Take that sieve off your head and say that!
Which way to the Grand National?
Just in time for the Olympics, Epyx have appropriately released Gold, Silver, Bronze, a compilation of the previously released Winter Games (93%, Issue 28), and new to the Spectrum, Summer Games and Summer Games II. This massive, comprehensive sporting package covers a total of 23 events, ranging from the rigours of pole-vaulting to the gracefulness of figure skating.
In Summer Games and Summer Games II, up to eight players can compete in eight events. Each can choose to represent any of 18 countries in the chase for gold medals.
After the obligatory opening ceremony, competitors timber up for that strenuous event, the pole vault. Choose between three types of grip on the fibre glass pole, and your little man strides automatically toward the bar. Split-second timing is needed to plant the pole in the box and flip over the bar while releasing the pole. These three different requirements make for a very difficult (and therefore realistic) event. A similar technique involving timing is used for the high jump on Summer Games II.
Running events include the joystick-waggling 100m dash and the more strategic 4 x 400 metres relay - no waggling here (a good job too, as my arm's just dropped off!), just control the speed of the runner.
Complex aerial movements and somersaults are involved in diving and vaulting. Both are controlled in a similar manner. The various joystick directions are used to control the speed of rotation as the athlete flies through the air. And careful timing insures you plunge headfirst into the water, or land on your feet.
Back down at the pool, it's time for some aquatic exertion in the two swimming events. These both involve pressing fire as the swimmer's arm enters the water to provide power, while pressing left to do one of those 'show off' underwater turns to turn round - well he wouldn't want to smash his head at the end of the pool!
The 100m freestyle has the competitor swimming two lengths of the olympic sized pool, while the relay basically involves the same thing but four times over.
A less energetic sport is that of skeet shooting - 'that's more my scene', says Nick as he puts his feet up while munching a 9-inch pizza with extra topping!
However, more exhausting events are contained in Summer Games II, including both rowing and kayaking, plus the unusual equestrian event, where you ride a horse, jumping over the fences.
Other excitements in this mammoth compilation are the triple jump, javelin, cycling - with a weird control method of rotating the joystick (if it wasn't mangled by the previous events!) - and fencing (not the wooden kind, Mark!), where the two opponents face each other on the piste (not down the pub, Dom!).
If this wasn't enough to wear you out, there are the seven icy events in Winter Games ie, both figure, speed and free skating, ski jumping, hot-dogging (without tomato ketchup), biathlon and bobsled.
Phew! It wears me out even describing all this exercise - I'm more a snooker and darts fan! Seriously though, Gold, Silver, Bronze has an unbelievably large number of events to keep armchair sports buffs happy, contained in a suitably massive box. If this isn't value for money, I don't know what is. Worth its weight in gold.
PHIL ... 92%
Producer: Epyx
Gold Sovereigns: £14.99 cass £19.99 disk
Author: Summer Games I: Randy Glover, Stephen Landrum, John Leupp, Brian McGhie, Stephen Mudry, Erin Murphy and Scott Nelson.
Summer Games II: Larry Clague, Jon Leupp, Scott Nelson, Kevin Norman, Chuck Somerville, graphics by Michael Kosaka.
Winter Games Sentient Software
