International Sports Challenge

Overall International Sports Challenge is a very polished product indeed. The 3D bits add a new dimension to the genre, plus the fact that you have the marathon running all the way through the game – another idea that works well. I can’t really compare it to any of the other recent sports games, simply because I haven’t seen any of them. The graphics are good and the sound is fairly average, but the playability is excellent. I think you will probably come back to this one even after all this Olympic business has died down. I liked it, but it does not last too long which is probably its only major fault, mainly because there aren’t enough events. Also, £30 is a bit expensive, but if you’re feeling in a particularly sporty mood then I would recommend that you buy this.

The lack of events is partially compensated for by the game’s flexibility, with several variations in each event upping lastability and game time. Empire reckon there are 2000 event variations to try out, and while I doubt you would want to try out every single combination, International Sports Challenge offers a decent amount of fun for yer money, for a team of players at least. I have got my doubts about its value as a single player game though, and the water events really are tedious. But at least it tries to be a little different, and anyway, I am a sucker for multiplayer games.

For the most part the game seems to be just the same old stuff we've been seeing for years. The 3D events are quite innovative, but even the cycling event is just an old-fashioned joystick-waggling affair (which is pretty much an outdated idea when you come down to it). The diving can be annoying at times too, with the control method becoming ridiculously hard to execute, making the going extremely frustrating. As for the marathon, all you have to do is push up the effort to make the pace around two hours and keep taking water at the refreshment stands. Sure you could get a slightly better time by using some of the other functions, but there is no immediate effect on the game as you are playing it, which makes it all seem a bit dull. Although Empire have tried to take a different view of the genre, International Sports Challenge still doesn't take the field of sports simulations any further than the original Epyx games all those years ago.

International Sports Challenge is a very poor affair. The graphics for the human sprites and the 3D sections are nothing special. Gameplay is especially limited and, although there are a good variety of events, they're all very samey. As a result, you're best advised to wait for the next sweaty sim to come along.

International Sports Challenge is actually three completely new ideas combined with older, but still current concepts to form one game. Fans of Sports simulations will be pleasantly surprised.

Leider werden die Mühen kaum belohnt: Es gibt weder Eröffnungsfeier noch Schlußzeremonie, die Grafik ist trotz netter Zwischenbildchen nicht gerade aufregend, Musik und Soundeffekte sind nur spärlich verteilt, dafür wird recht häufig nachgeladen. Alles in allem eine brauchbare Digi-Olympiade, aber die mittlerweile drei Jahre alte "Summer Edition" gefällt nach wie vor besser.