I was very small indeed when this wonderful game first burst into the lead, not so small that I couldn’t get myself into all sorts of trouble trying to stage some of the events in my own front garden. Everything from persuading my friend to try and stand on a huge log in our pond, to caber tossing is through our front window. I was sent to my room for about a month! During that month however, I clocked up some of my highest ever scores on Cliff Diving.
Weight lifting was a favorite of the events. With two styles available to choose from, “snatch” and “clean and jerk” it required very subtle timing. As did log rolling. For both of these I don’t think I could have explained what movements I was actually performing on the joystick, but I always managed to beat my big brother despite his knowledge of the ‘correct’ controls.
The smooth and speedy flow of barrel jumping was a nice change from the more static Weight Lifting yet, if I remember rightly, it seemed to go from laughably easy to completely impossible rather too quickly. It appeared there was a maximum that was actually possible so we always scored the same on that one.
Cliff diving was great
and packed full of humor. It was very addictive and very playable. Only one little downer I would say. If the wind was very high, it seemed that basically you’d loose. It seemed impossible to score highly at all because you had to be in a silly posture to fight the wind.
Despite the fact that Slalom skiing took real discipline it was one of the most playable. I actually found myself competing against my bro more fervently on this one because there was no denying the skill involved. Unlike the slightly random feeling I got from Bull riding, which looking back I’m sure they intended, so well done there… it was very random.
I got really good at Caber toss (and I loved the bagpipers playing in the background – really made you feel like you were in the Scottish Highlands).
It was so easy to go wrong that when you got it right there was a real sense of satisfaction. Frustration and satisfaction runs through the whole game.
Although everyone will have a few favorites, all together World Games is a wonderful collection of separate games in them, seamlessly woven together in humor and style.
I’m sure it’s worth returning to for the actual events and not just for nostalgia’s sake.
