What is MobyGames?
The Quick Answer:
MobyGames is a historical archive, documentation, and review project for all electronic games (computer, console, and arcade). We have two specific goals:
- To store a diverse array of information about games,
who created them, what their system requirements are, what their
game screens look like, etc., all browseable via an easy-to-use, hyperlinked
interface.
- To let the public contribute to each entry in the database,
whether it be with new entries, additional information, simple
ratings, or detailed reviews.
The Detailed Answer:
MobyGames is our attempt to preserve the rich history behind electronic gaming.
To that extent, we've created a database project that has the potential
to contain all of the nitty-gritty information on all electronic games. You can
see our current efforts right on the main page; while we have entries
on current notable games, we pride ourselves on documenting games that
go as far back as the beginning of our earliest supported platform. It is our hope that everyone who is involved with electronic games can get something from MobyGames.
Anyone can contribute to MobyGames.
If your favorite game isn't in the database, add it. If you know some neat trivia for a particular game, contribute it. If you have something to say about a particular game, review it. And if you're just checking out games you've already played, feel free to rate them. All contributions benefit the entire gaming community.
One of the basic ideas behind MobyGames is to help you find (and learn
about) games that you'd like to play. Each entry in the database lists
a short description of the game, a full list of the people who created
it, the game's hardware requirements, and other pertinent information.
Each item in a game's entry is fully cross-referenced with the other
entries; for example, click on the hyperlinked words "Michael Berlyn"
on the "Tass Times in Tonetown" summary page and you'll see a list of
all the games Michael has created that are on file in the database,
along with a short bio (written by Michael himself). Or, click on the
"Interactive Fiction" genre listed in the game's rap sheet and view a
list of all IF games on file. This extensive cross-referencing allows
you to perform quick data mining throughout the entire database.
Just as important, MobyGames allows ratings and reviews to be
entered by anyone, from novice to experienced gamers. It's hard to find
a really good game that matches your interests in today's overcrowded
computer gaming industry, but on MobyGames, you can rank games by rating,
and read user-contributed reviews. Whether a game has a good or terrible
rating, you can bet it came from other gamers just like you. Who better
to rate games than the people who invest time and money in them?
There are other things you can do with MobyGames, like visit related
websites or games, or view screenshots and box covers. You can even purchase many recent games you see listed in the database at a discount. But we'll
leave you to discover those for yourself as you mine through MobyGames.
For now, click on the MobyGames logo at the top left of the page to
start your journey through the database. If you're in a hurry, type
anything into the Keyword Search box in the top right corner and hit ENTER.
If you'd like to learn more about MobyGames, click on the links at the
bottom of any page to browse through our informational documents,
or leave us some feedback. Either way, we think you'll find MobyGames
a useful, comprehensive, and just plain fun resource to use. We hope
you enjoy MobyGames, and feel free to contact us if you have any
questions.
-- Jim, Brian, and Rob
PS: We've taken extra time to make this website both
bandwidth-friendly and compatible with all web browsers. If you find
that MobyGames isn't working correctly for you, drop us a line.
