Software:Zen Bound

From HandWiki
Short description: 2009 video game
Developer(s)Secret Exit
Publisher(s)Chillingo Ltd
Platform(s)iOS, Maemo, Mac OS X, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Android, Nintendo Switch
ReleaseZen Bound
March 9, 2009
Zen Bound 2
  • iOS
  • April 1, 2010
  • Windows, Mac OS X
  • November 16, 2010
  • Android
  • March 19, 2012
  • Linux
  • February 14, 2013
  • Nintendo Switch
  • May 24, 2018
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Zen Bound is a puzzle game for the iOS, Android, and Maemo platforms (Nokia N900), developed by Secret Exit. The game was announced in September 2008 via the company's discussion board, and officially released via the App Store on February 24, 2009, and via Ovi Store on June 16, 2010. An Android port was released on March 19, 2012. The game has received press attention for its unique gameplay.[1] A lite version of the game was also released for free which featured 2 levels of the game. A sequel, Zen Bound 2, was released for iOS on April 1, 2010, for Steam on November 16, 2010,[2] and for the Nintendo Switch in Europe and North America on May 24, 2018.[3]

Gameplay

The goal of the game is to paint various objects. In each level the player is given an object with an attached rope which varies in length depending on the level. Using a mouse or touch screen and tilt controls, the player attempts to wrap the object with the rope. Each time the rope is laid down on the object, the area near the rope gets covered by paint. The challenge is getting the required percentage of an object painted with only a finite length of rope. There are three targets in each level - minimum, medium and maximum coverage.

Some levels require nails protruding from the objects to be entwined in rope rather than having to cover the object's surface.

Reception

Zen Bound

Zen Bound
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings98%[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameSpot9/10[5]
GamezeboStarStarStarStar[6]
IGN9.5/10[7]
Pocket GamerStarStarStarStarStar[8]
VideoGamer.com9/10[9]

Zen Bound received universal acclaim according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[4]

Awards

5th IMGAwards (International Mobile Gaming Awards) (2008): Excellence in 3D

Zen Bound 2

Zen Bound 2
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic(iOS) 80/100[10]
(PC, NS) 78/100[11][12]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Eurogamer(PC) 8/10[13]
IGN(iOS) 8.5/10[14]
(PC) 7.5/10[15]
Jeuxvideo.com16/20[16]
Nintendo World Report(NS) 8.5/10[18]
Pocket Gamer(iOS) StarStarStarStarHalf star[19]
(NS) StarStarStarHalf star[20]

Zen Bound 2 received "favorable" reviews on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[10][11][12]

Abandonment

Neither Zen Bound nor its sequel are available for purchase in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, but Zen Bound 2 remains available via Steam and the Nintendo eStore as of April 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Benedetti, Winda (January 30, 2009). "iPhone lifts profile of on-the-go games". https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28922265. 
  2. ↑ "News - New Release - Zen Bound 2". Valve Corporation. November 16, 2010. https://store.steampowered.com/oldnews/4655. 
  3. ↑ "Zen Bound 2 (Switch eShop)". Gamer Network. 16 May 2018. https://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/zen_bound_2. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Zen Bound for iOS (iPhone/iPad)". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/iphone/959467-zen-bound/index.html. 
  5. ↑ Palley, Steve (October 6, 2009). "Zen Bound Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/zen-bound-review/1900-6231992/. 
  6. ↑ Squires, Jim (December 31, 2009). "Zen Bound Review". https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/zen-bound-review/. 
  7. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (February 27, 2009). "Zen Bound iPhone Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/02/27/zen-bound-iphone-review. 
  8. ↑ Spencer, Spanner (February 20, 2009). "Zen Bound". Steel Media Ltd. https://www.pocketgamer.com/zen-bound/zen-bound/. 
  9. ↑ Muldoon, Rory (March 16, 2009). "Zen Bound Review". Reseto Network. https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/zen-bound-review/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Zen Bound 2 Universal for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/zen-bound-2/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Zen Bound 2 for PC Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/zen-bound-2/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Zen Bound 2 for Switch Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/zen-bound-2/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch. 
  13. ↑ Reed, Kristan (November 19, 2010). "Download Games Roundup (Page 3)". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/download-games-roundup-review-38?page=3. 
  14. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (May 3, 2010). "Zen Bound 2 iPad Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/05/03/zen-bound-2-ipad-review. 
  15. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (November 30, 2010). "Zen Bound 2 Review (PC)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/30/zen-bound-2-review. 
  16. ↑ Llenlleawg893 (December 5, 2012). "Test: Zen Bound (PC, Mac)" (in fr). Webedia. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00018102-zen-bound-2-test.htm. 
  17. ↑ The MacLife staff (January 14, 2011). "Zen Bound 2 Universal Review". Future US. http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/zen_bound_2_universal_review. 
  18. ↑ Parton, Mitchell (June 6, 2018). "Zen Bound 2 (Switch) Review". NINWR, LLC. https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47375/zen-bound-2-switch-review. 
  19. ↑ Erickson, Tracy (April 28, 2010). "Zen Bound 2 (iOS)". Steel Media Ltd. https://www.pocketgamer.com/zen-bound-2/zen-bound-2/. 
  20. ↑ Aubrey, Dave (June 18, 2018). "Zen Bound 2 Switch review - Strong structures but ropey value". Steel Media Ltd. https://www.pocketgamer.com/zen-bound-2-switch/zen-bound-2-switch-review-strong-structures-but-ropey-value/. 

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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.



  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.




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