The Games '92: España

About

The Games '92: España is a sports management and simulation title that follows the lead-up to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Players oversee 12 athletes across preparation and competition phases. Early on you balance training regimens and practice sessions to build performance stats. During events you control athletes in real time using cursor keys and the spacebar to time movements and actions. The game covers 22 events grouped into six core disciplines like running throwing and swimming. Each activity uses similar input mechanics but shifts focus between timing strength and precision based on the sport. A database section offers historical info on past Olympics and details about Barcelona's event venues. The game stands out for its hands-on approach to athlete development and the rhythmic control scheme that demands timing over complex strategy. While the 22 events are variations on six core gameplay loops the inclusion of less common sports like judo and pole vault adds some variety. Running on DOS Amiga and Atari ST it captures a pre-3D era of sports games where simplicity in controls matched the era's technical limits. Players familiar with '90s sports simulations may notice the lack of deep customization but the direct link to the 1992 Olympics gives it a specific historical context not common in later titles.

Storyline

Track and Field: running, relay, hurdles, steeplechase, discus, shot putt, hammer throw, javelin, long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault; Water Sports: free style, breast stroke, back stroke, butterfly, relay, diving; Fighting: boxing, wrestling, judo, fencing. Eliminating the different distances in single events (such as 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle), though, The Games' "over 30 events" melt down to 22; and counting only those which differ to some degree in their execution, it boils down to six: running, throwing, jumping, swimming, diving and fighting.