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The first sports simulation to appear on the GX4000 is a four-event affair featuring BMX riding, surfing, cliff diving and downhill slalom.

Up to four people can play at once, in a sort of micro-Olympic quartathlon. Each player attempts an event, and the highest scorer wins the gold, the second highest the silver and so on. At the end of the competition the person with the most medals is the winner!

If you're on your own, there's a practice option so that you can play an event over and over again until you're completely unbeatable, and there are also record tables where all your greatest attempts are displayed for you to gloat over.

The events in Epyx Word Of Games have all been culled from the Epyx Games series, which have appeared on various computer systems over the last six years. Cliff diving appeared in World Games, BMX and surfin graced the superb California Games and slalom skiing featured in Winter Games. So now you know.

1. BMX
   Hop onto a BMX and ride down the very hilly course attempting to do as many stunts as possible for bonus points. It's played against the clock, and the quickest time from start to finish wins the race.
2. Slalom Skiing
   Ski down a slope as fast as you can, making sure that you go through the pairs of flags. Points are deducted for missing them - just make sure you get to the bottom in the fatest time with as few faults as possible.
3. Surfing
   Take to the beaches of California, ride the waves and do as many stunts as you can for mega-points within the time limit. You're only allowed three wipe-outs (falling off your board to you and me) - so be careful out there.
4. Cliff Diving
   This is the slightly mad sport of slinging yourself off a rocky perch to dive into the rather shallow water below. Points are scored for the perfection of the dive. A perfect 10 is a guaranteed winner - and nearly impossible!

This is a disappointment from the start. The loading screen is dull and lifeless, and I'm afraid the rest of the game follows suit. The BMX is monotonous, the skiing is too east, the surfing is poorly animated and the cliff diving - well, the diving is quite fun and is certainly different (I love smashing my head all over the rocks!).

The main problem is the lack of events: only four in a console game is taking the Mick a little I feel. Perhaps the game would be improved by a proper medal-giving ceremony... Perhaps, but I doubt if this would really help.

An average game that I can't honestly recommend.

On the positive side, this features some great sprites and excellent, ultra-smooth scrolling backdrops which really show what the GX4000 can really do.

However, on the negative side, there are only four events and they're not particularly challenging. It only takes a session or two before you get near-perfect scores, and therefore any sense of real achievement is minimised.

If Epyx World Of Sports had a few more events, I would heartily recommend it. But, as it stands, there's simply not enough to keep you entertained for very long.

Presentation 85%
A whole load of excellent options allowing up to four players to practise and compete.

Graphics 84%
Detailed and nicely animated sprites and great backdrops, particulary the skiing.

Sound 69%
Rather weak effects, and even weaker tunes.

Playability 63%
Very easy, in fact too easy, to get into.

Lastability 45%
Only four easy events to keep you occupied - you won't be bplaying this for very long.

Overall 59%
Had loads of potential, but unfortunately this package leaves you wanted a lot more.