Beijing Olympics 2008

by Sega Of America, Inc.

Product Features

• As the exclusive official video game, Beijing 2008 offers over 30 official events and national teams
• Create the atmosphere of the Olympic Host City in your own home
• Sports include: Track & Field, Aquatics, Gymnastics, Cycling, Judo, Table Tennis and Canoe-Kayak
• Online features including exhibition events and leaderboards
• New gameplay mechanics including time, rhythm, and targeting based systems

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0015AT8G6
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 8, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,923 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Amazon.com

In Beijing 2008: The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games, players will embrace the competitive spirit of the world’s most prestigious sporting event and represent their country as they compete for the highest honor--the Gold Medal. Appearing on next generation consoles, the game promises to deliver a far more entertaining and immersive Olympic experience with superior graphics capturing the detail of each event where a fraction of a second means the difference between winning and losing. With brand new gameplay mechanics challenging their speed, time and coordination, players will strive to break records alone or with up to seven friends online as they lead the US team to victory in 38 authentic Olympic events. This summer, everyone will want to show their patriotism and bring home the Gold.

Features:

• Over 30 Official Events and National Teams: Across 10 authentic-looking stadiums, players will represent the country of their choice and compete in such sports as Track & Field, Aquatics, Gymnastics, Cycling, Judo, Table Tennis and Canoe-Kayak for the highest honor.
• In-Depth Olympic Games and Competition Modes: In Olympic Games mode, players will organize their daily schedule and customize their national teams with agility, power, stamina and speed for competition in 38 events. With up to three friends, players will participate in either single or multi-event challenges in Competition mode.
• New Gameplay Mechanics: There are a variety of controls across all events, including a time-based system where timing, power and angle are essential, a rhythm-based method that requires increasing and sustaining speed, and a targeting system to aid players in accurately hitting targets.
• In the Zone: Pulls players right into the athlete’s mind, getting them closer to the action and giving them time to accurately control every move.
• Global Online Competition: As a member of the aspiring US Olympic Team, players will face challengers from across nations. A multitude of online features, including exhibition events, and leaderboards will allow players to prove themselves before the world.
• Capturing the Olympic Spirit: As the exclusive official video game, Beijing 2008 offers an authentic look and feel of the Games, ultra-realistic recreations of the Beijing stadiums and a chance to soak up the atmosphere from the Olympic Host City in your own home.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Be prepared to ruin your controllers, October 14, 2008

By 

Brian - See all my reviews

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Beijing Olympics 2008 (Video Game)

Since the Olympics are over, I got a great deal on this game and decided to give it a try. I was hoping the gameplay would be more modern than the button mashing games but it actually is worse.

There are 38 games total, most are either fusturating, tiring or both.

All games that involve running such as all track events and many field events require you to either button mash the X and Circle buttons or move the right and left analog sticks back an forth. Cycling requires you to rotate either the left or analog stick for around 4 minutes. After 2 days and maybe 90 minutes total of playing this game, I noticed the analog sticks on my controller were a lot more loose compared the way they were before I opened the game. I am sure if I keep playing these events, the controller will be worn down very quickly.

All events that require a starting timer like running and swimming have a meter. This meter either almost always gives you a false start or you end up starting the race too late and can't catch up.

Other events such as Floor Exercises use the timing of the buttons but don't give you enough notice of what button needs to be pressed.

Some events like Archery are fun except that you need an almost perfect score just to advance past the first round.

Overall, the game can be fun at times but most of the time you are going to be fusturated and in the process ruining your controller or controllers if you play multiplayer mode.

20 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If you like Pina Coladas..., July 18, 2008

By 

gllcanon "gllcanon" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Beijing Olympics 2008 (Video Game)

If you like repetitive key punching, then have a couple pina coladas and you might find this entertaining. Maybe I'm too hard on it, this is best suited for a family get-together, with young kids, for setting the Olympic mood. But it really amounts little more than repetitive key punching, to the extent you wonder if you're going to brake your gamepads. Its not all that different from the Apple IIe's key-banging equivolent circa 1983, but the graphics have thankfully improved somewhat in the last 25 yrs -- too bad gameplay hasn't. I guess it's just difficult to make a good Olympics game, b/c no one ever pulls it off.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Button Masher, December 16, 2008

By 

kindasorta - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Beijing Olympics 2008 (Video Game)

Having grown up in the Atari age with stuff like 'Decathlon' and then later with 'Track and Field' on the NES, I think I can appreciate a button mashing sports game like this game more than alot of people can. It's not rocket science gameplay here...it all comes down to how fast you can tap the buttons, twirl the control sticks, aim, or press the right button combinations. So for today's sports game fan...it may be too 'simple.'

Quite honestly, I think sports games have gotten too complex anyways. Theres too much focus on strategy and pressing 6 button combos to perform one particular move. A game like this is actually a refreshing step into retro-style gaming. For the bargain price it is now, it's a cool collection of about 50 Olympic mini-games that you can mess around with for an hour and then leave it. If you're looking for something with more depth, you're better off looking elsewhere. But if you want simple, NES-era button mashing fun (that will make your arm sore), give this one a look. It's not nearly as bad as its made out to be. It's just a matter of preference.

Altho I WILL admit that the kayak controls stink...

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