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Reach for the Skies (video game)

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 5 min

Short description: 1993 video game
Reach for the Skies
Developer(s)Rowan Software[1]
Publisher(s)Virgin Games[1]
Platform(s)Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS
Release1993
Genre(s)Combat flight simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Reach for the Skies is a 1993 combat flight simulation video game developed by Rowan Software and published by Virgin Games for the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS.

Gameplay

The game is set on the southeast coast of England during the Battle of Britain. Players have the option to fight for either the Royal Air Force (RAF) or the Luftwaffe. After that is the choice of playing as either the pilot or the controller. Pilots fly in missions and take out enemy aircraft. Controllers make strategic decisions for the battle. The game offers two control options: simple or easy. Simple mode uses basic joystick directions and a fire button. Help systems like autogun and autopilot are offered. Autogun fires the gun automatically when an enemy is over the gunsights. Autopilot flies the plane automatically between predesignated points.[2]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Atari ST User85%[6]
CU Amiga59%[2]
The One81% (Amiga)[1]

Amiga Format compared the game to Their Finest Hour and said Reach for the Skies is "much more playable on a low-end Amiga" and has "the edge in speed and lasting playability". In conclusion it was called "an excellent flight simulator".[3] The One gave a positive review but recommended to try Knights of the Sky first.[1] CU Amiga summarized: "Excellent ideas poorly implemented. A waste."[2] Atari ST User concluded "It's not exactly original stuff, but it's damn exciting and damn realistic."[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Byron, Simon (December 1992). "Review - Reach For The Skies". The One (EMAP) (51): 84–85. https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-51/page/n83/mode/2up. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dillon, Tony (January 1993). "Game Review - Reach for the Skies". CU Amiga (EMAP) (35): 74. https://archive.org/details/cuamiga-magazine-035/page/n73/mode/2up. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Baguley, Richard (July 1993). "Game Review - Reach for the Skies". Amiga Format (Future plc) (48): 82–83. https://amr.abime.net/review_2345. 
  4. ↑ Bradley, Stephen (January 1995). "Re-Releases". Amiga Format (Future plc) (67): 83. https://amr.abime.net/review_3119. 
  5. ↑ Anton, Michael (January 1993). "Simulation - Reach for the Skies" (in German). Aktueller Software Markt (Tronic-Verlag) 8 (1): 110. https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1993.01/page/n111/mode/2up. "Grafik: 10/12, Sound: 10/12, Spielablauf: 10/12, Motivation: 9/12, Gesamtnote: 9/12". 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Maddock, Jonathan (January 1993). "Review - Reach for the Skies". Atari ST User (Database Publications) (83): 76–77. http://www.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-issue-atari-st-user-issue-083_1858.html. 
  • 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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