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Can you perform a twist-plant aerial kick tail? We seriously doubt it, because we just made that up. Still, you too can confuse your friends by spouting any old rubbish and passing it off as "Californian" with the help of California Games by Epyx.

This game puts you in control of a team of five hip beach-types competing to be the five hippest beach-types on all the beach! This is done by coming out tops in five unmistabaly West Coast events, namely skateboarding, surfing, footbagging, skating and BMX. What's more, if your pals reckon they're much iller and skiller than you, why not simply challenge up to eight of them at once in a mega-contest?

The first event you come to is the half-pipe. Here, points are scored depending upon the number and complexity of stunts and you pull off. For minor points and low risk factor, kick turns and track changes are best. Real thrashers who go for lotsa points (and certain death) will be looking for their dose of hand plant inverts and aerial turns.

Despite the fact that no one else in the rest of the world would be seen dead anywhere near a BMX, it must still be really popular in Californa, or BMX would never have become the final event of California Games.

In this event, your pixellated pal is capable of some pretty neat tricks, such as spinning his bike around in mid air or performing the equivalent of a bike-bound somersault. Needless to say, moves like these certainly boost the pointometer, although that doesn't mean a bean if you don't complete the course.

The most famous Californian sport of all, surfing, is event number three. Before you set foot in the water you have to choose a board. "Light" makes stunts easier but yields fewer points, "regular" is a standard board, but real hards opt for "turbo". This gives you a real turn of speed and allows some hugely tricky stunts to be performed. Unfortunately, it also increases your chances of wiping out.

Wahey! Become a foxy chick in the penultimate event - roller skating. You have less than two minutes to skate to the end of a beach boardwalk littered with hazards in the forms of banana skins, pavement cracks, flying beach balls and even people skating in the opposite direction. Use your skating prowess and jumping abilities to make it to the finish.

The most sedate event is easily the footbag. What could be simpler than bouncing a small bean bag off various parts of your body? Quite a lot, as it happens. Once again, the more complex the move, the greater the rewards.

So just bouncing it off your foot forever does no good. Instead, try reverse dodas, Dizzy Deans and the fabbo full axle, achieved by kicking the ball twice whilst spinning around!

Master System and Nintendo owners who like the look of California Games should check out the excellent versions of the game available for their machines.

The Master System version was reviewed in issue 6 and scored a massive 93% and on the Nintendo the game scored an impressive 91% when we reviewed it in Issue 15.

California Games might have been converted to every format known to man, but it's still a real laugh to play. In fact, this Megadrive version is one of the best of the lot, featuring colourful graphics, incredible animation and smooth, fast gameplay.

The sound is a bit of a letdown - it's not bad, but the tunes don't fit the action very well. Still, the playability is what counts, and California Games has lots of this. Each event takes some time to master, which is just as well because unless you've got some pals to hand, you have to challenge yourself.

It would be better if there were a competitive one-player game, but even without it, California Games is good enough to warrant purchase.

California Games must rank as one of the greatest multi-event sports simulations ever written - and this Megadrive is the best version yet seen! It's a graphical tour de force, with superbly animated sprites and splendid backdrops, and it plays like a dream.

Each event is a brilliant mini-game in its own right, with beautifully weighted playability that's easy enough to get into but is challenging enough to allow experts to learn and perform tricks that let them attain seemingly impossible scores (can anyone top my 427,000 record on the footbag?). The only disappointing aspect is that the Frisbee event that appeared in other versions is missing - but since it was by far the weakest event, it's not a major issue.

Obviously, California Games is best appreciated with multiple players, but even as a single-player game I think it's enjoyable, addictive and challenging enough to make it a priority purchase.

Presentation 92%
Loadsa options to choose from and flawless in-game presentation.

Graphics 91%
Colourful sprites with top-notch animation over expansive, super-smooth scrolling animated backgrounds.

Sound 86%
The effects are pretty good and so are the tunes - the problem is that they don't suit the action very well.

Playability 93%
Fast and furious gameplay which is easy to get into but takes quite some time to fully master.

Lastability 90%
In multi-player mode, this is one your mates will be asking you to get out time and time again.

Overall 91%
California Games is a hugely entertaining, fun-packed multi-event sports game which should be checked out.