Software:Phantasy Star Collection

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Short description: Video game compilation


Phantasy Star Collection
Japanese box art
Developer(s)Sega (SS)
Digital Eclipse (GBA)
Publisher(s)Sega
THQ (GBA, NA)
Infogrames (GBA, EU)
Director(s)
  • Akinori Nishiyama
  • Rieko Kodama
Producer(s)Yuji Naka
SeriesPhantasy Star
Platform(s)Sega Saturn, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2
ReleaseSega Saturn
  • JP: February 4, 1998
Game Boy Advance
  • NA: November 25, 2002[1]
  • EU: March 7, 2003
PlayStation 2
  • JP: March 27, 2008
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Lua error in Module:Lang/utilities at line 332: attempt to call field '_transl' (a nil value). is a compilation of the Phantasy Star video games. When released for the Sega Saturn in Japan in 1998, it featured the first four games in the series, whereas the Game Boy Advance version, released four years later in North America and five in Europe, features the first three. The North American and European versions were produced by Digital Eclipse.[2] The Saturn version was later ported to the PlayStation 2 (as Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 32: Phantasy Star Complete Collection) in Japan with more games added.

The compilation features ports of the original Phantasy Star games. They are virtually identical to their original versions, as opposed to enhanced remakes. Gameplay has not been altered in each of the collections, but additional options in the Saturn and PlayStation 2 versions can alter the pace and difficulty of the games significantly.

Gameplay

Each game features overworld maps and separate dungeon areas, both with random encounters. Players control parties of characters, battling enemies and earning experience points to grow stronger. Certain characters can use different magic spells and techniques during and outside of battle. Phantasy Star's dungeons differ from the rest because they are in first-person, while the rest of the games use a top-down style.[3]

Plot

Although each game in the collections feature different characters and stories, they take place in the Algol planetary system, specifically on the planets Palma, Motavia, and Dezolis.[3] In the four games, there exists a Dark Force, a common antagonist that threatens the solar system. The games also make small references to each other, such as the idolation of Alis in Phantasy Star IV.

Development

Phantasy Star II's top-down style travel is shown as Rolf and Nei move through a town.

Its first incarnation was released in 1998 on the Sega Saturn, as part of Sega's Sega Ages series of classics that included Space Harrier, Out Run, After Burner, and Fantasy Zone. Although the first three games listed emerged in the West as a single compilation, Phantasy Star Collection was developed after publisher support for the Saturn had virtually disappeared,[4] and remains a Japan only title. It includes what are considered the main entries in the series, with select enhancements such as the option of playing the games in katakana or hiragana in the first entry of the series (they originally were katakana only), an optional walking speed increase in Phantasy Star II and Phantasy Star III, and four save slots for Phantasy Star III (enabling players to have a slot for each of the four possible third generation protagonists).[4] Due to the native resolution of the Mark III, the original Phantasy Star is played in a frame. The game also has bonus content in the form of exclusive arranged music, art galleries, and video clips of the Japan ese commercials for the original games.[4]

The Game Boy Advance version, produced by Digital Eclipse, emerged in 2002. Unlike the Sega Saturn release, Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium is not included.[2] The video games themselves were also altered in order to function adequately on the Game Boy Advance's resolution. The GBA version has a reduced number of save slots available for Phantasy Star and Phantasy Star II, and does not include any extras.

The PlayStation 2 version, part of Sega's PS2 line of Sega Ages titles, is significantly different from the Sega Saturn version. Renamed Phantasy Star Complete Collection, this version includes the Phantasy Star II Text Adventures series, released exclusively to the Sega Meganet network, with the first of the eight games (the one following the adventures of Rolf) available to be played without unlocking. It also includes the two Game Gear titles of the series, Phantasy Star Gaiden and Phantasy Star Adventure. Unlike the GBA version, it includes all four titles of the original series. While, unlike the Sega Ages titles Phantasy Star Generation 1 and Phantasy Star Generation 2, the games are mainly untouched, several options that are not available in the Sega Saturn version are included. These options can drastically alter the games, both visually (with graphical options ranging from changing resolution, interlacing, smoothness and scanlines) and in gameplay. The changes in gameplay can alter the speed of the characters (much like the option available for Phantasy Star II and Phantasy Star III in the Saturn version, but available to all games) and also the difficulty, by changing how much money and experience the player gets from fights, which can drastically reduce the time necessary to complete the games. There are also options to change the type of machine and localization of the games, making it possible to play them in their Japanese version as well as their English localized counterparts. This compilation was released on PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 in 2012.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GBASaturn
Edge6/10[5]N/A
EGM8.17/10[6]N/A
Eurogamer6/10[7]N/A
Game Informer8/10[8]N/A
GameProStarStarStarStar[9]N/A
GameSpot8.6/10[2]7/10[10]
GameSpyStarStarStarHalf star[11]N/A
GameZone9/10[12]N/A
IGN6/10[3]N/A
Nintendo Power3.7/5[13]N/A
Aggregate scores
GameRankings76%[14]N/A
Metacritic76/100[15]N/A

The Game Boy Advance version received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[15] Critics noted that although said handheld version was outdated, it still held up with its innovations to the genre.[2][3] They praised its uniqueness upon their original release as well as the fact that all three games come on one cartridge. Tim Tracy of GameSpot noted that "Longtime fans of the series will definitely be pleased with the results, and it's worth mentioning that all three of these games originally retailed for about $70 each."[2] It was a runner-up for GameSpot's annual "Best Role-Playing Game on Game Boy Advance" award, which went to Tactics Ogre.[16]

Tracy criticized the omission of Phantasy Star IV, calling it possibly the best out of them, or "better than III".[2] Adam Tierney of IGN complained that Digital Eclipse did not do anything for the ports, mentioning the "tinny" music, "grammatical errors", and "huge crash bugs".[3]

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "PR - 11/26/02 - THQ SHIPS TWO SEGA CLASSICS FOR GAME BOY ADVANCE". 2004-04-16. http://www.thq.com/Corporate/PressReleases/press-517.asp. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Tracy, Tim (December 16, 2002). "Phantasy Star Collection Review (GBA)". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/phantasy-star-collection-review/1900-2901862/. Retrieved April 13, 2017. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Tierney, Adam (April 8, 2003). "Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/08/phantasy-star-collection-2. Retrieved April 13, 2017. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Phantasy Star Collection". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (105): 45. April 1998. 
  5. ↑ Edge staff (March 2003). "Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)". Edge (121): 106. 
  6. ↑ EGM staff (February 2003). "Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (163): 158. 
  7. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (April 29, 2003). "Phantasy Star Chronicles [sic (GBA)"]. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_psc_gba. Retrieved April 14, 2017. 
  8. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (February 2003). "Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)". Game Informer (118): 108. Archived from the original on January 11, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080111002732/http://gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200302/R03.0730.1539.47345.htm. Retrieved April 13, 2017. 
  9. ↑ Fenenc Fox (January 16, 2003). "Phantasy Star Collection Review for Game Boy Advance on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on January 18, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050118003012/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/gameboy_advance/games/reviews/27763.shtml. Retrieved April 14, 2017. 
  10. ↑ Mielke, James (July 27, 1998). "Phantasy Star Collection (Import) Review (Sat)". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/phantasy-star-collection-import-review/1900-2534036/. Retrieved April 13, 2017. 
  11. ↑ Nutt, Christian (December 23, 2002). "GameSpy: Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on February 13, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060213170834/http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/phantasy-star-collection/560518p1.html. Retrieved April 14, 2017. 
  12. ↑ Knutson, Michael (January 9, 2003). "Phantasy Star Collection - GBA - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 14, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080114170410/http://gameboy.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20417_GBA.htm. Retrieved April 14, 2017. 
  13. ↑ "Phantasy Star Collection". Nintendo Power 164: 176. January 2003. 
  14. ↑ "Phantasy Star Collection for Game Boy Advance". GameRankings. https://www.gamerankings.com/gba/560435-phantasy-star-collection/index.html. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Phantasy Star Collection for Game Boy Advance Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/phantasy-star-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance. 
  16. ↑ GameSpot Staff (December 30, 2002). "GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 7, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030207155400/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/. 
  • 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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