California Games

The Good
California Games on the Master System was a gem. It was a game that was intended for multiplayer but was worth playing solo to sharpen your skills. What I like about Cal Games is the simple pick up and playability of it.

All the events on the game were very easy to control and as a result this meant that it was a very competitive game. In the SMS version there are 6 different events in which to partake: Half Pipe, Footbag, Surfing, Skating, BMX & Flying Disk (Frisbee). Each one was very different and very pleasing to play.

It had advantages over the Genesis/Mega Drive version in that it contained an extra event & was easier to control. The SMS version was more simplified and better off for it. It was no slower than its 16-Bit counterpart and looked very good.

Beating a pre-set high score gave you the chance to 'win' a prize. Golden surfboard, Bike or Footbag. Gaining one of these would make the respective events a lot more interesting as they would have better attributes. For example the Golden BMX could jump higher, allowing for a higher score to be attained.

That feature was really placed to enhance the solo mode. But the multiplayer didn't need them, as it was great fun with a few friends (as many as 9 could compete).

Altogether an accomplished title that still holds up today

The Bad
The surfing section could be a little boring, this was the only event that was better on the Genesis/Mega Drive version

The Bottom Line
If you are looking for a sports game that is a little different, this is it. Fun for one player or more.