Decathlete (Game)

Decathlete

GAME » on 1996

Sega's first entry into the track-and-field genre of sports games brings the 10-event decathlon into full 3D.

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Overview

DecAthlete, sometimes known as Dec-A-thlete, Decathlete, or Sega Sports DecAthlete, is a track-and-field video game developed by Sega AM3 and released by Sega (Company) for arcades (using their Saturn (Platform)-based ST-V hardware) in 1996. Similar to games like Track andamp;amp;amp; Field and Daley Thompson's Decathlon and the first of its kind with polygonal 3D graphics, DecAthlete focuses on the ten events that comprise the decathlon in modern track-and-field competitions, with players scored based on their overall performance. Each event has their own separate control style that makes use of a joystick and two buttons (red "Action" and yellow "Run"). The game later received a home conversion for the Sega Saturn in July 1996, with the European version released in September 1996 as Athlete Kings. Along with the standard Arcade Mode, this port features both a practice mode and a "Decathlon" mode (where players proceed through all 10 events in order, with no qualification requirement). It later received a winter sports themed spin-off (Winter Heat (Game)) and a successor (Virtua Athlete 2000 (Game)), with all three later being part of the Japanese-only PlayStation 2 (Platform) compilation SEGA AGES 2500 Vol.15: DecAthlete Collection.

Gameplay

The game play in the running events consists of rapidly tapping the C button to increase your speed and then using the B button to perform a lunge at the finish line. The longer running events also have a stamina gauge which you must be wary of lest you run out of energy and slow to a jog diminishing your chances of wining. The game play in the field events generally consists of fast tapping of the C button to build speed and then using the B button to begin either your jump or release of throwing item; holding the B button down will determine the angle at which said item is thrown or your athlete jumps etc. The game has an arcade mode that requires you to reach certain parameters in each event in order to move on to the subsequent event, contrariwise there is also a mode that allows you to compete in all ten events regardless of your performance in the previous event. Rounding out the selection of modes is practice mode which allows you to practice any of the ten events at your leisure.

Events

Day 1

100-Meter Dash
Long Jump
Shot Put
High Jump
400-Meter Race

Day 2

110-Meter Hurdles
Discus Throw
Pole Vault
Javelin Throw
1500-Meter Race

Characters

The game features 8 characters that all have different attributes making some suited better to some events than others.

All-Round

Rick Blade (Character) (U.S.A.)
Joe Kudou (Character) (Japan) - In the Japanese Saturn version, a hidden cheat code can change him to Mankichi Kazami (Character), a guest character from the manga Decathlon.

Jump

Karl Vain (Character) (Germany)
Femi Kadiena (Character) (Jamaica)

Throw

Robin Banks (U.K.) - Known as Jef Jansens in the Home version. Removed from the North American release.
Aleksei Rigel (Character) (Russia)

Run

Ellen Reggiani (Character) (France)
Li Huang (Character) (China)

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