California Games
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Jim Connelley, Jon Freeman, Jim Levy |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | California Games, Summer Games, Winter Games |
California Games is a sports video game launched by Epyx in 1987 for the Apple II and Commodore 64. Building upon their previous Summer Games and Winter Games franchises, this installment showcases a variety of outdoor sports that are especially popular in California. The game was subsequently adapted for multiple home computer and video game console systems, and notably served as the pack-in title for the Atari Lynx at its debut in September 1989. Its strong market performance paved the way for a follow-up, California Games II.
Gameplay
Depending on the platform, players can participate in events such as half-pipe, footbag, surfing—featuring the character Rippin' Rick—roller skating, BMX, and flying disc competitions.
Development
The creation of California Games required over three man-years of effort from Epyx, including input from a professional surfer who helped develop the surfing segment. Several key developers went on to prominent careers: Chuck Sommerville, responsible for designing the half-pipe event, later produced Chip's Challenge; Ken Nicholson, who designed the footbag event, contributed to the development of Microsoft's DirectX technology; and Kevin Norman, who created the BMX event, went on to establish the educational software firm Norman & Globus. Original audio design was crafted by Chris Grigg, a member of the band Negativland.
Ports
Originally created for the Apple II and Commodore 64, California Games was subsequently ported to an extensive range of platforms including the Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari 2600, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Sega Genesis, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX, and Master System. The version for the Atari Lynx was released as the handheld's pack-in game at its September 1989 launch. A version commissioned by Atari Corporation for the Atari XEGS in 1988 was ultimately not completed.
Reception
California Games achieved significant commercial success, moving over 300,000 units within its first nine months and becoming Epyx’s highest-selling entry in their "Games" lineup. CEO Dave Morse observed during playtesting that it was the first Epyx title to engage boys and girls equally. By 1989, sales had exceeded half a million copies and continued to grow.
Critics lauded the title for its entertaining and innovative gameplay. Computer Gaming World recommended it as an enjoyable experience, while Compute! praised its engaging qualities. The PC edition received particular commendation from PC Magazine for its animation and visual presentation. Reviews of the Lynx adaptation highlighted strong BMX and surfing gameplay but offered mixed feedback on other events.
In 1996, Next Generation ranked the "Games" series at number 89 in their "Top 100 Games of All Time," noting their emphasis on multiplayer competition and responsive controls. Additionally, the Atari Lynx version earned a spot on GameSpot's list of greatest games in 2004.
Legacy
The follow-up title, California Games II released in 1990, failed to achieve the same level of commercial acclaim as its predecessor.
During the late 1980s, a California Games animated series was proposed to be part of the Super Mario Bros. Power Hour, a Nintendo-centric cartoon block created by DIC Animation City. However, only the Mario and Zelda segments were completed and broadcast in 1989 within The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.
Subsequently, the game was converted into a Java version for mobile devices. Mark Cale, CEO of System 3, announced intentions to launch California Games as both physical and digital titles for platforms including the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS. Additionally, the Commodore 64 edition was made accessible on the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe starting April 2008 and later in North America from July 2009.
External links
- Scans of California Games package and manual at c64sets.com
- California Games Lynx version at Atari Age
- Articles with short description
- 1987 video games
- Amiga games
- Amstrad CPC games
- Appaloosa Interactive games
- Apple II games
- Apple IIGS games
- Atari 2600 games
- Atari Lynx games
- Atari ST games
- Commodore 64 games
- Cycling video games
- DOS games
- Epyx games
- J2ME games
- Master System games
- MSX games
- Multiplayer and single-player video games
- Multiple-sport video games
- Nintendo Entertainment System games
- Pack-in video games
- Sega Genesis games
- Skateboarding video games
- Surfing video games
- U.S. Gold games
- Video games developed in the United States
- Video games scored by Alex Rudis
- Video games scored by David Wise
- Video games set in California
- Video games with oblique graphics
- Virtual Console games for Wii
- Water sports video games
- Westwood Studios games
- ZX Spectrum games