Summer Games (1984) marked the beginning of Epyx’s legendary “Games” series and remains one of the most influential multi-event sports titles of its era. Inspired in part by Sweat! The Decathlon Game—a Starpath Supercharger title that was canceled during the video game crash of 1983—Summer Games evolved into a more ambitious project following Epyx’s acquisition of Starpath. Several former Starpath developers, including Sweat! programmer Scott Nelson, played a key role in its creation. Designed for up to eight players, the game allows each participant to choose a country and compete for medals in a virtual Olympics. Events include platform diving, pole vault, sprinting, freestyle swimming, skeet shooting, and gymnastics. Players can compete in all events sequentially, choose a subset, or practice individually. While the roster of events varies slightly by platform, the core gameplay loop revolves around quick reflexes, precision timing, and national pride. The Commodore 64 version featured floppy disk support for saving world records and even offered integration with Summer Games II for a mega-tournament. It sold over 250,000 copies and established Epyx as a powerhouse in sports simulation, paving the way for later titles like Winter Games and World Games. Critics praised its competitive energy and crisp graphics, and the game is still remembered fondly as a benchmark for the genre.

This is it.  The game that started the entire Games Series for Epyx, and one of the most iconic, important, and memorable titles in the history of video games.   We’re working with a top game studio right now to revive California Games and California Games II, and want to work with another studio to revive Summer Games and Summer Games II in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.   If you’re a studio looking to work on a truly iconic title in gaming history, please reach out to us.