California Games appeared in many versions, for multiple systems. But the one I played the most was for the Atari Lynx. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it was the only good game for that six-AA-battery system.
I still have mine, miraculously. I guess I was a spoiled kid to have one of those... it was pretty cool but didn't have many good games. Plus it ate batteries like a starved beast.
But when I did play my Lynx, I played the surfing part of Califonia games. I was never crazy about the halfpipe or hack n sack parts. I did play the BMX though, and was pretty good at that. But I was a master surfer.
The colors were very vibrant on the Lynx, and the surfing game looked great. The blue of the ocean was quite beautiful for a handheld. You were given a time limit to surf and do as many tricks as you could. Part of it ws just button mashing, but there was an art to it too. I had a lot of fun with it.
But now it's only a memory.
Surfing definitely looks better than BMX from what I see on those YouTubes.
yeah I was always impressed when I was a kid with how good it looked.
Played this on NES. I just stuck to BMX, roller skating, and sometimes the disc throwing games. I sucked at all the others.
BMX was definitely fun too.
I remember Calfiornia Games being huge back when I was a kid. I saw it everywhere for a while. Don't think I ever played it, though. I did play some games LIKE it back in the day, though, like Skate or Die and T&C Surf Designs. But only for a little bit. LIke, I'd go over to a friend's house and they had rented it or something.
I remember Skate or Die and T&C. I never owned those either but my friends did.
My friend really likes the Lynx because it's big and fits in his hands. I thought it looked cool but I don't remember ever playing it.