California Games

Table of Contents

BETTER WEAR SHADES!..................................1

GETTING STARTED......................................2

PLAYING THE GAMES....................................3

  BMX Bike Racing....................................4

  Surfing............................................5

  Half Pipe Skateboarding............................7

  Foot Bag...........................................9

HIGH SCORE SCREENS..................................12

CALIFORNIA SPOKEN HERE..............................13

BETTER WEAR SHADES!

Warning: If you are prone to sunburn, we strongly recommend that you apply a good sunscreen before attempting to play California Games.

Welcome to California, dude. Home of, like, the most radical sports in the Milky Way. Rad, bad, and totally aggro. You are about to hit the sand, turf, and asphalt of the Golden State to go for trophies in everything from surfing to bike racing. California Games is the ultimate in athletic competition. You compete in the hottest sports around for the gnarliest sponsors west of the Sierras.

So bleach your hair, slide into that wetsuit, and load your stick in the back of the van. You are about to have the most fun you've had since Mom ran over your skateboard. California Games takes you from the surf to the turf. Are you, like, gonna love it, or what?

Begin your quest for an endless summer in Hollywood, where you will catch air skateboarding on the totally tubular Half Pipe. Then cruise to San Francisco for some killer footwork on the high-flyin' Foot Bag. After that, hit the beach for the most radical sport in California, the crown jewel of coastal competition, Surfing. You will shoot the tube and carve the biggest breakers of any hot-dogger around.

Over the dirt track, you'll hit top speed on your BMX Racing Bike. Your moves had, like better be bad. That's four massive, totally rad events. You're gonna have your hands full. Not to mention your feet.

Take part in the wildest games of the all -- California Games. You will really get into it. It's only, like, the most totally awesome game in the world. For sure.

GETTING STARTED

California Games is a sports simulation for one or two players. Follow these instructions to start the game:

1. With your system switched off, insert the California Games game card as directed in the Lynx Owner's Manual.

Warning: Do not touch game card connector pins. Avoid contact with static and extreme heat. Do not bend, crush, or attempt to clean the game card.

2. Follow the instructions for Single Player or Two Player to start the game.

SINGLE PLAYER:
- Press ON. The title screen appears.
- To continue the events menu, press A or B. The events menu offers a choice of options.
TWO PLAYER:
- Each player must have a California Games game card and an Atari Lynx.
- With both Lynx systems switched off, follow the instructions in the Lynx Owner's Manual to connect the Comlynx Cable.
- After connecting the entertainment systems, turn on the power. Try to switch on the entertainment systems as quickly as possible. The first one on is the Master and gets to select the options. So, like, be fast, dude!
- If both Lynx systems are not turned on within seven seconds, it's like, a total wipeout and you'll have to try again.
- The Master presses A to continue to the Events menu. The Master then determines the event selection and order.

3. Select an event by pressing the joypad up or down to highlight your choice, then press A or B.

To enhance play, the following optional game controls allow you to modify the display, control music output, pause, and restart the game:

To flip the screen 180 degrees and reverse the controls, press OPTION 2 and PAUSE at the same time.
To pause the game, press PAUSE. Repeat to resume play.
To return to the title screen and restart the game, press OPTION 1 and PAUSE.

PLAYING THE GAMES

California Games is a challenge of skills for one or two players. The object of the game is to get the highest score in each individual event. Players can also compete for the top score in overall competition.

California Games includes four exciting events: Half Pipe Skateboard, Foot Bag, Surfing, and BMX Bike Racing. Improve your skills, compete with family and friends, and become a California Champion.

To prepare for the awesome challenges of the California Games, wax your board and slip into your jams, then let the games, like, begin!

BMX Bike Racing

BMX stands for Bicycle Motocross. It also stands for radical action and gnarly competition. Riders use strong, lightweight bicycles to race on an action-packed course in the California desert. There are plenty of jumps, bumps, and dips. Watch out for the whoop-ti-dos (long rows of low bumps). You will need a good speed, a good sense of timing, and a heavy dose of endurance.

Cover the course in the fastest possible time, performing stunts and avoiding or jumping over obstacles. The fastest daredevil rider wins the event.

                       Steer Left
                  __  /
               __(  )/_
     Brake ---(__(  )__)--- Start and increase speed forward
                 (__)\
                      \
                       Steer Right

Buttons:  A:  Jump/Get back on bike
          B:  Flip

If you crash, press A to get back on the bike.

Note: Timing is important to perform stunts and jumps. You must time the start and finish of each move to complete it successfully. If you land off-balance, you will crash.

STRATEGY

Keep your speed up, but slow down to avoid some obstacles.

Start a flip as you reach the edge of a cliff or bump.

Jump over obstacles or small ditches.

SCORING

Try to complete the course within the one minute and 30 second time limit. The faster you time, the higher your score will be.

You also get points for flips: 10 points for a single, 50 points for a double, 100 points for a triple, 200 points for a quadruple. You receive a 25% bonus if you finish the course on time. You get big points for jumping off cliffs.

When you complete the course, you get 1 point for each second left in the time limit, so finishing the course in the fastest possible time is important. But the highest scores go to the riders who perform the most daring stunts.

Surfing

Surfing began in Hawaii as the sport of kings; now it rules the California coastline. From Santa Cruz to Rincon Point, surfers and their colorful boards dot the miles of sunsplashed beaches.

Now you can join them. Are you a Valley or a Local? You will soon find out.

Shoot the curl, shred the face, and eat a little sand when you wipe out. It will be totally tubular. You'll be there. And you'll be hot.

Competition surfing is a game of staying near the curl of the wave and maneuvering your board smoothly at high speeds. Ride the face of the wave, moving back and forth, in and out of the tube. "Use" as much of the wave as you can before your ride comes to an end.

Press A to catch a wave and start the event.
Hold the joypad left to avoid wiping out at the start of your ride.
Steer the board by moving the joypad left or right.
You control the surfer from his point of view. To make the surfer go to his right, press the joypad right.
Hold down A to make sharper turns. Note that sharp turns slow you down.
If you get too close to the bottom of the wave, you will wipe out.
If you go over the top and turn your board around in the air, you can catch the wave again. You will wipe out if you come back down at a bad angle.
You get one minute and 30 seconds for the event, or three wipeouts (six in a two-player game). You earn more points for longer rides, so try to ride each wave as long as you possibly can.

STRATEGY

Use the wave. Riding along straight, far out in the break, counts for very little. Take risks. The more risks you take to do your stunts, the more points you earn.

In two-player games, make use of the other surfer. It's amazing what you can do with, like, the extra boost that comes from running over another surfer.

Making cutbacks (180-degree turns), moving up and down the wave, and doing 360's (complete circles) all earn high scores. Earn maximum points for high-speed turns and aerial maneuvers.

SCORING

You score depends on the length of your ride, the number of turns you make, and your speed each time you turn. You can earn high points from the judges for riding in the tube (underneath the curl of the wave), and riding near the break. "Catching Air" scores extra points: ride up to the top of the wave until the end of your board clears the crest, then turn and continue your ride.

Half Pipe Skateboarding

It's time to get air on the half pipe. Skateboarding is definitely an awesome event, combining strength and coordination -- often with radical results. You will ride a skateboard in a specially biult half pipe. You have a one minute and 15 second time period, or three falls, to build up speed and successfully complete stunts. Score points for each stunt. The highest score wins the event.

The object of the half pipe is to ride the board back and forth on the ramp, performing stunts with proper timing and execution.

Press A or B to start the event.
To gain speed (kick), move the joypad up when the skater rides up the side of the ramp, then move the joypad when the skater rides down.
To perform a stunt, move the joypad as shown in the diagram. Pay attention to timing. You will fall if you move the joypad too soon, too late, or if you hold it too long. After three falls, the event is over.
To start a kick turn, press A when the skater is in the area of the pipe indicated in the diagram below. Earn maximum points by starting your turn early and waiting until the last moment to finish the turn.
To start an aerial turn, press A after the skater is in the air off the edge of the ramp. Again, earn maximum points by starting your turn early and waiting until the last moment to finish the turn.
To perform a hand plant, press and hold B just as the skater reaches the top of the ramp. The skater plants his hands and flips the board over his head. Wait to release the button until the board arcs over and returns to the ramp. Earn maximum points by releasing the button at the last second.
After falling, press A to get back to the top of the pipe. Press A again to start down the pipe.
While your skater is at the bottom of the half pipe, steer your skater left or right. Move the joypad to steer right, left to steer left.

                 *
                                                              
                 *
                                                              
  Press A  ----- *
                                                              
  to start       *
                                                              
  Aerial turn
                                                                   
               *||                                           ||
                 
  Hold B  ---- *||                                           ||
                 
  to start     *||                                           ||
                 
  Hand Plant   *||                                           ||
                 
                 \\                                         //
                  
               *  \\                                       //
                   
      Press A    *  \\                                   //
                     
      to start ----*  \\                               //
                       
      Kick Turn      *  \\___________________________//

STRATEGY

It is important to build up the right amount of speed before trying a stunt. Learn to use the joypad to kick as described above. Above all, be sure to get plenty of practice on the half pipe. This event takes experience to get the timing down just right.

SCORING

You score points for each stunt completed successfully. Your score increases with the amount of risk you take. For example, if you hold a turn until the last moment, you get more points than if you pull out early when it is safer.

Some stunts are more difficult and earn higher scores than others.

Foot Bag

This is probably the most laid back event, but don't get too mellow. It is not easy. The Foot Bag event is like juggling with your feet. You have to keep a juggling bag in the air for one minute and 30 seconds without using your hands. Success is all in the timing. If you time your kicks correctly, you will keep the ball high in the air, giving yourself time to gain extra points by performing stunts. The highest score wins the event.

Hacking at the sack with your feet, knees, and head, you must make as many kicks as you can before the time runs out. A timer in the upper right corner indicates the amount of time remaining. You get extra points for every stunt you perform.

Press A to kick the bag into the air and start the event.
Press B to attempt to trip the other player (in two player mode).
Press A again to kick again just before the falling bag reaches your foot.
Move the joypad as indicated in the diagram below to control other movements.

                    Jump
                     __ 
                  __(  )_
    Move Left ---(__(  )__)--- Move Right
                    (__)
                      
                 Turn Around
                 (About Face)

The game automatically chooses the best kick to do, based on the position of the footbag when you press the button. Each kick receives a different score based on its difficulty level. Hit the bag with your head by pressing A or pressing the joypad up when the bag is above the head. Catch the foot bag by kicking and holding the button until the foot bag falls onto you. When the foot bag hits the ground, move directly in front of it and press A to resume play.

The right (red) score is your cumulative score tallied from the time you last dropped the bag. The highest possible cumulative score is 1,000. If you drop the bag, the score is zeroed and you begin again.

The green score on the left is your total score. Each time you kick the bag, your cumulative score is added to the total score. To get a high score, it is vital that you do not drop the foot bag.

STRATEGY

The more complicated kicks and stunts you complete before time runs out, the higher your score will be. You receive special points for variety, so use as many different stunts as you can.

Outside kick to outside kick scores very high. Kicking from the front is easier to control than from the back. Since there are no knee kicks from the back, it's easy to lose control. Do difficult, high scoring kicks until you get a good cumulative score. The do safe, easy tricks like toe kicks to keep adding to your score. Do wild stunts at the end when you have little to lose.

If things get too crowded in a two-player game, trip the other footbagger by positioning your man just to the left of the other and pressing B.

SCORING

You earn points for each successful stunt or kick. More difficult stunts, like turning aroun while the bag is in the air, earn higher scores. If you do the same combination twice in a row, your score for that combination doubles. Three in a row triples the score. You get ten bonus points for turning around, hitting the bag with your head, or catching the foot bag.

You get very few (if any) points for hitting the foot bag off your toes. When you are facing away, you cannot kick the footbag off the ground with your toes. You must move so the foot bag is exactly between your heels, then move the joypad up to score a 40 point bonus.

If you keep your foot bag up when tripping the other player, you earn 25 points.

Score an extra 50 points for hitting the seagull in the beak with the footbag (but only in this game -- be kind to the birdies in the other events).

STUNTS

Here are some stunts to try by combining different kicks and moves:

Half Axle: Any two kicks with a half spin in between.
Full axle: Any two kicks with a full spin in between.
Horseshoe: Left back kick + right back kick.
Jester: Left or right jumping kick.
Double Arch: Left outside kick + right outside kick + left outside kick.
Doda: Left outside kick + head butt + right outside kick.

HIGH SCORE SCREENS

After each event, the screen displays the top three scores for each event.

If your score for the game you just completed is one of the top three, it will appear highlighted on the screen.

CALIFORNIA SPOKEN HERE

AGGRO (a-gro) adj. if you are a daredevilly dude you will go "way aggro," executing aggressive moves on the ramps and waves of California.

AWESOME (ah-sum) adj. awe-inspiring, as in "Scope out the awesome babe."

BIO (bi-o) adj. You must be superhuman with aggro moves to be known as bio.

DUDE (dyud) noun. buddy: can be used to express disbelief as in "DUDE!" or surprise as in "DUDE!", or as a friendly greeting, as in "Hey DUDE!" Say while laughing for an attention-getting effect, i.e., "Duhuhuhude!"

GNARLY (narly) adj. mind-and-body-bendingly difficult. Waves, ramps, and aggro moves can be gnarly. Then there are gnarly tests, gnarly prom dates, gnarly curfews, etc.

LIKE (lik) prep. insert anywhere you like, like, in any sentence, in, like, any context. used most effectively when upset: "It's, like, geez..." Or the coolest way to use "like" is with "all" (for more description) "It's, like -- I'm all -- Duuude you've got sand in your jams."

LOCAL (lo-kol) noun. A person who livesnear the beach and usually soends at least all of his time there, as opposed to a "Valley."

RADICAL (raa-di-cul) adj. 1. outrageous: "Radical moves, dude!" 2. cool: "It'd be, like, radical if you could cruise to the ramp around 5 o'clock." Often shortened to "rad" when used with "totally."

STICK (stik) noun. a colorful fiberglass board used by surfers as a means of riding on rapidly moving ridges of seawater. Sometimes called a "surfboard."

TOTALLY (toh-tul-ly) adv. completely, entirely; something or someone is totally awesome, radical, or aggro. In California, everything is totally something. (companion word: see Tubular)

TUBULAR (tyu-byu-lar) adj. an adjective that came from the sea and has evolved into an everyday term. Parties, concerts, and just about everything else can be totally tubular. Its use is endangered by the word "awesome." (companion word: see Totally)

VALLEY (val-leee) noun. 1. a freak of nature who spends his days making a living, his nights in the shopping malls of the San Fernando Valley, and his weekends crowding out the locals at the beach. 2. the ultimate slur: "Hey you VALLEY!"