Sports Champions
Encyclopedia
Sports Champions is a 2010
sports
video game developed by San Diego Studio and Zindagi Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment
for PlayStation 3
, which utilizes PlayStation Move. It was officially unveiled at the 2010 Game Developers Conference
in San Francisco. The game is a collection of modern and medieval sports games published by Sony Computer Entertainment
and is jointly developed by San Diego Studio and Zindagi Games as a launch game for the PlayStation Move which would be bundled with the controller in several regions.
s. However unlike Wii Sports
, a similar collection of sports games for the Wii
, the game consists of a series of modern as well as medieval sports. The game deviates from the norm by including uncommon sports such as Disc Golf
and Bocce
.
Unlike Wii Sports
, Wii Sports Resort
and Kinect Sports
, players can't make their own avatar
. Players can choose to participate as one of ten athletes in the various events. The game features three gameplay modes, Free Play, Challenge Mode and Champion Cup mode. In Free Play mode, players can play practice matches with their choice of gameplay options. Challenge mode allows players to compete in a series of events to increase their high scores. In Champion Cup mode, players compete against ten other athletes in an Olympic-like
event to become the ultimate champion. Players can also take part in the various modes along with up to three other friends in the game's multiplayer mode.
score of 76 out of 100. 1UP.com
gave the game an A- saying that "But is Sports Champions a "killer app?" Not exactly, but, as you might guess, the multiplayer is a lot more fun than single-player." Joystiq
gave the game 4.5 out of 5 saying that "Sports Champions is a great pack-in for Move and well worth buying on its own if you go the a la carte route with the hardware." Game Informer
gave the game 7.75 out of 10 saying that "Despite some missteps, Sports Champions is a solid offering for gamers, provided you can accept the shallow nature of a compilation such as this". IGN
gave the game a mixed review of 7.5 out of 10 saying "Sports Champions is fun, but it’s rough around the edges. The gameplay is solid for the most part and will provide you with some good times." GameSpot
also gave the game a mixed review with a score of 7.5 out of 10 saying "Sports Champions is undoubtedly one of the strongest launch offerings for the PlayStation Move hardware. This isn't a game that you're likely to play solo for any serious amount of time, but it's certainly one that you'll keep coming back to in short bursts and anytime you have interested friends or relatives visiting."
2010 in video gaming
The year 2010 has seen many sequels and prequels in video games, including several new titles.-Events:-Game releases:List of games scheduled for release in 2010 in North America....
sports
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
video game developed by San Diego Studio and Zindagi Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
for PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, which utilizes PlayStation Move. It was officially unveiled at the 2010 Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
in San Francisco. The game is a collection of modern and medieval sports games published by Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
and is jointly developed by San Diego Studio and Zindagi Games as a launch game for the PlayStation Move which would be bundled with the controller in several regions.
Gameplay
The game involves the player taking part in six unique sports gameSports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
s. However unlike Wii Sports
Wii Sports
is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...
, a similar collection of sports games for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, the game consists of a series of modern as well as medieval sports. The game deviates from the norm by including uncommon sports such as Disc Golf
Disc golf
Disc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
and Bocce
Bocce
Bocce is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire...
.
Unlike Wii Sports
Wii Sports
is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...
, Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort has received generally favorable reviews, with an average score on Metacritic of 80%. IGN gave it a 7.7 out of 10, citing the impressive fidelity of the controls and how the graphics, as compared to the majority of Wii games, were superb. GameTrailers gave an 8.6 out of 10....
and Kinect Sports
Kinect Sports
Kinect Sports is a sports video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. The game utilises the Kinect motion-sensing peripheral and was released in North America, Europe, Australasia and Japan in November 2010 as a launch title for Kinect.The game is a...
, players can't make their own avatar
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
. Players can choose to participate as one of ten athletes in the various events. The game features three gameplay modes, Free Play, Challenge Mode and Champion Cup mode. In Free Play mode, players can play practice matches with their choice of gameplay options. Challenge mode allows players to compete in a series of events to increase their high scores. In Champion Cup mode, players compete against ten other athletes in an Olympic-like
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
event to become the ultimate champion. Players can also take part in the various modes along with up to three other friends in the game's multiplayer mode.
Sports
- Table tennisTable tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
- In Table Tennis, players use a Move controller accurately as a paddle which allows players to volley very precisely, perform heavy spins, lobs and slams. The PlayStation EyePlayStation EyeThe PlayStation Eye is a digital camera device, similar to a webcam, for the PlayStation 3. The technology uses computer vision and gesture recognition to process images taken by the camera. This allows players to interact with games using motion and color detection as well as sound through its...
also monitors the player's body location to see how the player is positioned to adjust their character's orientation as well as position from the table. The precision of the Move also allows players to serve slices and spins accurately.
- Beach VolleyballBeach volleyballBeach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
- With this sport, the player has no direct control over where the on screen character starts the match or stands. Instead of focusing on the placement of the character, the player is meant to concentrate on bumping, setting and spiking the ball. All of these three motions are not complicated, but the key to playing this game is timing. A coloured circle appears around the ball when it is coming to the player, and the size and colour of it lets the player know when it's best to make a motion and deliver a strike. This game is playable with both one or two Move controllers.
- GladiatorGladiatorA gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
Duel
- This sport allows players to use one or two Move controllers. When using two controllers, one controls a weapon such as a giant MalletMalletA mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
, or various swords like a short sword, or a katanaKatanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
and the other controls a BucklerBucklerA buckler is a small shield, 15 to 45 cm in diameter, gripped in the fist; it was generally used as a companion weapon in hand-to-hand combat during the Medieval and Renaissance, as its size made it poor protection against missile weapons but useful in deflecting the blow of...
which resembles a shieldShieldA shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
that becomes smaller when the opponent hits it. When using one controller the T button is used to present the buckler. Players can fill up a power meter to unleash a three-hit combo on their opponent. Other controls include players putting their hands on their hips to taunt the enemy as well as holding down the trigger and swinging the controller up to jump. The game will feature a wide-array of enemies as well as a large assortment of unlockable weapons including some unusually strange weapons.
- Disc golfDisc golfDisc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
- In this game the player's objective is to throw a FrisbeeFrisbeeA flying disc is a disc-shaped glider that is generally plastic and roughly in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating....
down a golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
-like course and try to get their Frisbee into the bucket before the opponent does. The Move detects the angle of the Frisbee, the power of the throw and the snap of the release, making it a very realistic experience.
- BocceBocceBocce is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire...
- In Bocce, two people take turns throwing wooden balls at a similar looking, albeit smaller wooden ball located down the field from the players. The person who gets their ball(s) closer to the smaller ball wins the point (or, if they have multiple balls that are the closest to the smaller ball, they can win multiple points). The player can also hit an opponent's ball so it rolls in any given direction, either further away or closer to the target ball. The Move detects the weight, spin and release of each throw, and then translates that into the direction and movement of the ball.
- ArcheryArcheryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
- This is another sport in the game that allows a player to use either one or two Move controllers. When using two, the player hold one Move controller as if it were a bow, and the other as if it were an arrow. The player must reach back behind them and press and hold the T button to pull an arrow out of their quiver, notch the arrow by putting the two Move controllers next to each other, pull back with the Move that is controlling the arrow, and finally once the player has the desired tension, they must release the T button to fire the arrow. Depending on how far back you pull the arrow; the further it goes. When using one controller you reach back the same way, but to notch you simply point the Move controller straight out towards the screen.
Reception
The game has received mainly positive reviews from critics, with a MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
score of 76 out of 100. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
gave the game an A- saying that "But is Sports Champions a "killer app?" Not exactly, but, as you might guess, the multiplayer is a lot more fun than single-player." Joystiq
Joystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
gave the game 4.5 out of 5 saying that "Sports Champions is a great pack-in for Move and well worth buying on its own if you go the a la carte route with the hardware." Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
gave the game 7.75 out of 10 saying that "Despite some missteps, Sports Champions is a solid offering for gamers, provided you can accept the shallow nature of a compilation such as this". IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the game a mixed review of 7.5 out of 10 saying "Sports Champions is fun, but it’s rough around the edges. The gameplay is solid for the most part and will provide you with some good times." GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
also gave the game a mixed review with a score of 7.5 out of 10 saying "Sports Champions is undoubtedly one of the strongest launch offerings for the PlayStation Move hardware. This isn't a game that you're likely to play solo for any serious amount of time, but it's certainly one that you'll keep coming back to in short bursts and anytime you have interested friends or relatives visiting."
External links
- Official page at PlayStation.com
- Official page at zindagigames.com