ESPN Extreme Games

Last updated
ESPN Extreme Games
ESPN Extreme Games cover.jpg
Developer(s) Sony Interactive Studios America
Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment
Programmer(s) Mark Lyons
Bob Gordon
Artist(s) Joe Brisbois
Platform(s) PlayStation, MS-DOS
ReleasePlayStation
MS-DOS
  • NA: February 27, 1996 [3]
  • EU: 1996
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

ESPN Extreme Games (later renamed 1Xtreme due to the ESPN license expiring for Sony) is a game released for the PlayStation in 1995. A version was released for MS-DOS a short time later. The game featured all the sports included in the Summer X-Games of 1995, but it did not feature events such as 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 .

Contents

Like other titles released during the console's early life, the game was available in a large CD jewel case, like the ones used for the Sega CD and Sega Saturn games.

The game was subsequently renamed 1Xtreme (as a way of indicating it's a predecessor to 2Xtreme) when it was released in the Greatest Hits line, as the ESPN license had expired. The ESPN logo and company name were removed from its title, and game content referring to ESPN was removed as well.

Gameplay

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).

Video clips of broadcaster Suzy Kolber are displayed after each race, in which she offers words of encouragement or pointed criticism of your performance.

Reception

Roughly a year after the game's release, Electronic Gaming Monthly reported that ESPN Extreme Games was the biggest selling Sony-published PlayStation game worldwide. [4]

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. [5] 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. [6] A brief review in Next Generation said it was "not bad" and scored it three out of five stars. [7] Computer Game Review described the computer port as a "good conversion from the Sony PlayStation that's worth checking out." [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation (console)</span> Home video game console by Sony

The PlayStation is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released in Japan on 3 December 1994, in North America on 9 September 1995, in Europe on 29 September 1995, and in Australia on 15 November 1995. As a fifth-generation console, the PlayStation primarily competed with the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn.

<i>Discworld</i> (video game) A point-and-click adventure game

Discworld is a point-and-click adventure game developed by Teeny Weeny Games and Perfect 10 Productions and published by Psygnosis. It is based on Terry Pratchett's novels of the same name. Players assume the role of Rincewind the "wizzard", voiced by Eric Idle, as he becomes involved in exploring the Discworld for the means to prevent a dragon terrorising the city of Ankh-Morpork. The game's story borrows elements from several Discworld novels, with its central plot loosely based on the events in Guards! Guards!

Wipeout is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing video games developed by Studio Liverpool.

<i>Wipeout 2097</i> 1996 racing video game

Wipeout 2097 is a racing video game developed and published by Psygnosis. It is the second installment released in the Wipeout series and the direct sequel of the original game released the previous year. It was originally released in 1996 for the PlayStation, and in 1997 for Microsoft Windows and the Sega Saturn. It was later ported by Digital Images to the Amiga in 1999 and by Coderus to Mac OS in 2002.

<i>Hi-Octane</i> 1995 video game

Hi-Octane is a vehicular combat and racing video game published in 1995 for MS-DOS compatible operating systems, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn. It was developed by Bullfrog Productions based upon their earlier Magic Carpet game code.

<i>Destruction Derby</i> 1995 video game

Destruction Derby is a vehicular combat racing video game developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Psygnosis. Based on the sport of demolition derby, the game tasks the player with racing and destroying cars to score points. The developers implemented simulated physics to make the results of collisions easier to predict, and they kept the game's tracks small to increase the number of wrecks. Versions of Destruction Derby were released for MS-DOS, PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Critics found Destruction Derby enjoyable and they praised its graphics and car damage system, but the Sega Saturn releases received mixed reviews. The game started the Destruction Derby franchise, beginning with its 1996 sequel, Destruction Derby 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Imagesoft</span> Former American video game publisher

Sony Imagesoft Inc. was an American video game publisher that operated from 1989 to 1995 and was located in California. It was established in January 1989 in Los Angeles, California, as a subsidiary of the Japan-based CBS/Sony Group (CSG) and initially named CSG Imagesoft Inc. Their focus at the beginning was on marketing games exclusively for Nintendo consoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psygnosis</span> British video game company, 1984–2012

Psygnosis Limited was a British video game developer and publisher headquartered at Wavertree Technology Park in Liverpool. Founded in 1984 by Ian Hetherington, Jonathan Ellis, and David Lawson, the company initially became known for well-received games on the Atari ST and Amiga. In 1993, it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and began developing games for the original PlayStation. It later became a part of SCE Worldwide Studios. The company was the oldest and second largest development house within SCE's European stable of developers, and became best known for franchises such as Lemmings, Wipeout, Formula One, and Colony Wars.

<i>Viewpoint</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Viewpoint is an isometric-scrolling shooter arcade game developed by Aicom and originally released in 1992 by Sammy and SNK for the Neo Geo hardware family. It was met with a highly positive critical response upon release for its cutting-edge visuals and hip hop-influenced soundtrack, though later ports for the Sega Genesis and Sony PlayStation saw much more mixed reviews.

<i>Wipeout</i> (video game) 1995 racing video game

Wipeout is a racing video game developed and published by Psygnosis. It is the first game in the Wipeout series. It was originally released in 1995 for PlayStation and DOS, and in 1996 for Sega Saturn, being a launch title for the PlayStation in Europe. It was re-released as a downloadable game for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable via the PlayStation Network in 2007.

<i>The Need for Speed</i> 1994 video game

The Need for Speed is a street racing game developed by EA Canada, originally known as Pioneer Productions, and published by Electronic Arts for 3DO in 1994. It allows driving eight licensed sports cars in three point-to-point tracks either with or without a computer opponent. Checkpoints, traffic vehicles, and police pursuits appear in the races.

<i>Formula 1</i> (video game) 1996 video game

Formula 1 is a racing video game developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Psygnosis for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the first installment in Sony's Formula One series.

<i>Assault Rigs</i> 1996 video game

Assault Rigs is a vehicular combat game developed and published by Psygnosis and released in 1996 for MS-DOS compatible operating systems and PlayStation. It was released a year later for the Sega Saturn in Japan. The game takes place in the future, where real sport has been overtaken in favour of virtual sport, the most popular of which is Assault Rigs, a tank simulator set inside a 3D virtual environment.

<i>2Xtreme</i> 1996 video game

2Xtreme is a racing game released for the PlayStation in 1996 and a sequel to ESPN Extreme Games. Unlike the original, the game does not bear ESPN licensing. In it, the player races against others in various events around the world using Rollerblading, skateboarding, biking, and snowboarding. A sequel, 3Xtreme, was released in 1999.

<i>Novastorm</i> 1994 rail shooter video game

Novastorm is a rail shooter video game developed and published by Psygnosis in 1994. A version for the FM-Towns/Marty systems had previously been released under the name Scavenger 4.

<i>Krazy Ivan</i> 1996 video game

Krazy Ivan is a mecha first-person shooter video game developed and published by Psygnosis. It was released for Windows, Sega Saturn and PlayStation in 1996.

<i>Motocross Championship</i> 1995 video game

Motocross Championship is a racing video game developed by Artech Studios for the 32X. It was released in 1995. The premise of the game is based on motocross racing across twelve different tracks, while being able to attack opponents during the race. Motocross Championship received mixed reviews, with criticism on multiple aspects of the game. Some reviewers have suggested the game's quality impacts the 32X negatively.

<i>3Xtreme</i> 1999 video game

3Xtreme is a racing game released for the PlayStation in 1999. As with 2Xtreme, 3Xtreme contains skateboarding, skating, and cycling options to reach the goal before opponent players.

<i>FIFA Soccer 96</i> 1995 video game

FIFA Soccer 96 is a football simulation video game developed by Extended Play Productions and released by Electronic Arts in 1995. It was released for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, Sega 32X, Game Gear, PlayStation, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems.

<i>Road Rash</i> (1994 video game) 1994 racing video game

Road Rash is a 1994 racing and vehicular combat video game originally published by Electronic Arts (EA) for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. A version for the Sega CD was developed simultaneously and released in 1995 to act as a "bridge" between the 3DO version and the Sega Genesis title Road Rash 3, and the game was subsequently ported to the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Microsoft Windows in 1996. The game is the third installment in the Road Rash series, and is centered around a series of motorcycle races throughout California that the player must win to advance to higher-difficulty races, while engaging in unarmed and armed combat to hinder the other racers.

References

  1. 1 2 ESPN Extreme Games (PS1) at GameFAQs
  2. ↑ "Top of the Tree". The Daily Telegraph . December 8, 1995. p. 17. Retrieved January 30, 2024. Coming Soon//Warhawk//ESPN Extreme Games//Release Date 15th December
  3. ↑ "ESPN Extreme Games™ for PC Now Available From Psygnosis". Psygnosis . February 27, 1996. Archived from the original on October 22, 1996. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Tidbits". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 87. Ziff Davis. October 1996. p. 26.
  5. ↑ "Shred the Streets with Extreme Games". GamePro . No. 86. IDG. November 1995. p. 107.
  6. ↑ "Maximum Reviews: ESPN Extreme Games". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. No. 2. Emap International Limited. 1995. p. 153.
  7. ↑ "Every PlayStation Game Played, Reviewed, and Rated". Next Generation . No. 25. Imagine Media. January 1997. p. 57.
  8. ↑ Snyder, Frank; Chapman, Ted; Gehrs, Scott (April 1996). "Virtual Road Rash". Computer Game Review . Archived from the original on December 21, 1996.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.