Table of Contents Categories
  Encyclosphere.org ENCYCLOREADER
  supported by EncyclosphereKSF

Castrol Honda Superbike Racing

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 9 min
Castrol Honda Superbike Racing
Developer(s)Interactive Entertainment Ltd.
Publisher(s)
Director(s)James Bailey[1]
Producer(s)Tony Love[1]
Designer(s)Tuan Pingster Nguyen[1]
Programmer(s)Dan Azzopardi, Alex Jakes,[2] John Rees,[2] Vladislav Kaipetsky[1]
Artist(s)Imran Hussain[1]
SeriesCastrol HONDA Superbike
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: May 25, 1999[3]
  • UK: October 22, 1999
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player
Multiplayer

Castrol HONDA -World Superbike Team- Superbike Racing (short: Castrol HONDA Superbike Racing) is a licensed motorcycle racing game, developed by Interactive Entertainment Ltd. The game features the Honda RVF750 RC45 and the riders Aaron Slight and Colin Edwards of the 1998 Superbike World Championship season.

Gameplay

The player controls a motorcyclist (default names are A.Slight and C.Edwards) in races on various international race tracks. Game types are "Practice Session" (solo practice), "Trainer Session" (where the player has to follow the trainer's bike to learn the optimum racing line), "Single Race" (one race on a chosen track against contestants) and "Championship" (race the whole season). The latter two consist in three parts: "Practice Session", "Qualifying" and "Race". In each race, a field of eight bikers races simultaneously, including the human players. Game options include Difficulty (Rookie, Novice, Amateur, Semi Professional, Professional, Ace), number of laps (3, 5, 10 laps or "full race" which is 100 km). In the bike setup, gearbox (automatic or manual), final drive for each gear and gear sprocket can be modified.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings54%[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarHalf star[5]
EGM4.625/10[7][lower-alpha 1]
Famitsu26/40[8]
Game Informer6.25/10[9]
GameFan64%[10][lower-alpha 2]
GameRevolutionD+[11]
GameSpot3.8/10[12]
IGN4/10[13]
Next GenerationStarStar[14]
OPM (US)StarStar[15]
The Sydney Morning HeraldStarStarStar[16]

The game received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[4] John Lee of NextGen said of the game, "You might learn a bit about bike racing, but after you've zipped around the same track a dozen or so times, this is just plain dull."[14] In Japan, where the game was ported and published by Success as part of the SuperLite 1500 series on April 27, 2000, Famitsu gave it a score of 26 out of 40.[8] GamePro said, "If you're a huge fan of superbike racing, you may want to check out Castrol to feed your superbike need, but you'd be smart to rent before buying. Everyone else should stick with Moto Racer 2 for solid morotcycle racing."[17][lower-alpha 3]

The game was reviewed by the German multiformat console magazine "MAN!AC" and received a rating of 58%. The review considered the game a "mediocre racer with many racing tracks but simple visuals and little realism in controls".[18] Janice Tong of The Sydney Morning Herald said, "For anyone who is into Superbike racing, this game will be a lot more meaningful and I suppose there is always the nostalgic element of playing the role of your favourite rider."[16]

Sequels and Spin-offs

There are three other games in the Castrol HONDA Superbike series of which each one was produced by Midas Interactive Entertainment:

Note: Although the PlayStation version (by Bubble Boy Ltd) and the PC version (with the name suffix "2000") were released the same year, they are individual games (as the different titles suggest) and not just versions of the same game.

Notes

  1. ↑ Four critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 6.5/10, 5/10, 3/10, and 4/10.
  2. ↑ In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, one critic gave it a score of 45, and the other 82.
  3. ↑ GamePro gave the game two 2.5/5 scores for graphics and sound, 4/5 for control, and 3/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The names of developers can be found in the ingame credits.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 This person worked for Bubble Boy Ltd and participated in the console conversion.
  3. ↑ "ELECTRONIC ARTS SHIPS CASTROL HONDA SUPERBIKE RACING FOR THE PLAYSTATION". May 25, 1999. Archived from the original on November 6, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19991106020824/http://www.ea.com/corporate/pressreleases/chracing.html. Retrieved July 6, 2023. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190501144657/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/196886-castrol-honda-superbike-racing/index.html. Retrieved September 30, 2020. 
  5. ↑ Sutyak, Jonathan. "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141114232819/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18808&tab=review. Retrieved October 1, 2020. 
  6. ↑ Mahood, Andy (July 13, 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike [Racing"]. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000816033812/http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sony/Castrol/. Retrieved July 6, 2023. 
  7. ↑ Davison, John; Hager, Dean; Chou, Che; Ricciardi, John (July 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (120): 127. https://retrocdn.net/images/f/f8/EGM_US_120.pdf. Retrieved July 6, 2023. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "SuperLite 1500 シリーズ Castrol HONDA スーパーバイクレーシング [PS"] (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=19108&redirect=no. Retrieved September 30, 2020. 
  9. ↑ "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (74). June 1999. 
  10. ↑ Weitzner, Jason "Fury"; Stockert, Bruce "Reubus" (June 1999). "Castrol Honda [Superbike Racing"]. GameFan (Shinno Media) 7 (6): 72. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_7_Issue_06/page/n73/mode/2up. Retrieved September 30, 2020. 
  11. ↑ Johnson, Sean (August 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing Review". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150919165251/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/castrol-honda-superbike-racing. Retrieved October 1, 2020. 
  12. ↑ MacDonald, Ryan (June 18, 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 24, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050324231712/http://www.gamespot.com/ps/driving/castrolhondasuperbike/review.html. Retrieved September 30, 2020. 
  13. ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (June 1, 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/02/castrol-honda-superbike-racing. Retrieved September 30, 2020. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lee, John (September 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing". NextGen (Imagine Media) (57): 87. https://archive.org/details/NextGen57Sep1999/page/n89/mode/2up. Retrieved September 30, 2020. 
  15. ↑ Kujawa, Kraig (June 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike [Racing"]. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 2 (9): 95. https://archive.org/details/Official_US_PlayStation_Magazine_Volume_2_Issue_9_1999-06_Ziff_Davis_US/page/n95/mode/2up. Retrieved October 1, 2020. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Tong, Janice (October 2, 1999). "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Archived from the original on October 13, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20001013105338/http://www.smh.com.au/icon/9910/02/games5.html. Retrieved March 27, 2022. 
  17. ↑ Air Hendrix (July 1999). "Castrol Honda [Superbike Racing"]. GamePro (IDG) (130): 80. Archived from the original on August 20, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040820222730/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/25.shtml. Retrieved October 1, 2020. 
  18. ↑ "Castrol Honda Superbike Racing" (in de). MAN!AC (Cybermedia Vertlag): 68. August 1999. 
  • 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





Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Castrol_Honda_Superbike_Racing&oldid=762316"
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://handwiki.org/wiki/Software:Castrol_Honda_Superbike_Racing
6 views |
↧ Download this article as ZWI file
Encyclosphere.org EncycloReader is supported by the EncyclosphereKSF