Skiing (Atari 2600)
| Skiing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Activision |
| Publisher(s) | Activision |
| Designer(s) | Bob Whitehead |
| Platform(s) | Atari 2600 |
| Release date(s) | 1980 |
| Genre(s) | Sport |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Skiing is a video game cartridge for the Atari 2600 console.[1] It was authored by Bob Whitehead, and released by Activision in 1980.[2]
Skiing is a single player only game, in which the player uses the joystick to control the direction and speed of a stationary skier at the top of the screen, while the background graphics scroll upwards, thus giving the illusion the skier is moving. The player must avoid obstacles, such as trees and moguls. The game cartridge was programmed with five variations each of two principal games. In the downhill mode, the player's goal is to reach the bottom of the ski course as rapidly as possible, while a timer records his relative success. In the slalom mode, the player must similarly reach the end of the course as rapidly as he can, but must at the same time pass through a series of gates (indicated by a pair of closely spaced flagpoles). Each gate missed counts as a penalty against the player's time.[3]
Ports
Skiing was made available on Microsoft's Game Room service for its Xbox 360 console and for Windows-based PCs in June 2010.
Promotion
Skiing was promoted via a memorable televised advertisement at the time of its release. The 30-second spot featured a man demonstrating how to play the game (including the various obstacles into which a player can crash), while speaking in a stereotypical French accent.[4] The commercial ends with a close-up of the game box, with the man's voice heard off-screen (now speaking in a general American accent) saying, "I think I hurt myself," in reference to his numerous virtual crashes.
References
- ↑ http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SoftwareLabelID=434 Atari Age. "Atari 2600 - Skiing (Activision)," (retrieved on March 16th, 2009).
- ↑ http://www.atariage.com/cart_page.html?SoftwareLabelID=434 Atari Age. "Atari 2600 Cartridge Scans - Skiing (Activision)," (retrieved on March 16th, 2009).
- ↑ http://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/skiing Moby Games. "Skiing for Atari 2600," (retrieved on March 16th, 2009).
- ↑ http://www.retrogamingtimes.com/rtm21 Moby Games. "Retrogaming Times Monthly," (retrieved on January 15th, 2011).