The Player's Guide to California Games (Commodore 64 version)

This document is still quite incomplete, obviously. But, as I hadn't done anything on it in a month, I decided it might be time to put it up anyway. I intend to get all events up in due time, but for now this is it. Please send me any comments, suggestions, questions, or corrections.

Also, after having played California Games on the NES, I have found that the gameplay on the two versions is nearly identical, although the Commodore 64 version seems to have better response and slightly nicer looking graphics (I won't say they're more detailed, but the NES graphics do not look nice...).

Foot Bag

Overview

The object of Foot Bag is to keep the bag in the air while scoring as many points as possible by performing different stunts in 1 minute and 15 seconds.

Control

Joystick Motion	Action
Left	Move left
Right	Move right
Forward	Jump
Back	Turn around
Button	Hit the bag

Press the button when the bag is near the character to hit the bag. The balls position in relation to the character determines the kind of hit. For example, if the ball is above his head, he will head the ball. If it is far enough to his right or left, it will be an outside kick. If the ball is above his knee he will perform a knee kick. A back kick occurs when the character is turned around and the ball is just above his right or left heel. A jumping kick, necessary for the Jester stunt, occurs when the bag is just barely to the right or left of the character.

Scoring

The following stunts do not count toward the variety bonus:

Catch From Off Screen - 1500 points

Hitting the George the Seagull - 1000 points

The following stunts count toward the variety bonus:

Any Kick - 10 points

Five in a Row - 250 points

Any five successive kicks without the ball hitting the ground

Half Axle - 500 points

Any two kicks with a half spin in between

Full Axle - 500 points

Any two kicks with a complete spin in between

Axle Foley - 750 points

Any two kicks with at least three half spins in between

Horseshoe - 500 points

A left back kick followed by a right back kick, or the reverse

Jester - 750 points

A jumping kick (press the button when the ball is just next to the caharacter and between his waist and his knee)

Double Arch - 2500 points

A left outside kick followed by a right outside kick followed by a left outside kick, or the reverse

Doda - 5000 points

Left outside kick followed by head butt followed by right outside kick

Reverse Doda - 5000 points

Right outside kick followed by head butt followed by left outside kick

Dizzy Dean - 1500 points

Forward head butt followed by an odd number of spins followed by a back head butt

Head Banger - 1500 points

Back head butt followed by an odd number of spins followed by a forward head butt

Note that in the Doda and Reverse Doda, you may head butt the ball by jumping under it or pressing the button while below it, while in the Dizzy Dean and the Head Banger, you must use the button; it counts as a half axle or axle foley if you jump. Also note that in the Dizzy Dean and Head Banger you must perform an odd number of turns. If you do a complete spin it is considered a full axle. [On the NES version, you have to use the button to head butt for the Dodas also; simply jumping will not work.]

Variety Points
Number of Stunts	Variey Bonus
1	1000
2	3000
3	6000
4	10,000
5	15,000
6	21,000
7	28,000
8	36,000
9	45,000
10	55,000
11	99,000

Hints

• Most of your points come from the variety bonus; try to do as many different stunts as possible. The difference between 10 and 11 stunts is particularly large, so go all the way.
• Five in a Row is five hits not catches, i.e. if you start with the ball on the ground, the kick which throws the ball into the air counts toward your five kicks.
• Watch how many kicks you have had since the ball hit the ground: If you get a Five in a Row in the middle of a stunt it will interrupt that stunt. You get credit for the Five in a Row, but if you need a different stunt for a variety bonus it can screw everything up.
• Relax - this is California after all

Flying Disk

Overview

The object of the Flying Disk event is to score as many points as possible through a good throw and a difficult catch on all three attempts.

Control

Start the throw by pushing the joystick left. You will notice the indicator line moving along the bar on the bottom of the screen. Push right to start the second part of the throw. The closer the line is to to the red region of the speed part of the bar, the faster the throw will be. To release the disk, push the joystick left. Again, the angle of the throw will be best if you release the throw when the line is in the center of the red region on the angle side of the bar.

After you release the throw, move the joystick left and right to move the catcher. You can see her position on the indicator at the top of the screen. The possible catches are an overhead catch, a left running catch, a left diving catch, a right running catch, and a right diving catch.

To perform an overhead catch, push the joystick up when the disk is directly in front of the catcher (who must be facing forward, i.e. not running) and above her waist.

To perform a diving catch, push the joystick left or right and press the button. You must time the dive properly so that the catcher's hand will land in the same place as the disk as the disk hits the ground. The catcher will catch the disk automatically.

To perform a running catch, run left or right until the disk hits the catcher's hands. The catcher will automatically catch the disk.

Scoring

The final score is a sum of two factors, the throw and the catch.

The manual states that the throw for the score is determined by the height of the throw and its accuracy (i.e., the less distance the cathcer moves the higher the score). This is not really accurate; apparently the score is determined by the distance of the throw minus the distance the catcher moves. Notice that the score is incremented as long as the disk is moving and the catcher is not, but while the catcher is running the score freezes. The maximum possible score for the throw is near 300 points, but it will necessarily be lower if caught, and then it will max out at just over 200.

The other component of the score, and the more important one, is the catch. Here is how the scores for catches break down:

Overhead	350
Left Dive	350
Left Running	250
Right Dive	250
Right Running	250

Hints

• There are two ways to get a good score for the throw: Make a very accurate throw in which the catcher does not move at all, or a very long throw (the distance makes up for the distance the catcher moves). The second method may be slightly easier because it allows for more adjustment in the catcher's position.
• The easiest way to make a very accurate throw is to start the second part of the swing just after the indicator line enters the green part of the speed section of the bar, and to release the disk when the line is in the middle of the green part of the angle section of the bar. If you do this just right, you should be able to make an overhad catch without having to move the catcher at all.