Software:Virtual Chess 64

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Short description: 1998 video game
Virtual Chess 64
Developer(s)Titus France
Publisher(s)Titus France
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • NA: June 10, 1998
  • EU: July 1998
Genre(s)Chess
Mode(s)

Virtual Chess 64 is a chess simulation game for the Nintendo 64. It was released in 1998. It is the third and final game in the Virtual Chess series. The game features no true "completion" in the form of a goal or a score, so one could theoretically play an endless number of matches. When a piece is captured, a short animated cutscene plays back depicting the battle, as in 1988's Battle Chess.

Features

Virtual Chess 64 comes with a basic text and visual tutorial written for beginners and novices about how to play chess. In the third section the tutorial continues explaining how to play using simple chess positions in which the player must find the best move. The fourth section is an analysis of "Fool's mate" and "Scholar's mate". In the fifth and sixth sections these chess problems become increasingly complicated, and the player is expected to find the solution and understand it. The seventh section is about basic endgame checkmating approaches and patterns, and just one basic endgame concept for beginners: the square of the promoting pawn. The last three sections focus on improving opening, middlegame, and endgame chess play by using example games for analysis.

A full game can be played using either a 2D or 3D board. There is a "Rotate Board" option for the 2D and 3D boards, although the C-left and C-right buttons can be used to rotate the 3D board by a greater variety of angle measures. On the 3D board every time a piece is captured is accompanied by a short cutscene depicting the capture unless this is disabled or limited to one-time only per piece capture combination. There are no cutscenes on the 2D board for captures. Players can change the design of the pieces and board and use the "flash think" and last move square lights. There are four 2D chess sets to select from. Players can create scenarios by adding or removing pieces from the board and placing them in different positions, but there is a bug removing the option to castle in games customized through this feature. The game supports two players, and also the option of seeing the chess engine play itself.

The game also has a "Level" option in which players can set the time taken for the chess engine to respond based on the complexity of the position. Time is the only real factor behind the quality of the engine's moves, and while the default difficulty level results in analysis in a matter of seconds, the "Level 12" setting results in waiting times greatly varying based on the position. There is a "Meditation" setting by which, if enabled, the chess engine will think on the player's time except usually during the opening phase of the game in which predefined moves are played. Again based on the complexity of the position, analysis will continue for a matter of hours or days until either a forced checkmate is found or the player makes a move.

Development

Development on the game started as early as June 1997.[1]

Critical reaction

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings64%[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarHalf star[3]
Consoles +84%[4]
CVGStar[5]
EGM6.25/10[6][lower-alpha 1]
Game Informer3/10[7]
GameProStarStar[8][lower-alpha 2]
GameSpot6.1/10[9]
Hyper79%[10]
IGN7.7/10[11]
N64 Magazine76%[12]
Next GenerationStarStarStar[13]
Nintendo Power5.4/10[14]

The game received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[2] Nintendo Power gave it a mixed review, a few months before the game was released Stateside.[14]

Critics stated that although Virtual Chess 64 may not be for those who aren't into chess,[11][3] it was so thorough in features and gameplay that it was worthwhile to any kind of chess player, including newcomers wanting to get into the game.[6][3][13][15] The game's opponent AI was praised,[13] with critics claiming it to be hard to beat even on lower difficulty levels;[12][11][6] writers such as Hyper staff Ross Clarksmith and N64 Magazine journalist Tim Weaver opined that it made Virtual Chess a worthy alternative to playing chess in real life with another human.[10][12] The tutorial feature was another common spotlight,[15] with reviews rejoicing that its interactive-ness made learning the rules easy for beginner players and offered several strategies and tactics for intermediate to advanced players.[11][3] Mark Skorupa of Gamezilla, a gamer who never played chess before, admitted he understood the rules successfully thanks to the tutorial, although had a minor complaint of the content being over-detailed.[15]

IGN writer Peer Schneider wrote that, despite flicker in the alternate 2D chess boards, the game looked mostly high-res.[11] Weaver, on the other hand, critiqued other parts of the visuals, such as the menus that look "scribbled on with felt tips" and the "hideous" Titus animations in the tutorials.[12]

The 3D chess board garnered numerous complaints. Crispin Boyer was disoriented by its "awkward perspectives",[6] and Josh Smith and Scott Alan Marriott noted the 3D pieces were difficult to identify[3][9] which Marriott attributed to their "carved" look.[3] Skorupa, although opining piece distinguishing was more difficult in the 2D mode than the 3D, claimed figuring out positions of pieces was hard on the 3D board.[15] The 3D camera controls were panned as limited,[13] with Smith annoyed that the player could only rotate in 360 degrees and in one direction.[9] Reviewers also suggested the game should've had a higher amount of 3D boards.[11][3]

Most reviewers particularly bashed the chess-piece-clearing animations, unfavorably comparing them to those in Battle Chess;[6] they were labeled as gimmicks[13][3] that were "repetitive,"[6] "annoying,"[10][6] lost their appeal quickly,[10] looked "jerky and slow"[9] and "shamefully amateur";[12] Smith opined the only way for them to stay appealing is if they were fully-rendered in-game animations instead of separate video cutscenes.[9] The segments, however, garnered a few positive commenters; Schneider described them as a far cry from Battle Chess, but they manage to be funny for a while and kids will probably dig them,[11] and Skorupa wrote they were nicely done and looked great, but after a few games the players will turn them off.[15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Four critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 6.5/10, 7/10, 5.5/10, and 6/10.
  2. ↑ GamePro gave the game 4/5 for graphics, two 2/5 scores for sound and overall fun factor, and 3/5 for control.

References

  1. ↑ Fielder, Joe (June 23, 1997). "Titus' Next Move". http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_06/23_titus/index.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Virtual Chess 64 for Nintendo 64". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/n64/199208-virtual-chess-64/index.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Marriott, Scott Alan. "Virtual Chess 64 - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11937&tab=review. 
  4. ↑ Vilince (August 1998). "Virtual Chess 64" (in French). Consoles + (79): 91. https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-138-91.jpg. Retrieved October 29, 2020. 
  5. ↑ Montaqim, Abdul (October 1998). "Virtual Chess [64"]. Computer and Video Games (Future Publishing) (203): 72. https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-1483-72.jpg. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Boyer, Crispin; Hsu, Dan; Kujawa, Kraig; Smith, Shawn (September 1998). "Virtual Chess 64". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (110): 146. 
  7. ↑ "Virtual Chess [64"]. Game Informer (FuncoLand) (66): 69. October 1998. https://archive.org/details/Game_Informer_Issue_066_October_1998/page/n69/mode/2up. Retrieved October 29, 2020. 
  8. ↑ Bad Hare (September 1998). "Virtual Chess 64". GamePro (IDG Entertainment) (120): 102. http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/n64/games/reviews/359.shtml. Retrieved October 29, 2020. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Smith, Josh (August 19, 1998). "Virtual Chess 64". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/virtual-chess-64-review/1900-2545401/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Clarksmith, Ross (February 1999). "Virtual Chess 64". Hyper (Next Media Pty Ltd) (64): 81. https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-694-81.jpg. Retrieved October 29, 2020. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Schneider, Peer (June 17, 1998). "Virtual Chess 64". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/06/18/virtual-chess-64. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Weaver, Tim (August 1998). "Virtual Chess". N64 Magazine (Future Publishing) (18): 88. https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-499-88.jpg. Retrieved October 29, 2020. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 "Virtual Chess 64". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (47): 154. November 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_47/page/n157/mode/2up. Retrieved October 29, 2020. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Virtual Chess 64". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 107: 97. April 1998. https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-349-102.jpg. Retrieved October 29, 2020. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Skorupa, Mark (1998). "Virtual Chess 64". http://gamezilla.com/console/reviews/v/virtualchessn64.asp. 
  • 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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