[{"TitleName":"The Games - Summer Edition","Publisher":"U.S. Gold Ltd","Author":"Alick Morrall, Clive Paul, Dawn Drake, Flora Stoneman, Mark Kirkby, Robert Moneagle","YearOfRelease":"1989","ZxDbId":"0001968","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 64, May 1989","Price":"£1.25","ReleaseDate":"1989-04-27","Editor":"Stuart Wynne","TotalPages":92,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Stuart Wynne\r\nAssistant Editor: Phil King\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Lloyd Mangram, Nick Roberts\r\nContributors: Ian Cull, Mike 'Skippy' Dunn, Paul Evans, Robin Hogg, Ian Lacey\r\nEditorial Assistants: Caroline Blake, Vivienne Vickress\r\nEditorial Consultant: Dominic Handy\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nSenior Designer/Illustrator: Wayne Allen\r\nDesigners: Melvin Fisher, Yvonne Priest\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nProduction: Robert Hamilton, Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris, Jenny Reddard\r\n\r\nEditorial Director: Oliver Frey\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nAdvertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nSales Executives: Sarah Chapman, Lee Watkins\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\nGroup Productions Executive: Richard Eddy\r\n\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nTypeset by The Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group. Distribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of CRASH. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop the Sticky Solutions Department a line at the [redacted] address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for either Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions. No material may be reproduced whole or in part without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into CRASH including written and photographic material, software and hardware - unless it is accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©CRASH Ltd, 1989\r\n\r\nISSN 0954-8661\r\n\r\nCover Design & Illustration by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Epyx\r\nSentient Software\r\n£8.99/£12.99\r\n\r\nDrink up your ginseng tea and prepare yourself for eight gruelling events. Summertime is here again, so get your swimming cossie on and dive off that there bendy plank. Do a few turns and twists in the air (by jiggling the joystick) and enter the water, straight as a nail. Cor, the judges go crazy: tens all round - eat your heart out, Greg Louganis!\r\n\r\nNo sooner than you've dried off and you're on bike, ready to hurtle round a 3-D, banked track. There are four laps, but the time is only taken for the last one. You can go as slow as possible to get behind the other rider (either the computer or another player) so you can slipstream him to save energy.\r\n\r\nBack in the gym, the uneven bars await while you change sex! Donning a leotard, you do loadsa tricks as you swing from either bar. But the judges are strict - any 'uncharacteristic moves' (like a double bottom bounce!) lose you marks. Changing back to a man, you can then test your strength on the rings. Much joystick waggling is needed to hold torturous positions.\r\n\r\nBack outside, more joystick waggling is required to throw the hammer. Round and round you go, building up speed until you chuck the hammer up the field. But things can go wrong: apart from falling over, you can get wound up in the hammer wire! Hurdling is only slightly safer - you can easily fall flat on your face and be disqualified. And if you're not completely knackered, you can now attempt the pole vault. It's just as well there's a relaxing event to finish: archery.\r\n\r\nI just love these multi-event sports sims - they're definitely what Epyx do best, and The Games - Summer Edition is no exception. All the events are well-presented with colourful backgrounds and excellent animation of the large sprites. Gameplay is equally good, especially when you gather a few friends around (up to eight people can play). And it's not all mindless joystick waggling either - the events require skill as well as stamina. Great stuff.\r\n\r\nPHIL 90%","ReviewerComments":["The Games - Summer Edition doesn't have any event that hasn't been seen before but the ways they're implemented are original. The graphics vary from event to event with the most detailed and colourful in the hammer throwing and archery. Sound again is not up to much - the tunes sound as if they have been well and truly BEEPed! Nevertheless this has to be the best Epyx sports sim yet and is well worth checking out.\r\nNick Roberts\r\n86%","The Games Summer Edition is a really enjoyable sports simulation. Unlike the old days of wibble till that stick dies', we've now got a more strategic approach, and the balance between careful timing and all out stick shakin' is what makes it such good fun to play. The graphics are very good: the gymnastic sports have absolutely brilliant animation, and the graphical standard is generally high throughout. The possibilities for addictiveness are huge - two (plus) player games are excellent, and saving world records (on disk) gives an incentive to keep playing. Unfortunately, the various national anthems are a bit of an aural pain, but Epyx deserve considerable credit for getting them all in in a recognisable form! Overall, a really pleasurable game, well worth the asking price - though much better on disk, without the muttiload hassle.\r\nMike Dunn\r\n88%"],"OverallSummary":"Nice graphics, great gameplay - another excellent Epyx sports sim, best played with friends.","Page":"11","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Nick Roberts","Score":"86","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Mike Dunn","Score":"88","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Phil King","Score":"90","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Round and round it goes, hammer throwing in The Games: Summer Edition."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"85%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"86%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"69%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"89%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"87%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"88%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 42, Jun 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-05-11","Editor":"Matt Bielby","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Matt Bielby\r\nArt Editor: Catherine Higgs\r\nDeputy/Production Editor: Jackie 'Do I get paid for two jobs?' Ryan\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan MacDonald\r\nDesigner: Thor Goodall\r\nEditorial Assistant: David Wilson\r\nTechnical Consultant: David McCandless\r\nContributors: Marcus Berkmann, Ciaran Brennan, Lis Clegg, Jonathan Davies, Phoebe Evans, Mike Gerrard, Sean Kelly, Catherine Peters, Peter Shaw, Rachael Smith, Phil South, Ben Stone\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Alison Morton\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Stephen Bloy\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nAdvertisement Production: Katherine Balchin\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nCirculation Manager: June Smith\r\nAssociate Producer: Teresa Maughan\r\nPublisher: Terry Grimwood\r\nFinance Director: Colin Crawford\r\nManaging Director: Stephen England\r\nChairman: Felix Dennis\r\n\r\nPublished by Dennis Publishing Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England.\r\nTypesetters: Carlinpoint [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinted By: Riverside Press [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1989 Felden Productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Sinclair is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"US Gold\r\n£8.99\r\nReviewer: Matt Bielby\r\n\r\nDont'cha just love these multiload sports sims? I'm absolutely crazy about them myself. You can make a nice cup of tea between games, and perhaps a bit of toast and jam. Then it's back to being a couch potato again, and playing all these luverly sports without having to strain so much as a finger.\r\n\r\nAnd what a selection of sports they are! Hurdles, cycling, archery - all indisputably played during the Summer Olympics. At least there'lll be loads left for 'Summer Edition2'! But let's take a look at the various events in this in more detail, shall we? if they appeal to you, all's fine and dandy. Most of them are pretty respectably done, and offer a choice of practice sessions or competition. For my money though, most of them are quite limited - there's not that much to on any particular one and the multiloading makes playing the lot a pretty stilted experience.\r\n\r\nI did like the opening sequence though, which shows tou some of the people and places of Korea as a setting for the events. I learned oodles from it - I mean, who would have dreamed that the seesaw plays such an important part in Korean popular culture? That's what I call educational software!\r\n\r\nDiving\r\nA grey figure bounces on the board, twiddles about in the air and flops off the bottom of the screen. Sadly, no splash, but next thing you'll see he's floating there in the water awaiting his score. What's this Ten from one scorer, 1.7 from another? bit fickle aren't they? For me this simulation was marred by the fact that - try as I might - I couldn't get my diver to hit his head on the springboard in true Olympic style.\r\n\r\nVelodrome (cycling to you)\r\nNot one of the best bits to be honest. The right of the screen shows where you are on the course, the left is split in two and shows the two racers from behind. There's no real impression of speed, and I got a bit bored of it. Time for a cup of tea I think. Next!\r\n\r\nHurdles\r\nAlmost a split screen effect with the two runners on top of each other (Oo-er) and lots of waggling to be done. You can make false starts, trip over the hurdles and all sorts. Coo!\r\n\r\nPole Vault\r\nThere's a waggling animated running bit, then WALLOP! straight into the cross bar or, if you're skill like me, right over the top of it. Your little chappy doesn't seem to need much time to regain his composure before he's on his feet agin ('cos there's only one frame of animation between him falling and him standing up again).\r\n\r\nUneven Parallel Bars\r\nNow this is fun! It's quite fast and smooth and you can send your female sprite into all sorts of painful looking un-aerodynamic dismounts. Ouch! There's a vast(ish) range of moves you can master and points to be list and earned for everything from 'uncharacteristic moves' to 'too few bar changes' Bonza!\r\n\r\nRings\r\nAnother funny. Nicely animated and you can do some hilarious falls, but ever so limited, and what, oh what are those funny flower things in the background? The public should be told!\r\n\r\nHammer Throw\r\nThe hammer rope wrapping around your neck and stars spinning 'round you head if you fail to let go in time. Come on, we're being just a teensy bit silly now, aren't we programmers? Still, it looks and plays quite nicely, and is the sort of field even I expected to see more of.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Professional, but not spectacular sports sim.","Page":"69","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Matt Bielby","Score":"71","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Boing, double pike triple back somersault, splosh!"},{"Text":"This cycling lark puts you in a bit of a spin!"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Life Expectancy","Score":"72%","Text":""},{"Header":"Instant Appeal","Score":"67%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"74%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"69%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"71%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 69, Sep 1991","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1991-08-01","Editor":"Andy Ide","TotalPages":68,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Andy Ide\r\nNew Art Editor: Andy Ounsted (plus Sal Meddings!)\r\nGames Editor: James Leach\r\nStaff Writer: Linda Barker\r\nArt Assistant: Maryanne Booth\r\nAdvertising Manager: Cheryl Beasley\r\nProduction Coordinator: Melissa Parkinson\r\nPublisher: Jane Richardson\r\nPromotions Manager: Michele Harris\r\nGroup Publisher: Greg Ingham\r\nCirculation Director: Sue Hartley\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair, Future Publishing [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: Computer Posting [redacted]\r\nDistribution: MMC [redacted]\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Glenn Fabry\r\nISSN 0269 6983\r\nABC July-Dec 1990 60,368\r\n\r\nYS comes to you from the same bods who publish Commodore Format, ST Format, Amiga Format, New Computer Express, Amstrad Action, Classic CD, PC Plus, 8000 Plus, Sega Power, Amiga Power, Amiga Shopper, Needlecraft & Mountain Biking UK (Busy little bees, aren't we!)"},"MainText":"THE GAMES (SUMMER EDITION)\r\nKixx\r\n£3.99\r\nReviewer: Jon Pillar\r\n\r\nThis sports sim is way above average, with eight events that are well worth multiloading. Alongside the usual joystick-busters like Hurdling, Velodrome Cycling Hammer Throwing and Pole Vaulting, there are some nifty variations in gameplay. Archery is a bit like those barg darts game (only more dangerous to passers-by), while Diving, the Rings, and the Uneven Parallel Bars have you putting manoeuvres into medal-winning combinations. The graphics vary from the not so hot intro screens and backgrounds to the sizzling animation. The diver and the girl on the bars are particularly realistic, and the muscle-straining antics of the guy on the rings is almost too painful to watch! The variety of 'camera angles' is another plus. With up to eight competitors you could hold your own tournament, but even taking on the Speccy alone, it's good fun. Don't be put off by the wad of instructions - everything's easy to pick up and very playable. I doubt you'll still be playing come the autumn, but in the short term at least, the games of The Games are spanky, um, games.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"56","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jon Pillar","Score":"80","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Shark!"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"80%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 87, Jun 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-05-18","Editor":"Jim Douglas","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"It's the SU All Stars! Yaaaaaaay!\r\n\r\nJIM \"The Natural\" DOUGLAS (Editor)\r\nA born superstar. Playing for the Boston Redsox team in the 1947 world series Jim received a near fatal injury at the hands of a jealous female fan. While details are a little fuzzy, it's known that Jim spent twelve years in traction and psychotherapy after the incident. Now a coach with many youth teams across the States, he makes regular appearances in game shows and sports quiz programmes in the US. He has been paralleled with Emelyn Hughes Once\r\n\r\nALISON \"Tin-legs\" SKEAT (Production Editor)\r\nIn shock developments this month, motorcycle stunt racer Skeat was both involved in a horrific accident during a display and a ghastly mix-up in the resulting hospital visit. After weeks of plastic surgery it became clear that something was wrong with the very nature of Alison's appearance. Is there any hope left? Er, no.\r\n\r\nTIM \"Slugger\" NOONAN (Art Editor)\r\nFrom the wrong side of the tracks, the boy with the Golden Gloves came to prominence in the late 50's. Noonan made a name for himself throughout the boxing world as one of the worst fighters ever to be allowed in the ring. While finding much public support, Noonan unfortunately received such a pasting in his much publicised light with Clubber Paris, he was forced to retire from boxing for good and took up a position running an occupational therapy daytime care centre for the slightly bewildered. His first book of poetry is die to be reprinted next month.\r\n\r\nCHRIS \"Black Avenger\" JENKINS (Contributor)\r\nJenkins was trained by Shaolin monks after being discovered in a pile of noodles at the back of a Chinese take-away in Gerrard St. Now he runs his own martial arts centre in the mountains of South Wales. Described by himself as \"the most dangerous man alive\", he can break a plank of wood with a sledgehammer, can withstand hours of slight chilliness and can run as fast as someone else who can't run very fast. Truly, a force not to meddle with.\r\n\r\nSpecial thanks this month: Tony 'Oh yes...' Dillon, Jerry Paris, Graham 'What?' Taylor.\r\n\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nDirty Tricks: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Katherine Lee\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Martha Moloughney\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry 'Power Haircut' Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'Lovely' Pembridge\r\n\r\nWhere we're at: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nTypeset by Professional Reprographics Services [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Frontline.\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries: [redacted]\r\n24 Hour Order Line: [redacted]\r\nBack Issues: Back Issues Department (SU), [redacted]\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1989 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nNo part of this magazine may be ripped off, or you're in deep trouble matey."},"MainText":"Label: Epyx\r\nAuthor: In-house\r\nPrice: £9.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Tony Dillon\r\n\r\nBefore I sink into the perilous task of reviewing this, there is just one question we need to ask ourselves. Do we need another in the games series? Let's face it, no. Evidently this hasn't occurred to Epyx, who assail the market yet again with the seventh in the Games series, The Games - Summer Edition.\r\n\r\nTo be fair, though not all the events are spanking brand new and original, they are all covered in a new way, or are just, in theory, executed a whole lot better.\r\n\r\nIn this little seven event bundle you get, and in no particular order or significance of rank: Diving; viewed as a side on (when isn't it?) you are given a lot more moves to choose from this time around. You can dive forward, you can drive backwards, you can change the springiness of the diving board. Hammer throwing; I thought Epyx had opted out of the joystickbusting events. Wrong. Waggle the joystick very fast, press fire, and then waggle the joystick very fast again. Nice graphics though.\r\n\r\nVelodrome Cycling; boring. Watch two guys nailed to bicycles made from plates racing round and round on the inside of a bowl. Even more joystick waggling. Uneven parallel bars, swing gracefully. Glide smoothly. Slam your pelvis painfully into the opposite bar. Fall clumsily to the floor. Get laughed at. The rings; ouch. Try to perform flips and things while suspending yourself six foot above the floor by the use of two parallel rings. You won't do it.\r\n\r\nHurdles; this is more or less as everybody else portrays it, only this time, fall once and you're out of the running.\r\n\r\nPole vault; this is unusual. The camera is strategically placed on the end of your pole during the run up, but then changes to a side during the vault itself.\r\n\r\nThe game uses the usual Epyx system of playing all or some of the games, and comes complete with an eight player facility, full opening and closing sequence and (disk only) the option to save world records to disk.\r\n\r\nThe other feature, which all Epyx products sadly have, is multiload. Oh no! This could have been a disastrous fault, if only there was a brilliant game for it to ruin. Sadly there isn't.\r\n\r\nThe Games - Summer Edition has suffered two great blows in its transition from other eight-bit formats. It looks poor and it plays badly. A lot of the sprites are very badly designed, and the background can cause a lot of problems, attribute-wise.\r\n\r\nAs for the playability, there just isn't any fun involved at all. Either the programming team at Epyx haven't fully realised the Spectrum's capabilities, or the humble Speccy just isn't built for Epyx Games.\r\n\r\nOh Well, maybe The Games - Sunday Afternoon Edition will be good.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Good in theory, but for some reason the game doesn't provide the goods.","Page":"45","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Dillon","Score":"59","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"71%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"57%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"48%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"53%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"59%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 115, Sep 1991","Price":"£1.85","ReleaseDate":"1991-08-15","Editor":"Garth Sumpter","TotalPages":68,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Garth 'Walking Dead' Sumpter\r\nDesign Editor: Andrea 'Young Thang' Walker\r\nDesign: Yvette 'Baby Face' Nicholls\r\nStaff Writers: Steve '60's' Keen, Matt 'Late 20's' Regan\r\nSU Crew: John 'Crumblie' Cook, Pete 'Whipper Snapper' Gerrard, Graham 'Zimmerframe' Mason\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Jerry 'Music' Hall\r\nAd Production: Jo 'Schoolgirl' Gleissner\r\nMarketing Dept: Marc 'Hard to' Swallow\r\nMarketing: Sarah 'Toygirl' Ewing, Sarah 'Newborn' Hillard\r\nPublisher: Graham 'Bathchair' Taylor\r\nManaging Director: Terry 'Off the Shelf' Pratt\r\n\r\n(c)1991 EMAP IMAGES\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nDISTRIBUTION: BBC FRONTLINE\r\nSU SUBSCRIPTIONS: [redacted]\r\n\r\nTypesetting by G'n'S type.\r\nColour work by Proprint.\r\n\r\nNo part of this magazine may be used for hitting people with. It's really violent and Steve gets really upset man! No part of this magazine may be reproduced unless you're really old (over 90!) in which case please go ahead and have as much fun as you can whilst you can. We're all off on our hols this month and so next month we'll be printing all the piccies that we take and letting you know how we got on. If you'd like to have some of your holiday shots included then please send them to Steve's Holiday Snapshot Corner, SU Towers, [redacted]. We can't undertake to return any shots to you unless you enclose a stamped, addressed envelope. See ya next month!"},"MainText":"Label: Kixx\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nTape: £3.99\r\nDISK: n/a\r\nReviewer: Steve Keen\r\n\r\nNow here's one that's guaranteed to lessen the life of your joystick. Eight events of wrist wrenching action set in sweltering Korea. The Games is a fine adaptation of such joystick wrenching, button bashing arcade hits as Track and Field and Hydro Sports in so far as that it makes use of big sprites, appropriately detailed backdrops and a rich sound that off sets every event very nicely indeed.\r\n\r\nYou can take part in archery, diving, hurdles and a whole host of athletic disciplines as diverse as hammer throwing and the uneven parallel bars! Very nice to look at they maybe, with split screens and animation that switches between the decorative and the functional, but trying to control the sprites in some of the more complex events, such as the rings, is a different story. The instructions don't provide much help, only minimal information the form of flow charts! The only course of action left is to waggle your joystick until the rivets fall out or your hand falls off - whatever comes first!\r\n\r\nOnce loaded, there's a great intro with fab music depicting scenes from Korea that add special atmosphere and give the feeling of actual world competition including the \"get on with it\" factor as there is another long load before the actual game starts. In fact, every event has to be loaded in separately which is a real drag (hey mahhn! - Ed) as some games will take you only 30 secs to complete followed by a wait of up to three mins for the next competition.\r\n\r\nTaken on face value, The Games is very impressive, but it's best played in practise mode, missing out on competition but offering the chance to play your event again and again before loading the next one. A great opportunity has been missed.","ReviewerComments":["Taking the plunge in the high dive is quite fun and the archery section will make you a merry man, but I've not patience to find out what's next.\r\nMatt Regan","Summer Games was a fab product when it first came out and still is - it's just a pity that we've all got a little impatient with multi loads since...\r\nGarth Sumpter"],"OverallSummary":"Quite mouth watering in its initial stages. Very badly let down by multi load. Not so bad if there was some substance once loaded, but it's all over in seconds.","Page":"47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Steve Keen","Score":"70","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Matt Regan","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Garth Sumpter","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Get thrown in at the deep end."},{"Text":"If playing Matt, never cycle behind him!"},{"Text":"Isometric bars don't serve cocktails but can still lead to a hangover."},{"Text":"Riding along on my pushbike honey......"},{"Text":"There's no Karate in the Games, so why have it in the intro sequence? Why indeed...."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"85%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"80%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"67%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"70%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 93, Jul 1989","Price":"£1.2","ReleaseDate":"1989-06-16","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Julian Rignall\r\nArt Editor: Andrea Walker\r\nStaff Writer: Paul Glancey\r\nAdvertising Manager: Nigel Taylor\r\nSales Executive: Joanna Cooke\r\nProduction Assistant: Glenys Powell\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\nThis Month's Cover: Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries to: EMAP Frontline, [redacted]\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]"},"MainText":"Epyx/US Gold\r\nSpectrum, Amstrad\r\nSpectrum £8.99, Amstrad £9.99\r\n\r\nI've always been a fan of this kind of game, especially the Epyx variety. It's with a teeny tear of nostalgia I recall my first experiences of C64 gaming with the original Epyx multiloading sports simulations, so I had something of a soft spot waiting for this before I even opened the box.\r\n\r\nThe game follows similar lines to its illustrious ancestors, with opening ceremonies, world records, medals and all that, plus the option of competing in every event, practice all events (oddly enough no option for practicing ONE event this time!). For similar reasons, ie the lack of random access on tape, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and Compete in Some Events options only work on disk versions of the game, which means not on the +2 Speccy cassette that I reviewed.\r\n\r\nThe game itself is crisp and fruity, as you'd expect, with plenty of events to sink your teeth into, and as with all Epyx sport sims the minimum of those stupid joystick waggling endurance games, with the emphasis on skill rather than just elbow grease. On the new package there is Archery, Velodrome Cycling, Diving, Hammer Throw, Hurdles, Pole Vault, Rings and Uneven Parallel Bars. Now I've seen archery, diving, cycling, hurdling and hammer throw games before, but the rings and parallel bar jobs caught me by surprise.\r\n\r\nThe presentation of the games is a little bit more 3D than usual in this type of game, and each individual event seems to be trying harder than ever to look less like a video game and more like TV coverage. The sense of being there is heightened on versions with good sound (the roar of the crowd, f'rinstance), but the Spectrum version, as usual, has all the gameplay.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"An enjoyable sports simulation that offers a fair amount of playability. The multiload is a pain though.","Page":"47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Phil South","Score":"72","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Diving, Amstrad-style."},{"Text":"Make a map (wot?)"},{"Text":"Parallel bars are fun."},{"Text":"Toss that hammer!"}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMSTRAD SCORES\r\n\r\nOverall: 71%\r\n\r\nBenefits from extra colour, but otherwise virtually identical to the Spectrum version."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"64%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"20%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"63%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"72%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"The Games Machine Issue 21, Aug 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-07-20","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL OFFICE\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Roger Kean\r\nFeatures Editor: Dominic Handy\r\nStaff Writers: Robin Hogg, Warren Lapworth, Robin Candy, Mark Caswell\r\nEditorial Assistants: Vivien Vickress, Caroline Blake\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\nContributors: Mel Croucher, Don Hughes, Paul Rigby, Marshal M Rosenthal (USA), John Woods & John Woods\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION DEPARTMENT\r\n[redacted]\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nSenior Designer: Wayne Allen\r\nReprographics: Matthew Uffindell (Supervisor), Robert Millichamp, Rob (The Rev) Hamilton, Tim Morris, Jenny Reddard\r\n\r\nDESIGN\r\nRoger Kean, Mark Kendrick\r\nMax Systems: Ian Chubb\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nGroup Advertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executives: Lee Watkins, Wynne Morgan\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\nProductions Executive: Richard Eddy\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nDesigned and typeset on Apple Macintosh II computers running Quark Xpress, Adobe Illustrator 88 and PhotoMac, output at MBI, [redacted] with systems support from Digital Print Reprographics, [redacted]. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset [redacted] - a member of the BPCC Group.\r\n\r\nDistribution effected by COMAG, [redacted].\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of TGM. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop Viv Vickress a line at the PO Box 10 address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions.\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into TGM - including written and photographic material, hardware or software - unless it's accompanied by a suitably stamped, addressed envelope. We regret that readers' postal enquiries cannot always be answered. Unsolicited written or photographic material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. Colour photographic material should be 35mm transparencies wherever possible. The views expressed in TGM are not necessarily those of the publishers.\r\n\r\n©TGM Magazines Ltd, 1989\r\nA Newsfield Publication ISSN 0954-8092\r\n\r\nCover Design by Roger Kean"},"MainText":"Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £8.99, Diskette: £12.99\r\nAmstrad CPC Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99\r\n\r\nOn both formats the game is very playable, the Amstrad version is the most colourful of the two (though the Speccy isn't all monochromatic). The list of sports games that have appeared over the years is almost too long to read, but Epyx are still producing them, and very well too.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"107","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMSTRAD CPC\r\n\r\nOverall: 71%"},{"Text":"COMMODORE 64/128 Overall: 76% TGM013"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"73%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]