Video Olimpic

Sinclair User

Overall 4/5

John Gilbert 4/5

Label: Mastertronic Author: in house Price: £1.99 Joystick: various Memory: 48K/128K Reviewer: John Gilbert When Video Olympics came in for review, I groaned out loud. Here we go I thought, another visit to the electronic doctor will be required after looking through this game. I wasn't disappointed, because the final tally was two joysticks and one very pulled muscle in my forearm coupled with tennis wrist! if by this casualty list you have gathered that this is another stick wiggling, keyboard bashing, go-as-fast-as-you-can-before-times-runs-out, Olympics game, you have gathered right. This is a great Mastertronic cheapie, very similar to the old Ocean/Artic, one player, decathalon games of a couple of years back and gives you six events to compete in starting with (groan) the 100 metres dash, then on to a not so tiring long jump and javelin, followed by (groan, groan) 100 metres hurdles, hammer throwing and (gasp) swimming; all worked by simply how fast you can wiggle your joystick. There is of course a gulf of difference between say the frills of Epyx's Summer Games series and Video Olympics', so don't expect arcade quality graphics but, nevertheless, the look of the game is quite reasonable and the whole thing is immensely playable although, a word of warning, you have to qualify through each event before being allowed to progress to the next. The only sound I could find was at the beginning of the game where a simple rendition of Chariots of Fire is played before the first race. But in all honesty it's not sound effects or fabulous graphics that give this game its appeal, it is simply that old adage that you always try to do better than last time. I think Video Olympics has a lot going for it, it's unfussy, comical and most of all maddeningly frustrating for a small outlay. Just how much it's going to cost you in repairs is another matter though!

Your Sinclair

Graphics 3/10

Playability 2/10

Value For Money 3/10

Addictiveness 2/10

Overall 3/10

Tommy Nash 3/10

Mastertronic £1.99 Reviewer: Tommy Nash For all those of you missing out on your Daley dose, Mastertronic has come up with the cheapie version of his Decathlon - with a cut-down six events to match the cut price. For your two quid you get running, hurdles, long jump, hammer, javelin and swimming. Though I'm taking that lot on trust. The shame of it is, I didn't manage to get through the 100m dash. Now it could've been me and it could've been my joystick (I'm not above blaming my tools), but in this case I reckon it was the game. It's just pitched too hard too quickly. Sure, if you've had years of practice with Daley and your wrists are now like strengthened steel you may not have as much trouble. But in that case you'd be better off having another bash at the games you've already got or earning a useful living as a weightlifter. There's not enough new in the way of graphics or gameplay to interest you. If you've never had a good joystick waggle before, then it might be worth putting your while putting this through it paces. But you'd better take out the insurance policy on your joystick - and your wrists!