes-review. 
  18. ↑ Provo, Frank (December 14, 2007). "Vegas Stakes Review — Five no-frills casino games for $8 is a raw deal considering you can play all of these games free at many Web sites". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/vegas-stakes-review/1900-6184051/. 
  • 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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