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ALF (video game)

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 5 min

Short description: 1989 video game
ALF
Developer(s)Nexa[1]
Publisher(s)Sega
Producer(s)John Sauer
John Emerson
Programmer(s)Kevin T. Seghetti
Jinda Pan
Artist(s)George Kanalias
Composer(s)Randy Roseberry
Platform(s)Master System
Release
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

ALF[3] (アルフ) is an action-adventure video game developed by Nexa and released by Sega for the Master System in 1989.[4] It is based on the American television series ALF.[5] Players attempt to control the title character as he attempts to locate parts with which to repair his spaceship, so he can meet up with his friends Skip and Rhonda on the planet Mars.

The game is the only home console game based on the ALF television show.[6] Other ALF games have been released for various computer systems, including ALF, the first ALF game. A couple of edutainment games based on the character were also released in later years: ALF's US Geography and ALF's Thinking Skills.

Gameplay

The player controls ALF, who must collect the necessary items and solve puzzles to repair ALF's spaceship.

The game features several locations through which players can roam freely: ALF's house, street, basement of the house, ALF's backyard and a pond in the backyard. The player must collect various objects to progress in the game: a stick of salami, which can be used to deal with the bats, scuba gear, allowing him to plunge to the bottom of the pond, and other objects. Items can be found as the game progresses and can also be purchased through the in-game store.

Some enemies in the game can be defeated, while others must be dodged, such as bats and street cyclists.

Development

The game was a side project for Kevin Seghetti, who at the time was under the employment for Nexa, then integrated with Spectrum Holobyte, who in turn changed their name to Sphere. Although Seghetti was not a fan of the ALF TV Show, he worked heavily on the game's engine. The quality of the code he wrote was an improvement over the Master System version of Monopoly. The artwork was done in Deluxe Paint and converted via a Amiga to become transferable character and map files.

In the later stages of development, ALF was lacking audio and the producer John Sauer did not have adequate game design experience. With only a maximum budget of $200, Sauer managed to find Randy Roseberry to compose the music and sound. With weeks of revision and cleaning up the game's code, the game was shipped by the end of 1989, overruling Sauer's objection due to the crude quality of the product.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Alf - Games - SMS Power!". http://www.smspower.org/Games/Alf-SMS. 
  2. ↑ "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer 8 (3): 16. June 1989. https://retrocdn.net/images/3/31/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.8_03.pdf#page=16. 
  3. ↑ "Alf Release Information". SMS Tributes. http://www.smstributes.co.uk/getinfo.asp?gameid=8. 
  4. ↑ "Alf Game Review". SMS Tributes. 2009-12-21. http://www.smstributes.co.uk/viewuserreview.asp?gameid=8&userreviewid=719. 
  5. ↑ "SEGA Software". Computer Entertainer 8 (3): 13. June 1989. https://retrocdn.net/images/3/31/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.8_03.pdf#page=13. 
  6. ↑ "Game search results - Games Database". https://www.gamesdatabase.org/list.aspx?in=1&searchtext=alf&searchtype=1. 
  7. ↑ Horowitz, Ken (2016-10-19). Playing at the Next Level: A History of American Sega Games. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp. 18–20. ISBN 978-0-7864-9994-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=_Fy6jwEACAAJ&pg=PA18. 
  • 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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