Athens 2004 screenshots

The title screen follows the language selection screen, (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese are offered) and the 50Hz/60Hz selection screen

The main menu

The game configuration options are very basic just allowing the player to toggle sound and vibration

The player(s) select their region and then their country. Not all countries are available, for example there are just three in Oceania

This is the practice menu. Most events can be played as male or female but a handful of events are single gender only Jumping is a horseback show jumping event

When practicing an event the player starts with a screen like this which summarises the controls.

When practicing an event the player can optionally view a movie showing the controls in action. These are the show jumping controls

One of the games load screens There's a separate screen for each event and they feature the games official mascots Phevos and Athena.

Practicing the show jumping event. The stadium is empty for the practice events but there's quite a crowd for the real thing

Practicing the show jumping event. The horse has just refused and this triggers a decent little cut scene as the rider repositions to re-attempt the jump

The only weightlifting event is the +105kg Mens Clean & Jerk. For each stage of the lift the player mashes the buttons to get the power needed then hits L1 to progress

Archery is a women only event This is a practice session. The left stick is used to keep the sight, which wanders around the screen, on the target

Skeet shooting is a men only event. The player can practice at any of the six stations.

This screen comes from the optional video of the women's floor exercise practice session and shows the controls

Practicing the women's floor exercise. Unlike other events the player does not control the athlete. This is like a dance-mat game where arrow keys must be pressed at the right time

From the practice session of the women's swimming event. The video tutorial actually shows men. The player mashes buttons to maintain speed and presses L1 to breathe

Practicing the long jump The player button mashes to build up speed then presses L1 when the athlete reaches the white spot on the track to make the jump

Practice is over, time to enter the main competition. These are the events that make up the computer Olympics. The decathlon is male only and the heptathlon is female only

Competing in the games at archery which is a women only event As it's a competition the game provides the opponents

Competing in the games at archery. Now the stadium is packed whereas it was almost empty for the practice sessions

Competing in the games at archery After a good start the AI opponent beat us

Competing in the games at archery. After a good start the AI opponent beat us. The game then goes on to complete the table and award the medals

Competing in the games at men's 400m The game has made this a night time event and does the usual TV thing of filming all the athletes on the starting line

Competing in the games at men's 400m In competition mode the player does see any advice screens but it is still available via the pause menu

Competing in the games at men's 400m A good start and we're third as we hit the first bend

Competing in the games at men's 400m After the race the athletes wind down looking at the scoreboard and waiting for the results. There's even a race replay

The player can compete for individual medals or they can compete in events such as this athletic event which is spread over two days

Athens 2004

PlayStation 2 screenshots