ESPN Online Games were a collection of sports-themed internet video games available on the ESPN3 broadband internet channel. There are currently two collections of games. The first is “Arena Games,” which features a home run derby style baseball game; a 3-point shooter basketball game and Throwdown, a four round boxing game. The second section is “Bar Sports” which features air hockey, bar curling and a coin toss game. The games are played at espngames.com
The games are reached through an interactive locker room and ESPN Zone respectively. The locker room features a wise-cracking Janitor named Willy who also appears in Home Run Derby and Throwdown, coaching players in how to play each of the games. It also features video and photo content, and explorable lockers. The ESPN Zone features video patrons and a number of Easter eggs, such as a stadium from which a ball is hit.
The games were produced using Flash 8. They combined video footage, animation and 3-d rendering to offer a feeling of hyperreality. The use of video footage gives many of the games the look and feel of games played on the Sega CD platform as well as many of the pre-3D PC games. ESPN Online games are played in a virtual “Game Controller” that looks remarkable like a Sony PSP. This virtual controller can be flipped over to view a leader board, a friends list and avatar generator.
Read more about ESPN Online Games: Game Controller Features
Famous quotes containing the word games:
“In 1600 the specialization of games and pastimes did not extend beyond infancy; after the age of three or four it decreased and disappeared. From then on the child played the same games as the adult, either with other children or with adults. . . . Conversely, adults used to play games which today only children play.”
—Philippe Ariés (20th century)