Athens 2004 Critic Reviews

Athens 2004 maybe mostly a button-mashers paradise, but the game is also a great deal of fun. If you like athletic competition on the console systems, this is an easy recommendation.

We defy you to get through an entire tournament and still care whether you win or lose, which is about the best summation of Athens 2004 as we're likely to find.

Casual gamers may want to pick it up also since it is a rather fun party game and even non-gamers can learn the simple controls in a try or two.

It's solid enough, with only minor bugaboos as a single-player game, but it really kicks butt with its multiplay.

There are some things I would have liked to have seen, like using the DDR pad for the whole game, and absolutely no online play. We're in a big online push, and I think this could have been a big thing for this game. But still, it's a solid job.

Good multiplayer options will bring out your competitive side, but there are no online modes.

The multiplayer offers one of the most addictive and accessible experience since the EyeToy, everyone can play and have fun doing so.

An exercise in masochism, as you'll find that the world records within the game are generally easily knocked over. It's only when you can look across the sofa at tired, sore and elated faces and realise that you just lunged over the line at the last second to grasp victory that you'll find Athens 2004 a really worthwhile game.

The lack of a proper Olympic mode does come as a surprise but is not a major flaw and anyone looking for a solid athletics title with many more sports thrown in could do worse.

Basic controller requirements, repetitive presentation and an incredibly satisfying multiplayer mode add up to a sporting title that fares far better as a party game than a single player experience.

This was a decent title, and comes highly recommended for kids who love to play with the dance mat.

It’s a great buy at 40 dollars that will leave you with blistered fingers, bruised egos, and tired muscles.

With a few mates around the house Athens 2004 is still a fantastic multiplayer title.

A decent Olympics title that’s manages to offer a variety of events while not burning out players by focusing on button mashing mechanics.

One for multiplayer action mainly then, but still much, much better than the last few Olympic attempts.

The actual variety among the different events is rather low, a problem that stems in large part from the repetitive, button-bashing nature of most events.

Unfortunately the strict timing required can lead to a lot of frustration and as a result the game can quickly start to feel repetitive.

Assuming you can stomach play sessions that are short by nature, Athens 2004 offers amusing thrills in spurts.

It's only the aesthetics that truly let Athens 2004 down. With a clean, unfussy menu system, it's disappointing to find this gives way to rough in-game visuals and limited animation....Nevertheless, the substandard veneer doesn't dim the shine of the gameplay.

There's little alternative out there if you're hankering after some old-fashioned twitch gaming wrapped up in beautifully presented threads, but our advice is to make sure you've got some mates to play it with first, or it's likely to end up as one of those titles that you'll quickly tire of if you're on your lonesome.