Summer Sports Games Review

Summer Sports Games is a collection of 12 Olympic sports where players will need to compete for the highest score. You’ll be able to test your skills in Javelin Throw, Hammer Throw, Shot Put, Archery, 100m Run, 400m Hurdles, 800m Run, Relay, Long Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault, and Weightlifting. All games are pretty simple to play.

Each game requires a mixture of button mashing and timed button press if you want to get the best score. So for example, while the 100m only requires mashing the A to go as fast as possible, weightlifting requires the player to mash the A until you reach the icon on the meter, and then you need to press RB and LB at the appropriate time.

The game only has three modes: Single Competition, Competition, and Multiplayer. Single Competition allows you to do a quick, single round of a chosen event; a great way to practice and learn how to play each event. Competition is separated into different cups, similar to Mario Kart. In order to unlock new cups, you need to win gold in the previous one. And Multiplayer is playing the events with friends.

The game’s main nuisance is the lack of a proper tutorial. Whether it be during an official competition or a single event, you’ll need to learn on the fly how to play the current event. Amongst the handful of events, Archery is definitely the worst. The game will zoom in on the target so you can move the cursor on the target to compensate for the wind factor, but once you fire your arrow, 99% of the time it won’t even hit where you aimed.

The game’s presentation has that shovelware feel; both visually and auditorily. It looks like a handful of shovelware that we’d see during the Nintendo Wii’s lifespan; a cheap game that’s thrown out to the market for a company to make a quick buck. Characters are also looking like a poor man’s version of the characters found in Kinect Sports games. The soundtrack tries to be a cheery affair, but it sounds very stock. Quite forgettable and if you’re playing with friends, just mute the TV and put on some party-inspired tunes.

Summer Sports Games is the true definition of shovelware where the game is just a mindless experience. While there’s a decent amount of fun and events to play, it still feels boring and lifeless. Playing the Single Competition can easily quench your need for this game as Competition doesn’t add anything, except make events longer and nobody wants that. If this game eventually is available via Games with Gold, definitely give it a try. Otherwise, don’t bother spending money on this.