Sydney 2000

UPC: 788687451840

Platform: Dreamcast

Publisher: Eidos Interactive

Developer: Attention to Detail Limited

Category: Sports

Style(s): Olympics

Synopsis: Developers Attention to Detail take you "down under" to the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in this officially licensed simulation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Compete in a dozen events against or for any one of 32 countries from Europe, Africa, South America, North America, Canada, Asia or Australia. Sydney 2000 offers four modes of play including arcade, Olympic, head-to-head and coaching. Up to four players (human or computer-controlled) can participate in arcade and head-to-head modes. Each player can train or control a team of 12 virtual athletes for whichever nationality he or she chooses. Arcade mode allows you to jump right into any one of the 12 events and test the waters without training your athletes. Two types of play are available: classic and repeat. In classic style, you play all 12 events only once while earning points based on performance in each. Repeat play offers basically the same format with the main difference being the chance to gain higher scores by replaying the events. Olympic mode lets you train a team of 12 athletes, build strength and morale, sharpen skills and prepare for qualification at Olympic trials. This mode offers a 4-stage approach to reaching the goal of Olympic competition: training, invitation, championship, and then the Games themselves. Gymnastics and field and track are just a couple of the activities practiced in this mode. In coaching mode, you are given training in a specific event and then allowed to practice your skills in a non-competitive environment with no breaks or interruptions. Coaching features a "ghost" mode that allows you to compete against your best performance and try to improve the skill. The 12 events in Sydney 2000 include field and track, diving (10-meter platform), swimming (100-meter freestyle), skeet shooting, sprint cycling, kayaking (K1 slalom) and super heavyweight weight lifting. The 100-meter sprint, 110-meter hurdles, hammer throw, high jump, triple jump and javelin throw make up the field and track events Other features include a virtual gym exercise with 20 activities that include arc interception, standing and bench press, dips, duck shoot, height depth jump, hurdle hops, leg press, light wall, medicine ball twist, press-ups, recoil control, pole climb, sit-ups, skipping, squats, starting pistol, standing stretch, treadmill and test your strength. Think you've got what it takes to go for the gold in Sydney 2000? ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 32-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

The instruction manual does a decent job in explaining the gameplay of all the events. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide

The graphics are the best part about the game, but they still lack the polish of many other Dreamcast sports titles. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide

The Summer Olympics of 2000 helped bring a fluster of sports activity to Sydney, Australia and left behind a number of new buildings, training facilities, and sports complexes in its wake. It has also left a videogame for fans of the sporting event, appearing on a number of different platforms. Players will assume the roles of Olympic hopefuls from around the world to take part in a series of events in search of that elusive gold medal. While the developers were hoping to hit gold on the Sega Dreamcast, they barely qualified, thanks to its repetitive gameplay. Sydney 2000 might be the only officially licensed game for the 2000 Olympics, but the only boost it receives from this license is purely aesthetic in nature. What it does have over other titles in the genre is twelve full events, each featuring similar control styles. Most events are executed by rapidly tapping buttons, which comes as no surprise to those familiar with games like Track & Field. While this control scheme is used in nearly all track and field games, Sydney 2000 doesn't try to do anything to distinguish itself in this area. Other problems include characters that aren't customizable and similar, and an overall lack of challenge or finesse. Most events boil down to furious button pounding and that's it. There are no nuances like requiring the character to run at an even pace to avoid fatigue. It's just furious finger action, which gets old quickly. The remaining events, which include diving, kayaking and skeet shooting, are a mixed bag. While they do offer a break from the button pounding, they don't do enough to make the title stand out. Making matters worse is that the analog control in these events is either too sensitive or too sluggish. The graphics in Sydney 2000 are nice, but not as polished as Virtua Athlete 2000. The animations of the athletes are noteworthy, and there are little touches that make the overall package visually pleasing. The sound is above average as well. All and all, the presentation is what you expect on a next-generation console. Despite the official licensing, Sydney 2000 fails to engage even fans of the genre because of inconsistent and repetitive gameplay. Those looking for the best track and field game on the Dreamcast will want to play Virtua Athlete 2000 instead. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide

While there are twelve events to compete in, most of them are won the same way: by tapping buttons over and over. Not a lot of variety here, unfortunately. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide

The music is fine, but the sound effects for the different events could have used some more work to give them more distinct personality. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide

In the end, most of this game involves repeatedly banging on buttons, with some poorly designed events tossed in. ~ Jon Thompson, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.