World Games from 1986 by Epyx expanded the series of Olympic sports games with events from around the world that weren't part of the classic Olympic Games, and brought them to the Commodore 64 in a spirit similar to the earlier Summer Games and Winter Games. Players can try sumo wrestling, cliff diving into the sea, log-cutting lumberjack contests, tug of war, weightlifting, or barrel jumping, with each event having its own characteristic controls and requiring a different combination of speed, strength, and precise timing.
The game's presentation places emphasis on the cultural context of each sport, with stylized backgrounds from various countries and short animations before each event that give the game a sense of traveling around the world and set it apart from the somewhat plainer feel of the series' earlier entries, making the game feel more colorful and varied. The controls remain true to Epyx's style — quick sequences of joystick presses at just the right moment — but some events, such as sumo, add an element of direct one-on-one competition between two players, where the goal is to push the opponent out of the ring before they do the same to you. The character graphics are detailed for their time and the individual sports are easily recognizable at a glance, which also helps players who weren't familiar with a given event beforehand.
World Games was well received as a colorful mix of unconventional sports that offered players more than just a repeat of the classic Olympic events, and it became a popular choice for playing with a group. On the Commodore 64 it's among the titles that are still fun today, especially in a group, where competing for the best result in exotic events works just as well as it did decades ago, and the unusual selection of sports still makes for a refreshing change of pace even after all these years, compared to ordinary Olympic games and their established events.
Why play it: For playing with a group, you'll appreciate the unusual selection of exotic events, which even after all these years makes the game a refreshing change of pace compared to ordinary Olympic games and their established events.
Game 107 of 121 for Commodore 64
