ESPN Extreme Games
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| ESPN Extreme Games 1Xtreme | |
|---|---|
 Japanese PlayStation cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Sony Interactive Studios America |
| Publisher(s) | SCEA |
| Programmer(s) | Mark Lyons |
| Artist(s) | Joe Brisbois |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, MS-DOS |
| Release | PlayStation: MS-DOS: |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
ESPN Extreme Games (later renamed 1Xtreme due to the ESPN license expiring for Sony) was a game released for the PlayStation in 1995. A version was released for the PC's MS-DOS operating system a short time later. The game featured all the sports included in the Summer X-Games of 1995, but it did not feature events like the half pipe in skateboarding. It was similar to Road Rash, which was a game published by Electronic Arts. The game was followed by two sequels, 2Xtreme and 3Xtreme.
Description
The game featured many different sports, including skateboarding, roller blading, street luge and mountain biking. The tracks start at one end of a city, and progress along a linear path to another point of the city. Players kick and punch opponents while trying to obtain cash, attaining first place. The tracks are located in various parts of the world (I.e. including Tahoe and San Francisco). The game was available in a large cd jewel case, like the ones used for the Sega CD games.
The game was subsequently renamed 1Xtreme when it was released in the Greatest Hits line because the ESPN license was expired. The ESPN logo and company name were removed from its title. Game content referring to ESPN was also removed.
Reception
Reviewing the PlayStation version, Air Hendrix of GamePro said ESPN Extreme Games "doesn't push the limits of 32-bit graphics and gameplay, but it does take you on a thrilling ride." He elaborated that the game suffers from "rocky" scrolling and overly pixelated graphics and has few tracks compared to the similar Road Rash, but that details in the graphics "keep the action realistic" and the racing is sufficiently intense.[3] Maximum gave it four out of five stars, remarking that "being able to kick the stuffing out of anyone who dares to try and pass you (especially those racing bikes) makes it a wholly fulfilling experience." They also praised the texture mapping and graphical details, though they criticized the small number of tracks and said the game does not measure up to Ridge Racer or Wipeout, both already released on the PlayStation.[4]
References
- ^ a b c ESPN Extreme Games (PS1) at GameFAQs
- ^ ESPN Extreme Games (MS-DOS) at GameFAQs
- ^ "Shred the Streets with Extreme Games". GamePro (86). IDG: 107. November 1995.
- ^ "Maximum Reviews: ESPN Extreme Games". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (2). Emap International Limited: 153. 1995.
See also
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