Table of Contents Categories
  Encyclosphere.org ENCYCLOREADER
  supported by EncyclosphereKSF

Bottom of the 9th

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 5 min

Bottom of the 9th
North American Nintendo 64 cover art
Developer(s)Konami Computer Entertainment Chicago
Publisher(s)Konami
Artist(s)Greg Orduyan
Platform(s)PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64
ReleasePlayStation
  • NA: April 4, 1996
  • JP: October 25, 1996
Saturn
  • NA: October 18, 1996
Nintendo 64
  • NA: April 14, 1999
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Bottom of the 9th is a baseball game by Konami for the PlayStation, which was later ported to the Sega Saturn and the Nintendo 64. It is a heavily updated version of Konami's 1989 arcade game Bottom of the Ninth.[1] The game is part of Konami's XXL Sports brand.[2]

Gameplay

One of the earliest in Konami's franchise, this version features 300 actual MLB players, but does not feature the MLB licensed teams. Players can choose to either play against a friend in Exhibition, Season or Playoffs. The gameplay is geared for more of a simulation style of play with the players stats determining on how well they hit, pitch and field.

Along with the standard modes for a baseball game, this one also features the ability to customize teams and choose any player to create a "Dream Team". It also has a variety of different camera angles, a "Streak Bar" that shows a batter's hitting ability, and a "Pitching Bar" that shows whether a pitcher is fatigued.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM6.75/10 (N64)[lower-alpha 1]
5.5/10 (PS1)[4]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar (PS1)[5]

Bottom of the 9th received mixed reviews. Critics commented that the screen is too cluttered with info,[5][6] the graphics in general are below average,[5][6] and the controls (particularly the unusual batting system) are difficult to get a handle on.[4][5][6] However, critics for Next Generation and GamePro felt the controls and steep challenge of the game ultimately make it more realistic, and that mastering the unusual controls ultimately pays off with a deeper gaming experience, with GamePro concluding that "Serious baseball fiends will enjoy this ballpark's authentic, challenging gameplay".[5][6] The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly instead argued that the steep learning curve makes Bottom of the 9th less worthwhile than more immediately accessible games.[4]

GamePro described the Saturn version as "an impressively exact port ... with both the flaws (quirky graphics and tricky controls) and high points (excellent gameplay) of the original." They noted that despite the fact that the 1996 baseball season had started, the Saturn version had not updated the rosters.[7]

Notes

  1. ↑ In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the Nintendo 64 port, two critics gave it a 6/10, one a 7/10, and another an 8/10.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Bottom Of The Ninth / Main Stadium". http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=567&page=1#809. 
  2. ↑ "Konami, Disney and ESPN Bond". Ziff Davis. 5 November 1999. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/11/05/konami-disney-and-espn-bond. 
  3. ↑ Ricciardi, John; Hager, Dean; Boyer, Crispin; Sushi-X (April 1999). "Bottom of the 9th". Electronic Gaming Monthly 12 (4): 121. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Bottom of the 9th". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (83): 120. June 1996. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Off the Wall". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (19): 74. July 1996. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Air Hendrix (May 1996). "Bottom of the 9th". GamePro (IDG) (92): 77. 
  7. ↑ Air Hendrix (October 1996). "Bottom of the 9th". GamePro (IDG) (97): 102. 
  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



Warning: Default sort key "Bottom Of The 9th" overrides earlier default sort key "Mobygames".



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Bottom_of_the_9th&oldid=778672"
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://handwiki.org/wiki/Software:Bottom_of_the_9th
21 views |
↧ Download this article as ZWI file
Encyclosphere.org EncycloReader is supported by the EncyclosphereKSF