Press Reviews
Period Reviews
How the gaming press received Epyx's flagship titles in the original era. Original review scans are available via the Internet Archive's magazine collections.
Magazine scans sourced from the Internet Archive's Zzap!64, ACE, and CU Amiga collections. Search archive.org for the relevant issue year to access original scans.
Impossible Mission
1984 — Commodore 64
Zzap!64 magazine, 1984. Full scan available at archive.org - search "Zzap64 Impossible Mission".
Impossible Mission is without doubt one of the greatest games ever written for the C64. The graphics are phenomenal - smooth, detailed animation that defies belief. The digitised speech is a revelation. And underneath it all is a fiendishly clever puzzle-platform game that will keep you hooked for weeks.
A score of 98% was among the highest ever awarded by Zzap!64 and placed Impossible Mission in the company of the magazine's all-time greats. The review praised the sprite animation, the ESS speech, the level design, and the puzzle mechanic equally - a rare feat for any game. Impossible Mission remains on the Zzap!64 all-time list decades after its original release.
Summer Games
1984 — Commodore 64
Zzap!64 magazine, 1984. Original scan at archive.org.
Summer Games sets a new standard for sports simulations on the C64. Eight different events, each with its own distinctive gameplay and control system, wrapped in a presentation that genuinely feels like the Olympics. The opening ceremony alone is worth the asking price.
Summer Games received universally enthusiastic reviews across the gaming press of 1984. Its commercial success - over 400,000 C64 copies - reflected the critical consensus: this was the definitive sports compilation for the platform. The Zzap!64 coverage was substantial and helped drive the game to chart-topping sales in the UK.
Winter Games
1985 — Commodore 64 / Amiga
Zzap!64 magazine, 1985. ACE magazine also reviewed Winter Games. Scans at archive.org.
Winter Games takes the Summer Games formula and adds six ice-and-snow events with a visual polish that equals and in places surpasses its predecessor. The figure skating event in particular is a technical marvel. Unmissable.
Winter Games maintained the high standard set by Summer Games and extended the Games series to a second successful instalment. The ACE review noted the Amiga version's visual improvements. CU Amiga coverage praised the Amiga port specifically for its enhanced colours and larger sprites relative to the C64 original.
California Games
1987 — Commodore 64 / Amiga
Zzap!64 magazine, 1987. CU Amiga also reviewed the Amiga version. Scans at archive.org.
California Games is Epyx's finest hour. Six superb sports events, each polished to perfection, wrapped in the most authentic Californian atmosphere a C64 has ever achieved. Chris Grigg's music is extraordinary - the Louie Louie surfing theme alone is worth the admission price. A classic in every sense.
California Games was reviewed ecstatically across the gaming press in 1987. CU Amiga praised the Amiga version's improved colour depth and audio; ACE noted that the half-pipe and BMX events were particularly well-executed on the 16-bit conversion. The C64 original received the highest marks, with reviewers singling out Chris Grigg's music as among the finest SID compositions they had heard.
Find Original Review Scans
The Internet Archive maintains complete runs of Zzap!64, ACE, CU Amiga, and Commodore User. Search by magazine name and year to find original reviews of Epyx titles.
- archive.org - search "Zzap64 magazine" for the complete run
- archive.org - search "ACE magazine gaming" for ACE issues
- archive.org - search "CU Amiga magazine" for Amiga coverage
- archive.org - search "Commodore User magazine" for C64 coverage