The Activision Decathlon

The Activision Decathlon
Cover of the game
Developer(s)	Activision
Publisher(s)	Activision
Designer(s)	David Crane
Platforms	Atari 8-bit family, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, MSX
Release date(s)	March 18, 1983
Genre(s)	Sports
Mode(s)	Single player, up to four players on the Atari 8-bit

The Activision Decathlon is a sports game for the Atari 8-bit, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Commodore 64, ColecoVision and MSX platforms. Up to four players compete in the ten different events of a real-life decathlon, either in sequence or individually.

The game became somewhat notorious for the amount of wear or damage inflicted upon console controllers, namely the Atari 2600 version where rapid back-and-forth movement of the joystick propels the athlete down the track.

The game was later reissued simply as Decathlon by the UK budget label Firebird. It was subsequently featured on the PlayStation 2 compilation Activision Anthology.

Gameplay

Events

1. 100-Meter Dash
2. Long Jump
3. Shot Put
4. High Jump
5. 400-Meter Race
6. 110-Meter Hurdles
7. Discus Throw
8. Pole Vault
9. Javelin Throw
10. 1500-Meter Race

Commodore 64 version

Development

Ports

Decathlon was made available on Microsoft's Game Room service for its Xbox 360 console and for Windows-based PCs in July 2010.

Reception

The Atari 2600 version of Decathlon was reviewed by Video magazine in its "Arcade Alley" column where it was described as "an absolute triumph of imaginative programming" and as "a masterwork".

External links

• Manual for the Atari 2600
• The Activision Decathlon at MobyGames
• The Atari 2600 version of The Activision Decathlon can be played for free in the browser at the Internet Archive
• Decathlon video capture
• The Activision Decathlon video capture