Olympic Gold review - Sega Master System
The Olympics. Ahhh! It conjures up some priceless memories - David Coleman getting so excited he's in danger of suffering a cardiac arrest, setting the alarm clock for three o'clock in the morning in order to watch events taking place on the other side of the world, the opening and closing ceremonies and the Olympic endorsements on everything from running spikes to tea bags.
US Gold have snapped up the much sought after gaming endorsement and aim to capture the spirit of the games with Olympic Gold. There are seven events to compete in which sum up the whole athletics experience. Sprinting opens the games, and like the hurdles and swimming it's tailor made for neurotics! To test skill as well as nerve there is the pole vault, the hammer, diving and swimming.
Developing a perfect technique reaps obvious rewards. As well as the obligatory gold medal, there is a point system done in much the same fashion as the decathlon. Good form in all events is therefore important. There is also the chance to compete at club, national or even Olympic level, when there is a need for stronger opponents. But the challenge doesn't stop there. As well as gold medals to win, there are Olympic and world records to break. It's enough to send Dave into intensive care!
What the Mean Machines staff thought
 |
|
Although I was expecting a very similar game to the Megadrive version, I was nevertheless surprised at just how much the same it is. About the only difference is that in the sprint, the hurdles and swimming, three compete rather than six. It's much to the Master System's credit that it has managed to retain all of the options as well, including the very handy teach facility. The graphics are impressive as well, with good animation in all of the events. Because of the similarity though, Master System Olympic Gold also inherits the Megadrive's problems. Some of the moves are fidgety because of the awkward control sequences, and this makes the game frustrating at times. Another thing I was disappointed with was the lack of originality, many of the events have been seen before in the likes of Summer Games. Despite my grumbles though I enjoyed playing Olympic Gold. It has quite an addictive quality, especially in events like diving, archery and the hammer, and the desire to break world records kept me plugging away for some time. It's true that Olympic Gold has been released on a wave of Olympic hype, but for sports fans and fanatics it's a wave worth riding.
|
 |
Have your say about this review
No comments yet... why not be the first?
