Skiing Super Game

The first-person downhill skiing game Coleco's 1982 catalog promised, at last on the ColecoVision. You see the slope through the skier's goggles: the trail rises and falls in front of you, pine trees and rocks rush past, and other skiers cut across your line.

Push the stick left or right to steer, up to tuck and pick up speed, down to snowplough and slow down. At speed your skis bite less, so start your turns early. Take a crest fast and you fly; press the left button to jump on the flat. Hold the right button in the air to cross your skis, and let go before you land for 50 points and a second off your time. Land with them crossed and it's a yard sale.

Ski Trails is one long run to the lodge. Partway down, the trail splits around a wooded island: the blue square route is longer and easier, the black diamond shorter, with moguls and big rocks. Slalom is gates against the clock, and every gate you miss adds five seconds. Mountain Challenge is a race against the mountain itself: three stages, Evergreen Pass, Eagle's Chute and Frostfall Ridge, with an avalanche breaking loose above you and the AVALANCHE bar showing how close it is. Ski through gates for points and reach the bottom of Frostfall Ridge ahead of the snow.

Choose your trail before every run: the green circle for gentle bends and wide gates, up to the double black diamond for sharp curves, narrow gates and big rocks. Every run starts with a chairlift ride up the mountain (press the button to skip it) and ends at the lodge, where the board shows your time, gates, penalty, best time and score. A 256K MegaCart for the ColecoVision and the Coleco ADAM.