This Day in Gaming History is an editorial released 2-3 days per week, that takes you on a ride in its custom-built gaming history blue box. We take a look at titles all released on the same day throughout gaming history, while also giving extra facts and anecdotes as available or appropriate. Got a favorite game that you want to learn more about, or perhaps want to see featured on TDIGH? Send angel1573 a message on the forums, or leave a comment below!
BOMBERMAN 64: THE SECOND ATTACK! (N64)
Released on this day in 2000, Bomberman 64: The Second Attack! follows similar gameplay to the original 3D title in the series: no jumping, pumpable bombs, bomb kicking, and remote bomb detonation. While similar to its predecessor, the Vatical Entertainment-produced successor also introduces the ability to create elemental explosions, provides a space shop to buy heart containers, multiplayer stages, hidden armor pieces, and new interactions with Pommy (your fighting partner). Due to a series of unfortunate contemporary-era events for in-game character Rukifellth, an origin story for the entirety of the Bomberman universe and its past is explored by players over the course of the title. While the game received mixed reviews, it was generally praised for its single player mode, despite its short puzzles.
DARK CLOUD (PS2)
An action-adventure RPG published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Dark Cloud was originally intended as a launch title for the PS2 console in 2000. The title was first released in Japan, and later in 2001 on this day in North America. Combining elements of action roleplay with city-building, the title tells the story of a group of adventurers who have joined forces against a mutual foe, who has attacked and destroyed their home villages. Led by Toan, the boy is given a magical stone called an “atlamilla” in order to rebuild the destroyed towns. The game received nearly universal praise for its blended gameplay types and storyline. While the combat was lamented as being repetitive, the title proved to be a commercial success shortly after its release, through current PSN sales. In general, the title feels familiar as well as unique, as it pulls from many recognizable gameplay and story elements from other series and blends them together to form its own presentation. In December of 2015, an upscaled version of the title was released on the PSN, after a fumbled leak of the release occurred in November of the same year. A sequel, Dark Chronicle/Dark Cloud 2 with an unrelated story, was released in 2003¹.
MASS EFFECT (PC)
While the title had been released for several months already, Mass Effect made its debut on PC on this day in 2008. Broadly, the shooter/RPG/action title kicked off a series that has proven to gain a large following. The science-fiction universe established in Mass Effect is at once enticing, thorough, and immersive. Touted as bringing in a “new age” of storytelling, the title received almost universally high praise for what it brought to the table (despite clunky AI, controls, and inventory management), thanks to its story, music, and graphics. The PC version was hailed as a definitive Windows platform port. At the time, the title received controversial responses to the sex scene rewarded players who followed various romance storylines available. Eventually, this quieted when the nature of the scenes were explored more fully, and were noted to be less graphical than what could be found in most mainstream television.
Some other titles released on this day:
- Kid Chameleon – Sega Genesis – 1992
- Speed Kings – Playstation 2 – 2003
- Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (Japan) – Nintendo DS – 2009
- Fuse – Playstation 3 – 2013
¹A sequel to be discussed later in the year!
© Images: Microsoft Game Studios, Nintendo, Sony Computer Entertainment, & Vatical Entertainment
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