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Arctic Thunder

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the video game. For the air show, see Arctic Thunder Air Show. For the Darkthrone album, see Arctic Thunder (album).
Arctic Thunder
US box art for PS2 version
Developer(s)Midway Games (Arcade)
Inland Productions (PS2, Xbox)
Publisher(s)Midway
Platform(s)Arcade
PlayStation 2
Xbox
Release
2000
  • Arcade
    2004(Ultimate update) PlayStation 2
    • NA: September 18, 2001[2]
    • EU: November 2, 2001
    Xbox
    • NA: November 15, 2001
    • EU: March 22, 2002
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemQuantum3D Graphite

Arctic Thunder is a 2000 snowmobile racing game developed by Midway Games. It was released as an arcade game, Midway's final arcade title, and was also ported to the Sony PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles, with added content, as a launch title for the latter. In the arcade version of the game, fans built into the cabinet blow cold winds in the player's face during gameplay to simulate the feeling of riding a snowmobile while the seat contains a vibrating shaker motor to simulate engine rumbling. Arctic Thunder is part of Midway's Thunder series, which also included Hydro Thunder, 4 Wheel Thunder, Offroad Thunder, and Hydro Thunder Hurricane. An updated arcade version, titled Ultimate Arctic Thunder, which added some of the content introduced in the home versions, was developed by Play Mechanix and distributed by Betson Enterprises, was released sometime in 2004.

The Xbox version of this game is not compatible with the Xbox 360. A Dreamcast port was also planned but was cancelled due to sagging sales of the console.[3] A website was made available before the game's release. As of 2007, the site is no longer active.

Reception

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The Xbox version received "mixed" reviews, while the PlayStation 2 version received "generally unfavorable reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4][5] Jim Preston of NextGen's December 2001 issue said of the latter, "There's plenty of 'Arctic,' but little 'Thunder.' But then, we suppose Snow Snooze wouldn't have been as catchy."[22] The magazine later said in its final issue that the former console version's "only saving grace is that the courses are well enough designed that you rarely get stuck in an alcove or behind a pillar – a frequent, frustrating flaw in racing games. But this doesn't come close to the onscreen mess that makes up most of the gameplay."[23] Tokyo Drifter of GamePro said of the PlayStation 2 version, "At the finish line, Arctic Thunder is moderately enjoyable with good replay value, but its many flaws really hinder what could have been a great romp in the snow."[27][b]

AllGame gave the arcade version a score of three-and-a-half stars out of five and said it was "not an unpleasant arcade diversion, and it can be quite entertaining to compete against other players. The levels are clever and distinct, and only the patented Midway cheapness and simplicity will get in the way of your enjoyment."[6]

The PlayStation 2 version was nominated at The Electric Playground's 2001 Blister Awards for (the non-intentional) "Game With the Most Laughs" and "Biggest Disappointment of the Year", but lost both to the PS2 version of Escape from Monkey Island and the Xbox version of Shrek.[28][29]

Notes

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  1. ^ Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the PlayStation 2 version each a score of 3/10, and the other gave it 2/10.
  2. ^ GamePro gave the PlayStation 2 version 2.5/5 for graphics, two 3/5 scores for sound and fun factor, and 3.5/5 for control.

References

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  1. ^ "Artic Thunder Now on Sale". highwaygames.com. 2000-11-27.
  2. ^ "Midway Ships an Arctic Thunder". IGN. September 18, 2001. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  3. ^ Matheson, Gavin (January 26, 2001). "Interview with Arctic Thunder designer". Gaming Age. Archived from the original on May 19, 2001. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Arctic Thunder critic reviews (PS2)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Arctic Thunder critic reviews (Xbox)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Thompson, Jon. "Arctic Thunder (ARC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  7. ^ Thompson, Jon. "Arctic Thunder (PS2) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on December 12, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  8. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Arctic Thunder (Xbox) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  9. ^ Johnston, Chris; Hsu, Dan "Shoe"; Sewart, Greg (November 2001). "Arctic Thunder (PS2)" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 148. Ziff Davis. p. 206. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  10. ^ Mowatt, Todd (October 17, 2001). "Arctic Thunder (PS2)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on June 22, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  11. ^ "Arctic Thunder (PS2)". Game Informer. No. 103. FuncoLand. November 2001. p. 110.
  12. ^ Fitzloff, Jay (December 2001). "Arctic Thunder (Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 104. FuncoLand. p. 109. Archived from the original on December 1, 2003. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  13. ^ Sanders, Shawn (October 23, 2001). "Arctic Thunder Review (PS2)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  14. ^ Sanders, Shawn (December 2001). "Arctic Thunder - Xbox Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 3, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  15. ^ Davis, Ryan (October 9, 2001). "Arctic Thunder Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on February 13, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Davis, Ryan (December 11, 2001). "Arctic Thunder Review (Xbox)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on December 14, 2001. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Schwartzman, Cary (September 28, 2001). "Arctic Thunder". PlanetPS2. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 2, 2002. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  18. ^ D'Aprile, Jason (January 2, 2002). "Arctic Thunder (Xbox)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 12, 2005. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  19. ^ Lafferty, Michael (December 17, 2001). "Arctic Thunder Review - Xbox". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 6, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  20. ^ Perry, Douglass C. (October 5, 2001). "Arctic Thunder (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  21. ^ Boulding, Aaron (December 3, 2001). "Arctic Thunder (Xbox)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Preston, Jim (December 2001). "Arctic Thunder (PS2)". NextGen. No. 84. Imagine Media. p. 100. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  23. ^ a b "Arctic Thunder (Xbox)". NextGen. No. 85. Imagine Media. January 2002. p. 31. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  24. ^ Kennedy, Sam (November 2001). "Arctic Thunder". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 50. Ziff Davis. p. 152. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  25. ^ "Arctic Thunder". Official Xbox Magazine. Imagine Media. March 2002. p. 79.
  26. ^ Rubenstein, Glenn (October 5, 2001). "'Arctic Thunder' (PS2) Review". Extended Play. TechTV. Archived from the original on October 7, 2001. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  27. ^ Tokyo Drifter (September 19, 2001). "Arctic Thunder Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  28. ^ EP staff (2002). "Blister Awards 2001 (Special Awards)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on July 13, 2003. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  29. ^ EP staff (2002). "Blister Awards 2001 (Special Awards 2)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on July 13, 2003. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
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