The Aquatic Games: Starring James Pond and the Aquabats

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The Aquatic Games drops James Pond into a bizarre underwater competition filled with slapstick chaos and arcadey challenges. Instead of fighting villains, you and up to three friends play as Pond’s fishy squad, racing and leaping through 10 goofy events like the Aqua Run and the Deep Diving Dash. The controls feel loose and floaty, blending platforming jumps with sporty timing as you dodge obstacles and outpace rivals. Split-screen multiplayer lets everyone pile in for chaotic local battles, though the sheer randomness of the levels might have you laughing as much as you’re playing. This 1992 oddity was EA’s attempt to cash in on James Pond’s early fame, and it shows. It launched on SNES, Genesis, and even older PCs, with pixelated visuals that still feel charmingly retro. The real draw is the multiplayer, where up to four players could bicker over controller placement while fighting for that Goldfish medal. While not as beloved as its baddie-bashing predecessors, it’s a cult classic for its sheer absurdity. The events mix platforming precision with luck-based item drops, and the developers clearly had zero idea what they were doing, which somehow makes it better.