Summer Games

Title           Summer Games
Publisher       Epyx (US Gold MegaSports compilation bu US Gold)
Game Type       Sport
Players         1-8
Compatibility   Not AGA
HD Installable  No
Submission      Seppo Typpö (groucho@pp.inet.fi) Profiled Reviewer

Review
In the early 8-bit computer days Epyx Software was the king of sport sims.
Where other companies took a more arcade approach to the genre, Epyx
produced sport games which needed more joystick dexterity than brutal
waggling power.

The most famous Epyx games where the 'Games' series which also made it to
the Amiga. These had a multidude of Olympic sports events, excellent
practice sessions, one player and multi-player options and jazzy victory
animations. Each event was cleverly designed, requiring exact timing and
joystick movement for succesful execution. The humorous touches and
animations are liberally sprinkled around the game, spicing up the
otherwise dry and serious gameplay.

Summer Games had eight events: pole vaulting, diving, 100 metre dash and
the 4x400 metre relay, freestyle relay, gymnastics and skeet shooting.
Each event provides a different challenge which means it is hard to master
them all.

The graphics and sound of the Amiga version follows closely the 8-bit
originals which means the games looks and sounds somewhat simple when
compared to today's standards. Still, the 16-colour graphics are clearly
drawn and the events are animated in a decent way. What's more important
is the gameplay - even today's 3D boosted athletic sport sim wonders have
not quite managed to surpass it.

There's something eternally gratifying in playing these Epyx classics.
Invite a couple of friends to your home, reserve all sorts of food and
drink near the computer, and immerse yourselves into an entertaining
multiplayer "Olympic Games afternoon". They just don't do sports games
like these any more (which really is a BIG shame).

Alphabetical list.