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Asphalt

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 9 min
Short description: 2005 video game
Asphalt: Urban GT 2
Cover art featuring the Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG and the Lamborghini Murcielago (as it was previously featured in Asphalt Urban GT), being chased down by a police helicopter
Developer(s)Gameloft Montreal[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Gameloft
SeriesAsphalt
Platform(s)J2ME, N-Gage (Symbian), Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable
ReleaseN-Gage
J2ME
  • WW: November 30, 2005
Nintendo DS
  • NA: November 14, 2006
  • EU: November 24, 2006
  • AU: November 30, 2006
PlayStation Portable
  • AU: March 22, 2007
  • EU: March 30, 2007
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Asphalt: Urban GT 2 is a racing video game developed by Gameloft Montreal and published by Gameloft for the Nintendo DS, N-Gage and PlayStation Portable. A 2.5D J2ME version for mobile phones was also released on November 30, 2005.[3][4] It is a sequel of Software:Asphalt: Urban GT (2004) and the second major game of the Asphalt series.

The game features a special appearance from The Pussycat Dolls, and a sample of Moby's single "Lift Me Up".[5] The Nintendo DS version was released a year after the N-Gage version, with improved graphics, sound, and dual screen compatibility. A version for the PSP was also released in March 2007 which features the track "Apply Some Pressure" by Maxïmo Park and adds an exclusive "Time Ride" Mode for the Arcade mode.[6][7] The next title in the series was Software:Asphalt 3: Street Rules which would only be released for mobile phones; the next console release would be the Nintendo DSi version of Software:Asphalt 4: Elite Racing in 2009.

Gameplay

Screenshot from the PlayStation Portable version depicting the Saleen S7 racing in San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge seen in the background

The gameplay of Urban GT 2 is often compared to Burnout, Need for Speed and other titles as players can eliminate other opponents or police cars[8] by performing takedowns. This is done by either forcing them into the wall or ramming them while using a nitrous oxide boost which temporarily increases the vehicle's acceleration and top speed for a short duration.

The game uses a "wanted" meter governing law enforcement response to players while street racing, especially if nitrous is used, if the player commits property destruction[lower-alpha 2] or disables other competitors and law enforcement vehicles by ramming them off the road.[7][4]

As with the previous entry in the series, Urban GT 2 takes place in tracks modelled after real-world locations; many of the tracks from the previous game return such as Paris, New York City, Miami, Las Vegas, Cuba, the Chernobyl exclusion zone and Hong Kong, though new tracks such as San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro and Dubai have also been added.

The game features 57 vehicles, 45 of which are licensed from 23 real-world manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Hummer, Volkswagen, Nissan, and several others. Unlike the previous game whose sole motorcycle is the fictional "Gamelati 1000 SS", Urban GT 2 adds several new licensed motorcycle models in its roster, notably those from Confederate Motors, Ducati and Triumph.

Reception

The inclusion of the Pussycat Dolls in Asphalt: Urban GT 2 was criticised by some reviewers as a "marketing gimmick" with no bearing on gameplay.
Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(DS) 65%[9]
(Mobile) 62%[10]
(PSP) 30%[11]
Metacritic(PSP) 42/100[12]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Eurogamer2/10[7]
GameSpot7.5/10[8]
OPM (UK)5/10[13]

Urban GT 2 was met with mixed reception. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it a score of 65% for the DS version;[9] 62% for the Mobile version;[10] and 30% and 42 out of 100 for the PSP version.[11][12]

Frank Provo of GameSpot praised the game's improvements over the original and its selection of licensed vehicles and respective upgrades,[8] but noted the game's poor AI. Andrew Hayward of Worthplaying however, was more critical of the game, calling it a "mundane exercise in repetition". Besides citing easy difficulty and AI problems, the use of the Pussycat Dolls was also criticised as being a "marketing gimmick".[14]

In a more positive review, Levi Buchanan of IGN praised the mobile version's selection of vehicles and graphics, though Buchanan attributed most of the game's criticism to mobile device limitations.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ PlayStation Portable version developed by Virtuos and Game Source
  2. ↑ Referred to ingame as "Urban Havoc"

References

  1. ↑ Abolins, Mike (10 November 2005). "Asphalt Urban GT 2 gets the Green Light" (in en). https://www.pocketgamer.com/asphalt-urban-gt-2/asphalt-urban-gt-2-gets-the-green-light/. 
  2. ↑ "Prepare for the ride of your life as Asphalt: Urban GT 2 ships on the N-Gage Platform" (in en). 2005-11-07. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/prepare-for-the-ride-of-your-life-as-asphalt-urban-gt61668-2-ships-on-the-n-gage-platform. 
  3. ↑ "Asphalt: Urban GT 2" (in en). https://www.eurogamer.net/games/asphalt-urban-gt-2. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Buchanan, Levi (2005-12-02). "Asphalt: Urban GT 2" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/12/02/asphalt-urban-gt-2. 
  5. ↑ "Asphalt Urban GT 2 for Nintendo DS". To The Game. http://www.tothegame.com/ds-5845-asphalt-urban-gt-2-for-nintendo-ds.html. 
  6. ↑ "UBISOFT HITS THE GAS WITH ASPHALT™: URBAN GT 2". Ubisoft. https://www.ubisoftgroup.com/en-us/press/detail.aspx?cid=tcm:99-32001&ctid=tcm:95-27313-32. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Smith, Quintin (2007-04-07). "Asphalt: Urban GT 2" (in en). https://www.eurogamer.net/asphalt-urban-gt-2-review. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Provo, Frank (28 November 2006). "Asphalt: Urban GT 2 Review (NDS)". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/asphalt-urban-gt-2-review/1900-6162399/. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Asphalt: Urban GT 2 for DS". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/ds/935114-asphalt-urban-gt-2/index.html. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Asphalt: Urban GT 2 for Mobile". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/mobile/931254-asphalt-urban-gt-2/index.html. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Asphalt: Urban GT 2 for PSP". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/psp/935113-asphalt-urban-gt-2/index.html. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Asphalt: Urban GT 2 for PSP Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/asphalt-urban-gt-2/critic-reviews/?platform=psp. 
  13. ↑ "Asphalt: Urban GT 2". PlayStation Official Magazine: 120. May 2007. 
  14. ↑ Hayward, Andrew (22 December 2006). "NDS Review - 'Asphalt 2: Urban GT'". Worthplaying. http://worthplaying.com/article/2006/12/22/reviews/38634/. 
  • Gameloft official site
  • 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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