Ambitious back when that wasn't overly risky.

User Rating: 8 | Caveman Ugh-lympics C64
Nowadays EA is known as being the biggest or baddest or worst or whatever angle you want to take on it, but bottom line they are the A-list of the A-list as far as gaming companies. Its the moves they did back in the 80s and such that helped get them there of course. Ambitious games for the sake of being ambitious, be they in concept or design, were welcomed back then much more than they are now. Caveman Ugh-Lympics is such a game, taking a no-brainer concept and really running with it.

The premise is simple and brilliant: ancient olympics. Not just "Ancient Greece" though, but neanderthals and dinosaurs. Its cartoony, silly and perfect in keeping with the concept itself. Its not really a competitor to Epyx's amazing array of multi-event classics, and yet sits beside them quite nicely in its own way.

You've got your basic characters who compete in events, from mate toss to fire making, some speed events which see you either racing dinosaurs or outrunning sabre-tooth tigers, and ones like clubbing. The events are as simple as they sound, with clubbing resembling an American Gladiators podium joust, etc., and all have unique control schemes that keep things varied.

The music was great fun, the graphics colourful and expressive, and the overall game was just addicting sillyness. The latter ports entitled Caveman Games never lived up to the original though, however a modern day sequel would likely fair rather well with the Wii's control scheme, though I must admit a super realistic looking version on the 360 would be quite the site.

All in all, recommended for classic gaming fans.