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Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 7 min

Short description: 2001 video game
Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure
North American cover art
Developer(s)Nai'a Digital Works
Publisher(s)Kemco
Director(s)Mikio Ueyama
Composer(s)
  • Akihito Okawa
  • Houzou Okazaki
Platform(s)GameCube
Release
  • JP: December 7, 2001
  • NA: December 18, 2001
  • PAL: May 3, 2002
Genre(s)Party
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure, known in Japan as Universal Studios Japan Adventure (ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン・アドベンチャー, Yunibāsaru Sutajio Japan Adobenchā), is a 2001 party video game developed by Nai'a Digital Works and published by Kemco for the GameCube. Set at the Universal Studios Japan park, the object of the game is to complete several mini-games loosely based on the real-life attractions Back to the Future: The Ride, Jaws, Jurassic Park River Adventure, E.T. Adventure, Backdraft, Wild, Wild, Wild West Stunt Show, and Waterworld. The player is encouraged to collect trash located in the park, wear merchandise based on the respective franchises, and complete movie quizzes, in which the player must answer trivia questions about the Universal Studios films. The game was released in Japan on December 7, 2001, North America on December 18, 2001, and in PAL regions on May 3, 2002, and was panned by critics for its tedious gameplay, poor graphics and anomalous concept, and is frequently cited as one of the worst video games ever made.

Gameplay

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings34.47%[1]
Metacritic39/100[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM4.5/10[5]
Game Informer4/10[2]
GameSpot3.5/10[3]
GameSpy6/10[6]
IGN3/10[7]

The game was panned by critics. Matt Casamassina of IGN criticized the game's graphics, comparing it to a "bad N64 game", and noted that the game still suffered frame-rate issues.[7] UGO rated the game #78 on their list of "The Worst Video Games of All Time."[citation needed] Brad Shoemaker of GameSpot panned it in his review, saying: "The game is too frustrating and convoluted for kids to have any fun with it, and all but the most desperate adult GameCube fans will find it tedious and unentertaining as well."[8] Matt Casamassina of IGN also panned it, calling it "a jumbled mess of disorganized goals, sloppy navigation and boring destinations topped off with incredibly dated graphics and an overall adventure that can fairly easily be beaten, if one has the stomach for it" and concluded: "Not recommended for young or adult gamers."[9] It remained NGC Magazine UK's lowest-rated GameCube game until surpassed by Software:Batman: Dark Tomorrow.

References

  1. ↑ "Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure for GameCube - GameRankings". http://www.gamerankings.com/gamecube/528160-universal-studios-theme-parks-adventure/index.html. 
  2. ↑ Helgeson, Matt (March 2002). "Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure". Game Informer (107): 81. 
  3. ↑ Shoemaker, Brad (May 17, 2006). "Universal Studios Theme Park Adventure Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/universal-studios-theme-park-adventure-review/1900-2838080/. 
  4. ↑ "Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure". https://www.metacritic.com/game/universal-studios-theme-parks-adventure/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube. 
  5. ↑ Sewart, Greg; Hsu, Dan "Shoe"; Johnston, Chris (March 2002). "Universal Theme Parks Adventure". Electronic Gaming Monthly (152): 141. 
  6. ↑ Wessel, Craig "Talon" (January 2002). "Universal Studios Theme Park Adventure". GameSpy. http://www.gamespy.com/reviews/january02/ustpa/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Casamassina, Matt (January 10, 2002). "Universal Studios Theme Park Adventure" (in en). http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/01/10/universal-studios-theme-park-adventure. 
  8. ↑ Shoemaker, Brad (May 17, 2006). "Universal Studios Theme Park Adventure Review" (in en-US). https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/universal-studios-theme-park-adventure-review/1900-2838080/. 
  9. ↑ Casamassina, Matt (January 10, 2002). "Universal Studios Theme Park Adventure" (in en-US). https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/01/10/universal-studios-theme-park-adventure. 
  • 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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