ST Format


Jahangir Khan's World Championship Squash

Categories: Review: Software
Author: Ed Ricketts
Publisher: Krisalis
Machine: Atari ST

 
Published in ST Format #24

Jahangir Khan's World Championship Squash

Squash is (a) a very silly game, (b) played by yuppies and (c) now available on your ST in the form of Jahangir Khan's World Championship Squash. Jahangir, in case you're wondering, is the World Squash Champion six times over - so he's pretty good.

The rules of squash as quite simple. You and your opponent must wang the ball at a certain height against the end wall of the court and not let it bounce more than once on the ground. Playing it well, however, isn't so easy. You need to be reasonably fit to position yourself and return the ball in such a small court. You also need to hit it accurately.

Playing this simulation isn't easy either. For the first few games you run about like a decapitated chicken and only after some heavy practice do you start to anticipate where the ball is going to end up. Squash gives you the chance to play isolated matches against single players or to take part in a Tournament. You can also just watch matches if you're too tired to play even simulated squash. Tournaments come in two sizes: a Club version, in which the local lads take you on, and a Championship version in which you become Jahangir himself. Squash clubs are apparently arranged in rungs on a ladder, with each rung consisting of a certain number of players. The more you improve, the higher up the ladder you climb. Strange people, these squash players.

Effects

Jahangir Khan World Championship Squash

Let's face it, there isn't very much you can do visually with a game like squash - it doesn't exactly lend itself to graphic splendour. With this in mind, Krisalis have done a reasonable job. The main game screen looks pretty much like a squash court and the options and intro screens are competently drawn. The players aren't wonderfully animated - they're a bit jerky and static - but the squash ball moves smoothly and bounces in a realistic fashion. Sound isn't too bad either - there are some sampled claps and bounces which create a suitably squashlike atmosphere.

Verdict

Krisalis couldn't really have done a better simulation of squash without sacrificing authenticity for gameplay. Attack of the Amoeboid Squash Balls from Mars might sound more interesting, but fans of the real thing would turn their noses up at it. So within the limits of the framework, they've done a good job.

The game features everything you might want from any sports sim, so even if you're not a squash nut you might find it absorbing enough to while away the odd weekend. Overall, then, Jahangir Khan's World Championship Squash is (a) a good simulation, (b) quite fun to play and (c) still a very silly game.

Ed Ricketts

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