Review of Track and Field 100m on Instant Games

The award for the game on Facebook Messenger that causes the most number of injuries can finally be given. It goes to none other than Konami’s Track & Field 100m.

This game, the reason why we need an ice pack and some Tylenol right now, is the latest incarnation of the 1980s classic arcade game.

Konami’s original Track and Field arcade game

Kids in those days didn’t cheat games with hacks or bots, but they sure got creative in their own way.

Can you imagine using a pencil inserted through your fingers to play an arcade game? Kids back then used this method to be able to press the 2 buttons alternately in the fastest way possible.

The new HTML5 version of the game

Sorry though, the pencil trick won’t work on this version of the Konami game.

Gameplay

The player’s goal is to reach the finish line ahead of three other runners. You make your assigned character run by “sliding your finger across the two buttons.”

That very simple instruction has caused us some major finger and arm muscle pains.

The game developers made it so that the time it takes to finish the game is realistic. The average person can finish a 100 meter dash in 15-20 seconds.

But that’s the average. You need to do much much better to win.

The game rounds are procedurally generated, which means you can win by clocking in at only 10.406 seconds, but can also lose at 9.974.

Graphics and Sounds

They were probably going for the clean, serious, and real look when they designed this game.

The tracks resemble real tracks, the runners look and move like actual athletes, the cheering crowd sounds like an actual crowd… nothing in the game was designed to be cute or cartoonish at all.

That’s not to say that the artwork isn’t good, because it is. The animation is superb too.

Little details, like how the game camera moves ahead ahead or behind the runner, or how the breathing sound quickens or slows down accordingly, all add up to give the player an excellent gaming experience.

Fun Factor and Replayability

We wouldn’t have sore fingers and arms right now if playing this game wasn’t fun to play. ‘Nuff said.

Conclusion

Konami doesn’t disappoint with this web version of their game. We wonder though how left-handed players feel about it (do they have to play the game with their screens upside down?). And we wish that there was an option for women’s event (although would they have to vary the top speeds, as the world record for running speed is higher for men than women?).

Gold at last!

At any rate, we thoroughly enjoyed this game, even if we’ll probably need a day or two to recuperate from our injuries. We give Track and Field 100m an 8/10.