Sydney 2000

Moby ID: 2213
Windows Specs
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Description official descriptions

The official video game of the Games of the XXVII Olympiad held in 2000 in Sydney. It includes 32 nations, going for gold in 12 events divided by 6 sports: Athletics (100m dash, 110m hurdles, hammer and javelin throw, triple jump and high jump), Aquatics (200m freestyle and 10m platform diving), Kayak K1 Slalom, Super Heavyweight Weight Lifting, Skeet Shooting and Three-man track cycling pursuit. All events feature 3D graphics with cameras that mimic the ones used in TV broadcasts.

Gameplay is the usual found in games of the genre - button mashing the two power buttons is required in most events to build up strength/speed, with an additional third button setting the actions, such as jumping or throwing angle. Other events feature alternate control methods, such as Slalom (where it's possible to press certain buttons to dodge the rower between the gates if the Kayak is going to hit one or place the paddle to force into a certain direction), Diving (following a "click-along" sequence of keys) and Skeet (the direction keys controlling the aim, one button to start and other to shoot).

Along an arcade and 8-player action, the Olympic mode gives the player the option to build their athlete from the national open trials to the Olympics. By completing training drills in the Cyber Gym, the athlete increases his athletic abilities: Citius, Altius, Fortius, as told by the Olympic Motto. Before joining the competition, the player must beat national, continental and international opponents.

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Critics

Average score: 59% (based on 33 ratings)

Players

Average score: 2.9 out of 5 (based on 23 ratings with 1 reviews)

'till your fingers bleed

The Good
I've complained before about "Olympic" games that do little more than offer a bunch of athletics events with a couple of other events thrown in to make some number. Well, not here, with 12 events ranging from Athletics, Swimming, Diving, Kayak, Skeet Shooting, Weight Lifting to Track Cycling, which, while lacking archery (a staple on all games in the genre) make a good job of portraying the Olympics.

Graphically, that depends on what the player expects. Instead of offering realistic graphics, characters are designed a bit like cartoons with more effort put on models than in texturing, with some nice details such as the weight lifter huffing and puffing as he performs. As most models have very simple and limited textures, they sometimes look odd, but under some angles, what seems to be a lazy job on the graphic department shines. Muscles are well designed, and some of them even have the cephalic vein popping up, a physical trait shared by most athletes.

Then, there's the great Olympic mode. Start with each athlete in the rock bottom, and it's up to the player to start rocking those buttons and watch his stats climb. How? Each event has a series of minigames (the "CyberGym") involving actual training drills regarding the events, actually serving a double function: both increase the stats of the athlete and train the player. Ever heard an athlete saying that training is harder than the race? You'll learn they're right after a few training sessions. After completing (to the best of your capabilities) each training rounds, there's a competition to be beaten, and the trained skills added permanently. Before being able to join the Olympics there are three levels to clear, the fourth tier being only for those wanting the perfect athlete.

The Bad
And allright, the Olympic mode is great... but there's a limit. Doing it once is great fun, but then the novelty ends, leaving "levelling up" nothing else but a chore (RPG fans - you might like it!). Considering the game doesn't even store personal bests (OH, PLEASE! IT'S A PC GAME, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!), unless you don't mind having a record sheet in the disc case, the drive to repeat the qualifying stages to shave a couple more milliseconds isn't there.

A major problem are the number of bugs. There's nothing more frustrating than making a decent hammer throw (one of the toughest events), and have the game booting back to the desktop when it fails to do something. Usually throw a commentary line, which are very passable, to add to injury. So you lose a good throw to listen something that does add the very least to the enjoyment.

The Bottom Line
While, as far as official games went this one is by far the best looking, I can't bring myself to recommend it. The reason is simple - it lacks a simple, with predefined attributes or just all-equal Olympic mode to be unlocked once the player completed the four part mode. Really. Considering I have a thing for these games, and even still I've started more competitions in Winter Olympics just goes to show how tiresome the whole process can be. And my PC gamepad is holding together for almost eight years, I'd rather to keep it this way for a few more time, thank you very much. Even considering I need a new one, and this one breaking would be the perfect excuse.

Well, enough ranting about the long Olympic mode. The game won a BAFTA award, and it shows why. It's perfectly executed, and the best option (still haven't seen Athens 2004, so hold my word on this) for Summer Olympics in a long time (hmm... Summer Challenge, maybe?). 12 events, each perfectly balanced offer a varied experience, so it isn't just a matter of mashing away all the buttons in all events. Want one with timing? Platform diving. Skill? Kayak. Mashing with some tactics? Cycling.Shoot stuff? Skeet. There you go, a lot to choose from.

Just don't try if your fingers can't put up with the pain. Or if you love your gamepad too much to harm it.

Windows · by Luis Silva (13444) · 2006

Trivia

In the German gaming magazine PC Player (issue 01/2001) Sydney 2000 received a special award as "Worst Game in 2000".

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kartanym.

Dreamcast, PlayStation added by Grant McLellan.

Additional contributors: Patrick Bregger.

Game added August 23, 2000. Last modified October 22, 2023.