Atari 2600

California Games

The graphics are some of the best ever for the 2600. Objects and backgrounds are multi-colored, finely detailed, and rendered in high resolution. I was especially impressed by the waves in the surfing event. Each event poses a completely unique challenge, and players choose sponsors to identify their character. California Games is a blast to play. Who would have thought they could have pulled this off on the 2600?

California Games, like Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES and Super Mario RPG for the SNES, pushes the capabilities of its hardware into previously unimaginable territory, proving a console is only as good as its best programmers.

The only problem that I have with this game is that you can't play one event by itself. I don't much care for half-pipe or surfing, but if I want to do the BMX race I have to play through them. This is okay when you are playing with a group who all like varied events, but when you are playing it alone, playing the events you aren't very good at isn't very fun. Overall, that's a small issue with an otherwise incredible game. Get this game, California Games!

California Games bietet zwar keine grafischen oder spielerischen Sensationen, aber immerhin vier erfrischende Sportarten. Wer Summer & Winter Games wird auch gerne California Games spielen. Zudem ist es technisch sehr sauber programmiert. Bei allen vier Disziplinen sind schnelle Reaktionen und viel Fingerspitzengefühl bei der Joystick-Steuerung gefragt.