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I'm off to join those craaazy folk in California and it's all the fault of those Epyx people. They've got me hooked on surf, skateboards and BMX bikes, and I've not even been near the place yet.

There are some radical pastimes here; half pipe skateboarding, foot bat kicking, surfing, roller skating and BMX bike racing. How refreshing, not a ball or goal in sight. You can compete in one or all these events or take the easy way out and go for practice.

You can make a choice of the competition events - one some, or all. There are six, some of them stored on the second side of the disc, so you're spoilt for choice.

A sidewalk above the beach forms the roller skate obstacle course. To glide forward waggle the joystick left and right to make your feet move. As you pick up speed you're faced with cracks in the pavement, bouncing beach balls, banana skins, slippery patches, ramps, clefts and, to cap it all, a seagull that performs a squawking flypast.

Skate boarding takes place in a half pipe. Push the joystick back and forward to gain momentum. When you've gained enough speed to fly up over the lip of the pipe, move the joystick diagonally to perform an aerial turn which spins you in the air and puts you back on the board facing the opposite direction.

You might also like to try a hand plant when you plant your hands on the pipe and flip the board over your head. Naturally I didn't do too well at that, I've never been a contortionist. I did do better at the kick turn, though. Just kick back at the pipe and flip your board around so, yet again, you're facing in the other direction.

On to foot bag, a wimpy game in which you keep a juggling bag in the air with your toes, soles, knees and head. I'm reliably informed that the real thing's painful, but you'll be pleased to hear, that it's only your fingers that are likely to drop off as you move your player around the screen.

If foot bag bouncing isn't your scene, go down to the beach and try surfing. It seems easy at first. All you've got to do is stay on top of the wave when it breaks and ride it in. Don't flip over the top, disappear behind it or off the screen. Any error and you'll wipe out. Scoring's done by a beach party, holding up cards and giving inane grins.

Two to go; BMX biking and flying disc - that's discus to you and me. The bicycle motorcrosss takes place on a course choked with jumps, bumps, dips, tyres and slippery bits. The usual joystick directions apply but, if you go too fast and try to twist the front wheel of your bike around something like a tyre, you'll fall over.

By comparison flying disc is a doddle.

At the end of the competition the awards ceremonies are held, new world records announced and trophies presented.

California Games deserves all the accolades and trophies it's likely to get this year. The action is realistic and the graphics detailed.