Ski or Die

Sport 1990 Dos Dosbox Electronic Arts Winter sports

Winter sports sim that deserves a mobile update

Ski or Die is a fun collection of winter-themed mini-games, and although it is somewhat lacking in longevity, it is perfect for when you just need a brief blast of action. There are five events on display here, which can either simply be played individually or they can be linked together for a tournament-style experience. In addition to more traditional winter sports like downhill skiing, sled racing and half-pipe snowboarding, you also have snowball fights to add some variety. The various games are played in a variety of perspectives, with the snowball fights for example taking the form of an Operation Wolf-style shooter, while the snowboarding is more like a traditional into-the-screen racer and it is the variety that keeps things entertaining. While simple, the events on display here are certainly fun for short periods and are best played with several people racing against each other as this creates a more competitive atmosphere in-keeping with the sports theme. Graphics and sound are as basic as you might expect from a game of this age, but are effective enough anyway, while the controls are nicely responsive and make the different events a breeze to pick up. Ski or Die is the sort of game that is crying out for a mobile update, but in the meantime, it is worth checking out here. Summer Games and Winter Games from Epyx are similar but of an arguably higher quality.

Arcade style collection of winter based mini games

Ski or Die is a minigames collection with a love for winter ski gaming, but featuring some other types of games as well, snowball fights, and a few others. The ski games include slalom, jumps, skiing through obstacle filled areas, half pipe descent and even other skateboard games. While not particularly producing a very intricate or high quality experience with each of the games, nevertheless the collection manages a good balance of diversity versus quality. No game seems to take the cake in terms of its quality, and you'll find yourself struggling to play more than a few minutes each one of them. At the least, the controls are very well put together, focusing on balance play, aiming or left to right trajectory controls. Graphics wise, the game looks like a sort of NES era 8bit graphics, with a very restrictive color palette and a style that looks like a cross between cartoonish and crude/naive realism. Overall, a forgettable but relaxing experience, to be played in small 5 minute chunks once in a while.

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