Software:We Ski

From HandWiki
Short description: 2008 video game
We Ski
Developer(s)Namco Bandai Games
Publisher(s)Namco Bandai Games[lower-alpha 1]
Composer(s)Hiroshi Okubo
SeriesSports WaiWai
Platform(s)Wii
Release
  • JP: January 31, 2008
  • NA: May 13, 2008
  • EU: June 13, 2008
Genre(s)Skiing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

We Ski[lower-alpha 2] is a 2008 skiing video game for the Wii developed and published by Namco Bandai Games. It is the first third-party game (and second game behind Wii Fit) released that makes use of the Wii Balance Board.

A sequel, We Ski & Snowboard, which adds snowboarding to the game, was released in 2008. A spin-off, Go Vacation, which featured dozens of sports and several open worlds to explore, was also released for the Wii in 2011, and was later re-released on the Nintendo Switch in 2018.

Gameplay

The player skiing down a slope

We Ski can either be played with or without the Wii Balance Board. If using the board, the player can distribute their weight and use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as virtual ski poles, simulating the sport of skiing.

The game features 14 courses, which can be skied during both day and night. Besides racing, the game also features different modes such as a Ski School, Centipede Races, and Search and Rescue in addition to a Freestyle mode in which up to 4 players may ski freely.

Players may use their own Miis or one of the customizable in-game avatars. They can earn rewards such as character apparel and upgraded ski equipment by completing various goals. The player can also perform "air tricks" on marked jumps. Additionally, the WiiConnect24 service allowed the sharing of photos taken by players in-game until it was discontinued by Nintendo in 2013.[2]

Development

We Ski was designed to utilize the Wii's hardware capabilities, such as its motion controls, to create an intuitive playing experience.

We Ski was produced by Namco Bandai Games employee Yozo Sakagami, a veteran of the company's Ridge Racer series.[3] The publisher suggested to Sakagami that he create a racing game for the Wii that took advantage of the system's hardware capabilities, namely its motion controls.[4] Sakagami quickly began to question if a racing game was suitable for the platform, as the Wii's target demographic consisted of children and parents in their 30s and 40s.[3][4] He began thinking of a theme that would appeal to any age group, before settling on skiing as he believed the Wii's intuitive controls would make such a game possible and fun to play.[3]

We Ski's development team consisted largely of those that worked on the Ridge Racer games including Ridge Racer 7 director Kenya Kobayashi.[3] It was designed as a successor to Namco's Family series for the Family Computer, which were themed around sports or games and possessed simplistic controls and cute character designs.[5][6] The soundtrack features music from singer Yumi Matsutoya,[4] in addition to remixes of tracks from older Namco games like Xevious, Klonoa, and The Idolmaster. We Ski is the first third-party game on the Wii to use the Wii Balance Board peripheral.[7]

Bandai Namco released We Ski in Japan on January 31, 2008.[8] It was released in North America on May 13, 2008,[9] and in Europe on June 13, 2008, with Nintendo handling distribution.[10][11] The Japanese and European versions were titled Family Ski to further tie in its relation with the Family series, and were published under the Namco label.[1] In Japan, it was also released under the Sports WaiWai brand, which included remakes of Family Jockey and Pro Baseball.[12]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic67/100[13]
Review scores
PublicationScore
1Up.comA[14]
Eurogamer6/10[15]
Famitsu30/40[8]
Game Informer6.25/10[16]
GameProStarStarStarHalf star[17]
GameRevolutionC[18]
GameSpot7/10[19]
GameZone6/10[20]
IGN6/10[7]
Nintendo Power6/10[21]

We Ski sold 1.2 million copies worldwide by December 2008, making it one of Namco Bandai's most successful releases of the year.[22] The game holds a 67/100 on the review aggregator website Metacritic, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[13]

Notes

  1. ↑ Released under the Namco brand name in Japan and Europe.[1]
  2. ↑ Known in Japan and Europe as Family Ski (ファミリースキー, Famirī Sukī)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Greenhough, Chris (November 15, 2007). "Namco Bandai reads minds: Family Ski to use Balance Board". Verizon Media. https://www.engadget.com/2007-11-15-namco-bandai-reads-minds-family-ski-to-use-balance-board.html. 
  2. ↑ "Discontinuation of WiiConnect24 Services | Wii & Wii mini | Nintendo Support" (in en-US). https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3512/p/604. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "【TGS 2011】究極のファミリーゲームを目指して制作『ゴーバケーション』小林プロデューサーにインタビュー" (in ja). IID. September 26, 2011. https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2011/09/26/51760.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "社長が訊く『GO VACATION』" (in ja). Nintendo. October 2011. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/interview/sgvj/vol1/index.html. 
  5. ↑ "バンダイナムコ、「タッキー&翼」を「ファミリーシリーズ」のイメージキャラクターに" (in ja). IID. December 25, 2007. https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2007/12/25/26044.html. 
  6. ↑ (in ja) ザ・プロフェッショナル ファミリーボクシング・ファミリースタジアム・ファミリージョッキー (Volume 55 ed.). Takarajimasha. August 22, 1987. ISBN 4880633151. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "We Ski Review". IGN. May 20, 2008. http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/20/we-ski-review. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "ファミリースキーのレビュー" (in ja). Famitsu (Kadokawa Corporation). 2008. https://www.famitsu.com/games/t/2443/reviews/. Retrieved February 25, 2021. 
  9. ↑ "Namco Bandai Games Ships We Ski for Wii". IGN. May 13, 2008. https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/13/namco-bandai-games-ships-we-ski-for-wii. 
  10. ↑ "Hit the slopes as Family Ski slaloms onto Wii!". https://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2008/Hit-the-slopes-as-Family-Ski-slaloms-onto-Wii--250448.html. 
  11. ↑ Purchese, Robert (May 1, 2008). "New skiing game for Wii balance board". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/new-skiing-game-for-wii-balance-board. 
  12. ↑ Jō, Kirian (February 21, 2008). "家の中にゲレンデがひろがる！ Wiiだからこそ実現した新感覚のスキーゲーム" (in ja). ITMedia. https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/games/articles/0802/21/news004.html. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "We Ski for Wii Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/we-ski/critic-reviews/?platform=wii. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  14. ↑ Frechette, Jay (June 7, 2008). "We Ski Review". http://www.1up.com/reviews/we-ski. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  15. ↑ Gibson, Ellie (July 14, 2008). "Family Ski". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/family-ski-review. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  16. ↑ Helgeson, Matt (June 2008). "We Ski". Game Informer (182). Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080517132153/http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/F8BF5B61-AD7B-418C-A726-D0BDAAFF80BE.htm?. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  17. ↑ Balistrieri, Emily (May 23, 2008). "Review: We Ski". GamePro. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080526011701/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/wii/games/reviews/187248.shtml. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  18. ↑ Costantino, Jesse (June 9, 2008). "We Ski Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/we-ski. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  19. ↑ Calvert, Justin (May 29, 2008). "We Ski Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/we-ski-review/1900-6191778/. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  20. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (May 15, 2008). "We Ski - WII - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090125224745/http://wii.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r34864.htm. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  21. ↑ "We Ski". Nintendo Power 229: 90. June 2008. 
  22. ↑ Red, Carmine (December 29, 2008). "We Ski Coasts to a Million Units Sold". Nintendo World Report. http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/17460/we-ski-coasts-to-a-million-units-sold. Retrieved June 29, 2016. 
  • 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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