Derby Stallion Explained

Derby Stallion
Developer:ASCII (1991–1996)
ParityBit (1997–2014)
Land Ho! (2020)
Publisher:ASCII (1991–2000)
Nintendo (98)
Media Factory (64)
Enterbrain (2002–2008)
Kadokawa (Gold)
Game Addict (2020)
Creator:Hiroyuki Sonobe
Artist:Susumu Matsushita
Genre:Horse racing
Business simulation
First Release Version:Derby Stallion: Best Race
Latest Release Version:Derby Stallion

- also known in Japan by the portmanteau abbreviation - is a series of genre-merging horse-racing and business simulation games originally created by ASCII. The series sold 6 million copies in Japan by 1999.[1]

Gameplay

The ultimate goal of the player in the Derby Stallion games is to win the title of GI (Group I) Racer. To do this, the player must attempt to develop the greatest stock of horses that he can in order to have the greatest chance at each of the weekday and holiday races that compose the 1-year racing schedule of the fictitious "SRA" (an abbreviation of Sonobe Racing Association) group. Between races, the player engages in numerous business simulation, farm simulation, and role-playing activities.

Derby Stallion games have evolved as newer members of the series have been added, allowing players greater and greater control over every aspect of the horse-raising business. As such, the player must now race horses and place racing bets, manage the working of a stables and/or ranch, select different studs and broodmares for breeding, learn to break and train horses, and set up advantageous horse trades or sales, among other duties. Players must also make critical decisions about appropriate ages to race horses, breeds to pursue, and the timing of events to coincide with race dates. As the player improves the stock of his horses, his racing statistics, and his position in the world of the horse business, his Group Ranking increases until he reaches the goal of Group I at which point he has won the game. The games also allow the player to continue playing after the top goal has been met.

Derby Stallion games all feature a single-player mode, however much effort has been put into making the games as versatile as possible for multiplayer capabilities. Multiplayer functions allow players to trade or complete sales between themselves, to set up breeders' agreements, and to race against opponents. To accomplish this, various methods have been used to exchange data from the earliest password code exchange to online connectivity with PCs, Satellaview exchange (via 8MB memory packs and slotted application cartridge), and Randnet service.[2] Other methods of data exchange that have been developed include telephone satellite connections for players using DoCoMo phones.

Series

NameRelease dateSystems
December 21, 1991[3] Famicom
August 29, 1992[4] Famicom
May 28, 1993PC-9800
September 28, 1993DOS/V
February 18, 1994[5] Super Famicom
February 18, 1994FM Towns
September 30, 1994PC-9800
November 26, 1994Macintosh
January 20, 1995Super Famicom
March 15, 1996Super Famicom-Satellaview
July 17, 1997[6] PlayStation
September 1, 1998Super Famicom-Nintendo Power
March 25, 1999[7] Sega Saturn
September 30, 1999[8] PlayStation
May 26, 2000[9] Microsoft Windows
August 10, 2001[10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] Nintendo 64
December 6, 2002Game Boy Advance
April 22, 2004[16] PlayStation 2
Winter 2005DoCoMo
July 27, 2006[17] PSP
June 26, 2008[18] Nintendo DS
Cancelled [19] PlayStation 3
December 4, 2014Nintendo 3DS
December 3, 2020[20] Nintendo Switch

Reception

Derby Stallion: Best Race topped the Japanese Famitsu sales chart in June 1992.[21]

Derby Stallion III sold 1.2 million copies and Derby Stallion '96 sold 1.1 million copies.[22] According to Weekly Famitsu, the 1997 Derby Stallion for the PlayStation was Japan's third-best-selling game of 1997, with sales of 1.58 million units.[23] Derby Stallion '99 sold 1.1 million copies.[22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kirsten. Haukebo. Popular video game is based on racehorses. The Courier-Journal. 26. November 14, 1999. July 30, 2022. July 30, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220730143706/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106592747/the-courier-journal/. live.
  2. GDC: Miyamoto Unveils Camera Connection . IGN. 18 March 1999.
  3. Web site: Best Keiba Derby Stallion. GameSpot. 2020-08-06. 2019-03-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20190312031322/https://www.gamespot.com/best-keiba-derby-stallion/. live.
  4. Web site: Derby Stallion Zengokuban. GameSpot. 2020-08-06. 2019-03-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20190312113841/https://www.gamespot.com/derby-stallion-zengokuban/. live.
  5. Web site: AllGame - Game Over. www.allgame.com. 2019-11-23. 2010-01-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20100102122028/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=7501. dead.
  6. Web site: Chris. Johnston. Derby Stallion Tops a Million. https://web.archive.org/web/19990202050542/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_07/17_derby/index.html. GameSpot. February 2, 1999. July 17, 1997. July 30, 2022.
  7. Web site: Derby Stallion for SEGA Saturn (1999). MobyGames. 2019-11-23. 2021-04-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20210410073749/https://www.mobygames.com/game/sega-saturn/derby-stallion. live.
  8. Web site: Derby Stallion 99 - IGN. www.ign.com. 2019-11-23. 2024-01-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20240118045449/https://www.ign.com/games/derby-stallion-99. live.
  9. Web site: PC Games, Wikis, Cheats, Walkthroughs, News, Reviews & Videos - IGN. www.ign.com. 2019-11-23. 2021-01-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20210116171108/https://www.ign.com/pc. live.
  10. Web site: Derby Stallion 64 - IGN. www.ign.com. 2019-11-23. 2023-07-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20230716041542/https://www.ign.com/games/derby-stallion-64. live.
  11. Web site: Derby Stallion Lives - IGN . IGN Staff . August 25, 2000 . August 7, 2020 . September 15, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200915155258/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/08/26/derby-stallion-lives . live .
  12. News: Connecting to the Cube . IGN Staff . September 14, 2001 . August 7, 2020 . November 28, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201128163844/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/09/14/connecting-to-the-cube . live .
  13. Web site: Derby Stallion 64 Screenshots - IGN. 9 February 2001. www.ign.com. 7 August 2020. 18 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240118045435/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/02/09/derby-stallion-64-screenshots. live.
  14. Web site: Derby Stallion 64 Ships - IGN. 10 August 2001. www.ign.com. 7 August 2020. 18 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240118045450/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/10/derby-stallion-64-ships. live.
  15. News: Derby Stallion 64 (Import) . April 25, 2001 . IGN Staff . August 7, 2020 . November 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231103062036/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/04/25/derby-stallion-64-import . live .
  16. Web site: Derby Stallion 04 (Ps2: 2004): Reviews . . 2009-09-26 . 2008-09-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080923113634/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/derbystallion04 . dead.
  17. Web site: Derby Stallion - IGN. www.ign.com. 2019-11-23. 2024-01-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20240118045436/https://www.ign.com/games/derby-stallion. live.
  18. Web site: Derby Stallion DS - IGN. www.ign.com. 2019-11-23. 2024-01-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20240118045452/https://www.ign.com/games/derby-stallion-ds. live.
  19. Web site: TGS 2005: Japanese publishers announce next-gen titles. 2019-11-23. 2020-06-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20200603213336/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tgs-2005-japanese-publishers-announce-next-gen-titles/1100-6133195/. live.
  20. Web site: Derby Stallion launches December 3 in Japan. Gematsu. 5 October 2020. October 5, 2020. 5 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005074807/https://www.gematsu.com/2020/10/derby-stallion-launches-december-3-in-japan. live.
  21. Weekly Top 30 (6月19日) . . 3 July 1992 . 185 . 14–5 . ja.
  22. Web site: Japan Platinum Game Chart . The Magic Box . April 23, 2017 . August 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190801030711/http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml . dead.
  23. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20000301041540/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_02/05_japan/index.html . Japan's Top Ten of '97 . Ohbuchi, Yutaka . February 5, 1998 . . March 1, 2000 . dead.

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