Phoenix Games B.V. was a Dutch video game publisher founded by Willie Horden, Paul Share and Steve Share in 2002. The studio billed itself as a "Super Budget Publisher" whose games were developed by small, independent studios under a strict budget and timeframe. Their games—especially those for the PlayStation 2—earned them notoriety in gaming circles due to their poor quality, though they are also sought after by video game collectors.
The studio declared bankruptcy on August 3, 2010. On March 27, 2012, the company was dissolved due to a lack of assets.
History Phoenix Games B.V. was founded by Willie Horden in 2002, with a goal of selling up to 4 to 5 million games per year. Instead of relying on traditional games distribution channels, Phoenix's games were sold at newsagents and convenience stores at £6.99 to £12.99 per game depending on the platform. Phoenix published one of the last PlayStation games—a shooter game compilation entitled Shoot—in 2005. Localizations for specific countries was done externally by Partnertrans.
On 4 November 2002 they announced their partnership with Japanese company Altron, and Italian developer NAPS team. In December 2002 Phoenix announced that they had acquired the publishing rights to Dragon's Lair, Space Ace, Who Shot Johnny Rock? and Mad Dog McCree from Digital Leisure in Canada. In February 2003 they announced that their games will distributed by Just in the UK, Joag in Italy, SGDiffusion in France and N-Tec in Hungary. The company also put up booths at E3 2004 and 2005 to display their games.
In 2003 Phoenix announced that they partnered with an unnamed UK-based developer for "a range of super-budget titles" for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, sold for £9.99. Phoenix Games UK CEO Paul Share stated that they no longer found it necessary to licence and localise games from Japanese developers, instead relying on British development studios to produce games for the company.
In 2013, the German Videospielarchiv held an art exhibition named "Coverstrophen" at that year's GamesCom, where they showed cover arts for many of their PlayStation 2 games.
Reception Despite having limited coverage in mainstream gaming publications, the company earned a negative reputation for the exceptionally poor quality of their games, which have generally been regarded as "bargain bin" shovelware comparable to budget-priced titles from System 3 Software under the Play It label. Their interactive activity centre games based on adaptations of fairy tales and mockbusters of popular cartoons by the German animation studio Dingo Pictures were widely lampooned on YouTube and spawned various internet memes.
The European localization of Touge 3—developed by Cave and Atlus and released by Phoenix as Road Rage 3—was somewhat better received, though it was also criticized by gaming publications such as the Official PlayStation Magazine for its subpar gameplay and graphics. The same is true for the PlayStation 1 port of Sonic Wings Special. Dalmatians 2 appeared as one of the most sold budget PlayStation 1 games in the first half of March 2004.
List of games
With Dingo Pictures ...noch mehr Dalmatiner as Dalmatians 2, 3, 4 (PS1, PS2, Wii, DS) Das unglaubliche Fussballspiel der Tiere as Animalfootball (PS1), Animal Soccer World (PS2) Atlantis as: Atlantis (PS1), Imperium von Atlantis (PS2) Toys as: Toys (PS1), Kids Playground (PS1), The Toys Room (PS2) Abenteuer Im Land der Dinosaurier as Dinosaurier (PS1), Dinosaur Adventure (PS2) Ein Fall für die Mäusepolizei as Detective Mouse (PS1), The Mouse Police (PS2) Herkules as Herkules (PS1) Winkie der kleine Bär as Winky the Little Bear (PS1) Der König der Tiere: Das Große Abenteuer as: Son of the Lion King (PS2), Lion and the King 2 (PS1) Lion and the King 3 (DS)
Other activity center games Peter Pan (PS2) / Peter Pans Playground (Wii, DS) Snow White and the 7 Clever Boys (PS2) / Princess Snow White (Wii) Cinderella (Wii, PS2) / Cinderellas Fairy Tale (Wii) Pinocchio (PS2) / Adventures of Pinocchio (Wii, DS) Mulan (PS2)
Sony PlayStation +GameDeveloperReleaseNotes5 Star RacingKung Fu GamesNovember 15, 2003All Star ActionMere Mortals2003All Star WatersportsTheyerGFXMarch 14, 2003BaldiesCreative Edge SoftwareAugust 8, 2003Ballerburg: Castle ChaosAscaron EntertainmentJanuary 4, 2003Block BusterMarvelousAugust 8, 2003ButtsubushiSelenAugust 13, 2004Checkmate 2Mere Mortals2003Cindy’s Caribbean HolidayIvolgamusJanuary 2003Cindy’s Fashion WorldIvolgamusJanuary 2003Destructo 2Axes Art AmuseJune 10, 2003Flying SquadronNAPS team2003Football MadnessNAPS teamMarch 28, 2003Hot ShotNAPS teamJune 27, 2003Jet AceNAPS teamNovember 15, 2004King of Bowling 3DigiCubeJune 27, 2003Omega AssaultNAPS teamAugust 19, 2004Paradise CasinoDigiCube2003Pro BackgammonMere Mortals2003Robin Hood: The SiegeIvolgamusMarch 2, 2004Robopit 2Mere Mortals2003RoxMere Mortals2003Rhythm BeatIvolgamus UAB2004SHOOTNAPS team2005Silent IronNAPS team2004Space RiderNAPS teamAugust 9, 2004Sonic Wings SpecialVideo SystemAugust 12, 2004Superbike MastersKung Fu Ltd.June 10, 2004Trickshot 7 GamesSelenMarch 14, 2003Truck RallyKung Fu Ltd.August 9, 2004WantedNAPS team2004
Sony PlayStation 2 +GameDeveloperReleaseNotes¡Qué pasa Neng! El videojuegoMere MortalsDecember 11, 2006Spain-exclusive release; published together with Atari Ibérica21 Card GamesMere MortalsJuly 28, 2006Air Raid 3Mere Mortals2004American Pool II2007Arcade Action: 30 GamesMere Mortals / SG Diffusion November 19, 2004Arcade USAMere MortalsApril 21, 2006Board Games GalleryMere MortalsMarch 25,2005Cartoon KingdomThe Code Monkeys2007Carwash TycoonAqua PacificSeptember 29, 2006Caveman RockPhoenix Games2007Chemist TycoonAqua PacificSeptember 29, 2006Clumsy ShumsyIvolgamus UABOctober 27, 2006Has Eye Toy SupportCool ShotDigiCubeJanuary 23, 2003Combar AceMere MortalsOctober 13, 2006Crabby AdventureCyberPlanet InteractiveDecember 1, 2007Crazy GolfFebruary 25, 2005also on PC, Published together with Empire InteractiveD-Unit Drift RacingMere MortalsOctober 13, 2006Dead Eye JimNa.p.s. Team s.n.c.January 12, 2007Doomsday RacersMere MortalsJuly 15, 2005Downhill SlalomMere MortalsOctober 6, 2006Drag Racer USAMere MortalsOctober 27, 2006Dynamite 100 (100 in 1 Game)Mere Mortals2006European Tennis ProMagical Company2004Extreme Sprint 3010Mere Mortals2007Finkles WorldCyberPlanet Interactive2005FruitfallMere Mortals2007Furry TalesMad MonkeyOctober 22, 2004G-ForceMere MortalsOctober 6, 2006Game Galaxy 2Phoenix Games2006Gecko BlasterPhoenix GamesDecember 1, 2007Girl ZoneMere Mortals2005Go Kart RallyPhoenix GamesApril 20, 2007Guerilla StrikeMere Mortals2006Habitrail Hamster BallData Design Interactive2005Hamster HeroesData Design Interactive2005Hansel & GretelAqua Pacific Ltd.November 24, 2006HomerunMagical Company Ltd.2004Japan: Magical Sports 2001 Pro YakyūHoppieCyberPlanet Interactive.2006Iron ChefCyberPlanet Interactive.December 1, 2007JelloCyberPlanet Interactive.2006K.O. KingPhoenix GamesNovember 03, 2006Kiddies Party PackThe Code Monkeys2006Kidz Sports BasketballData Design Interactive31 August 2004Kidz Sports Ice HockeyData Design InteractiveEU: 14 March 2008 AU: 15 May 2008Kidz Sports International FootballData Design Interactive30 May 2008 or July 28, 2006known as City Soccer ChallengeLondon Cab ChallengeMere MortalsJuly 28, 2006MamboCyberPlanet Interactive.2007Maniac MoleMere MortalsJuly 28, 2006Marble ChaosPhoenix GamesAugust 10, 2007Monster EggsCyberPlanet Interactive.April 20, 2007Monster Trux ExtremeData Design Interactive2005MOTO X MANIACPhoenix GamesMarch 9, 2007Myth Makers: Orbs of DoomData Design Interactive2007Myth Makers: Super Kart GPData Design Interactive2007Ocean CommanderCyberPlanet Interactive2007ObliterateMere MortalsApril 21, 2006Offroad ExtremeData Design Interactive2007Power VolleyballPhoenix GamesJanuary 26, 2007Pro Biker 2Phoenix Games2007Puzzle Party: 10 GamesMere MortalsJuly 28, 2006RC Toy MachinesMere MortalsNovember 5, 2004RetroAqua Pacific2006Road Rage 3AtlusJP: 2001 EU: 2003 AU: 2004Japan: Toge 3Robin Hood: The Siege 2Mere MortalsOctober 6, 2006Roller Coaster FunfarePhoenix GamesOctober 12, 2007Saint & SinnerCyberPlanet InteractiveJanuary 2, 2006Search & DestroyMere MortalsJune 2006Shadow of GanymedeMere MortalsJune 24, 2005Skateboard Madness Xtreme EditionPhoenix GamesApril 20, 2007Sniper AssaultNa.p.s. Team s.n.c.April 20, 2007Snooker 147JHC SoftWare2006also on PC, Published together with Empire InteractiveSnow RiderTuna TechnologiesOctober 6, 2006Space RebellionMere MortalsDecember 18, 2006Speedboat GPMere Mortals2006Speed Machines IIIMere Mortals2006Sequel to Speed Mashines (Publ. by Midas Interactive)Steam ExpressCyberPlanet InteractiveDecember 1, 2007Street WarriorPhoenix GamesJanuary 12, 2007Swat SiegeNa.p.s. Team s.n.c.November 24, 2006Superbike GPMere Mortals2006Transworld SkateboarderJanuary 26, 2007Turbo TrucksMere Mortals2006Urban ConstructorUxus GamesSeptember 30, 2005Vegas Casino 2Mere MortalsMarch 25, 2005Wacky Zoo GPPhoenix Games2007White Van RacerTuna TechnologiesFebruary 4, 2007WWC: World Wrestling ChampionshipPhoenix Games2006X-treme QuadsMere Mortals / Tuna TechnologiesMarch 4, 2005also on PCXtreme SpeedMere MortalsOctober 8, 2004
PC +GameDeveloperReleaseNotesBallerburgCasino 59Classic 17CoronaCrazy GolfDark AngælDoomsday Racers2006Drone OdysseyGo Cart RacerGo Kart Simulator Championship 20102010LKW Simulator 20102010Motorcross Simulator Championship 20102010Rhythm BeatSpace RebellionSport 9Stable Masters 2Trickshot 7 „Games“
Nintendo DS +GameDeveloperReleaseNotes12 (12 Games)NorthPole StudioDecember 1, 2008Coral SaviorIron Chef IIJungle GangLove HeartMonster Eggs 2Polar RampageCyberPlanet Interactive2009Rat-a-boxValentines DayNorthPole StudioAugust 28, 2008Veggy WorldJack of All GamesWar of Heaven
Nintendo Wii +GameDeveloperReleaseNotesCaveman Rock 2Hoppie 220. February 2009Iron Chef 2Monster Egg 220. February 2009Ocean Commander 2CancelledSaint & Sinner 2
PSP (unreleased)
Peter Pan Board Game Gallery (announced 2004) King of Pool Card Shark 3 Vegas Casino 2
Other Twin Space Ace by Don Bluth (DVD) Who Shot Johnny Rock? (DVD)
See also Phoenix Games, an unrelated board game publisher from 1978 to 1981. List of video games notable for negative reception
External links Official website (archived) Game list as of November 2008 (archived)
References