Zzap


Caveman Ugh-Lympics
By Electronic Arts
Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Zzap #70

Caveman Ugh-Lympics

Had enough of sleek, muscular athletes dominating multi-event sports games? Caveman Ugh-Lympics redresses the balance with hairy, fat and crude competitors - not unlike our own Phil King [Hey, I'm not that hairy - Phil]. Up to six players can practise or compete in six prehistoric events, starting with Mate Toss (ahem!), in which you throw a cavewoman as far as possble. Dinosaur Race and Firemaking are self explanatory; Dino Vault is an early form of pole vaulting, a carnivorous beast is the incentive for speed in Sabretooth Tiger Race, and Clubbing must involve getting drunk, dancing very badly and chatting up giggling girlies. But doesn't, instead you must beat your opponent about the head with a big stick.

Caveman Ugh-Lympics' gratuitous violence and stone age humour suited the Zzap! team of Issue 45 down to the ground. They gave it 80% overall, Gordo Houghton finding it "dead good fun" while Maff Evans found "the whole thing entertaining and fun to play" but admitted that "after a few games, the humour began to rub off".

Certainly this novelty game is at its prime during its first few plays: although on the blocky side and jerkily animated, sprites are big, bold and cartoon-like, and their antics are highly amusing. The only weak event is the Dinosaur Race and even when the humour wears off, Caveman Ugh-Lympics is still playable, especially when competing against friends in the Clubbing and Firemaking events. Playing solo soon becomes boring if restricted to cassette - the multi-load system is cumbersome - but if you've a disk drive and a few friends to join in the jovial Neanderthal action, Caveman Ugh-Lympics is a bargain.