Genre: Sports
Developer: Epyx
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Year: 1989
System: Atari Lynx
California Games is a multi-event sports game originally developed by Epyx and adapted for the Atari Lynx as one of its launch titles. The game features a series of casual sports events that capture the laid-back culture of California, including BMX biking, surfing, half-pipe skateboarding, footbag (hacky sack), and roller skating.
Each event offers unique controls and objectives. For example, in surfing, players must perform tricks and avoid wipeouts, while BMX biking involves navigating a hazardous dirt track. The Lynx version showcases the handheld’s graphical capabilities, with colorful backgrounds and smooth animation for each sport.
California Games on Lynx is a single-player experience with a scoring system that encourages replaying events to beat personal bests. The game was also released on a wide range of other platforms, including the Commodore 64, NES, and Sega Master System, but the Lynx version stands out for its compact presentation and portable playability.
