The Virtual Nightclub (found PC/Mac adventure game; 1997)
Cover art for the obscure 1997 video game "The Virtual Nightclub"
Status: Found
Date found: 09 June 2016
Found by: Gamecare (Mark D.)
The Virtual Nightclub is an obscure point-and-click video game from 1997, which development has been started from 1993 until 1997, when the company Thumb Candy brought back the rights to this game. It was originally developed by Prospect Project and published by Philips Interactive Media and Thumb Candy. The game features a concept on a virtual reality nightclub, which was revolutionary for its time. The game is almost similar to Burn:Cycle, except it relies on a modern and futuristic nightclub and the main plot of this game is that you have to collect 16 S-warps (time warps in the beta version) in order to escape by playing mini-games, plus you only have 6 hours to complete the game. This game well known to promote British youth culture.
Until 2015 and 2016, very little known information of the game is available, due to the fact that the game only sold in limited copies, both in the United Kingdom and outside the United Kingdom via The Sci Fi Channel and their website. It is unclear if Prospect Project is defunct or still alive.
Version differences
Beta version
A beta version was leaked via 4shared, the packaging was boxed and it has notable bugs and glitches. The version is dated "Friday, May 24, 1996", one year before the game was released. The beta version release only sold very limited copies. This is the only version to have the Philips Interactive Media logo in the beginning rather than the Thumb Candy logo that is shown in the final version.
The beta version was almost unplayable, due to its missing files and script-related errors to Macromedia Director. Plus, the story isn't completed yet.
Final version
In June 03, 2016, a final build of a game was uploaded to 4shared. One notable differences in the final version is the packaging (which is now in a jewel case) and includes the same storyline, but heavily improved and the Philips Interactive Media logo was replaced by the Thumb Candy logo, as well as a bunch of improvements over the beta version.