One of the perks of running a gaming website is that you get hassled incessently by press releases for really weird, odd and boring games… imagine what the downside of running the website is.
Anyway out of all the press releases sometimes rises a diamond or just something that you know you are going to play even if it sounds terrible, Alan Hansen’s Sports Challenge is that one for me.
As a quick catch up, Alan Hansen was one of the best captains for the best football team in the world ever. Unfortunately his career was cut short by injury and now he is a BBC sports pundit and all round nice guy. He has joined up with Oxygen Games to create a sports party video game to go alongside the movie and music ones we have already.
So if you think you are a whizz at all things sporting and especially know you English sports then keep an eye out for Alan Hansen’s sports challenge… Hey I’d rather be playing this than some game about American movies that I know nothing about, that however could have something to do with the fact that I need to always win…
Click through to read an interview with Alan himself about the game.
OG (Oxygen Games): What made you decide to put your name and talents into a videogame?
AH: I liked the concept and thought it would be quite a fun project to be involved with. And I was right!
OG: What has it been like working with Oxygen?
AH: It’s been great – everyone is very professional but still retains a sense of fun. My involvement with this has been a lot easier than working on TV and radio; I was able to just go to the recording studio and do my stuff. Nobody yelling “Cut†every time I recorded a take! Shooting the promo ad was really fun too.
OG: What’s been the best/most fun aspect of making this game?
AH: Several things really; working with Oxygen was great, as I mentioned earlier but also, being given a free hand in the voice-over.
OG: Would you consider doing more videogames in the future?
AH: I might; really it would depend upon the project.
OG: How does voicing a game differ from television or radio work?
AH: I can only speak from my own experience but I found it to be much less frenetic. Certainly there’s less pressure, and as I said before, there was no script. They let me do more or less what I liked.
OG: Which is your favourite part or feature of the game?
AH: Being the kind of person that likes to exercise his brain, I’d have to say the questions. Although having said that, my caricature is pretty amusing!
OG: Would you recommend Alan Hansen’s Sports Challenge to your friends and family?
AH: Of course! In fact, I may have to insist they play it this Christmas!
OG: Would you recommend it to strangers?! Why? What about it makes it so good?
AH: Again, of course I would. What makes it good…apart from *my* involvement, you mean?! Let me see – well, I suppose the fact that you have to think on your feet, so to speak; you have to be quick off the mark if you want to win, and it’s really good fun. A bit like sport eh?
OG: Have you played Cheggers’ Party Quiz? If not, would you and do you think you’d be any good at it?
AH: To be completely honest, I’m not really a games person, although obviously I *have* played this one. However, as I said before in another interview, it’s important to keep the mind as well as the body in shape – quiz games are great for this.
OG: Who’d do better – you playing Cheggers’ quiz or Cheggers playing yours?
AH: I believe Keith Chegwin said that I’d fare much better playing his game than he would mine…I think it would be ungentlemanly of me to contradict him!
*And that my friends is your dose of weird and wacky games for this week… following up from Greys Anatomy last week
Last Updated: January 19, 2009
