Athens 2004
The official game of the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad held in Athens in August 2004, Athens 2004 features 25 events spread around 8 sports, the real stadiums and arenas such as the state of the art Olympic Stadium built for the competition and the Panathinaiko, venue of the first modern Olympics, and 64 nations from all around the world.
While new developers Eurocom (following two games from ATD) kept most of the gameplay still inspired by the old button-mashers of the early 80s, some events feature interesting twists. While sprinting events don't need introductions, there are two middle distance events (800m and 1500m) that require the player to control their pace in order to reach the final curve fresh enough to have a second wind and sprint towards the finish. Other innovations are on field events, such as the high jump requiring the player to alternate buttons not as fast as possible, but time them as well as possible to the athlete's steps as possible, and the discus has the player circling the analogue knobs to build up power, among others.
All four swimming events are played in the same fashion as sprinting events, except the athlete must breathe as quickly as possible in intervals, or risks losing precious speed over a section of the race.
On gymnastics, floor exercises change according to sex: mens' is mostly based on power, with mashing sequences followed by timed button presses, while womens' require the player to follow on-screen cues (similarly to games such as Dance Dance Revolution), while rings to use both analogues to match the on-screen cues, and the vault has the player mashing the buttons before following an on-screen cue to perform the routine. Some of these events require the player to choose from a predefined routine, which affects the difficulty level and the maximum score awarded by the judges.
Making its first appearance in an official videogame, the equestrian individual jump competition requires the player to navigate the horse throughout the track, jumping over obstacles while keeping a steady pace, as the winner is who took the shortest time while collecting less penalties from hitting obstacles.
Archery is only slightly modified from previous games in the genre, but skeet now has the player following a predefined path instead of the free aiming gameplay of Sydney 2000.
Two game modes are included, the first being arcade (practice, single competitions and a special mode developed with dance mats in minds) and competition, where the player can customize their Olympics in order to play in just one final, compete in the decathlon or heptathlon, all pool or gymnastics events or become one in the Champion mode, featuring all 25 events, the winner being that with the most points.
Game Features
- Classic PlayStation 2 gameplay with original physical presentation
- Genre: Sports, 3rd-person (Other), Olympiad / mixed sports, Licensed
- Released in 2004-07-02 by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd.
- Ideal for collectors building a physical PlayStation 2 library
- Condition and contents shown in listing details and photos
Product Specifications
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Product Code: ATHENS-2004-PLAYSTATION-2-2004-07-02
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Platform: PlayStation 2
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Genre: Sports, 3rd-person (Other), Olympiad / mixed sports, Licensed
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PEGI Rating: TBC
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Release Year: 2004-07-02
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Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd.
You might have noticed we have a lot of stock with a product condition of 'New-Unsealed'. This is a condition that is not really commonly found these days, let us explain!
Quite a few years ago we were talking to a fairly local company; they would trade new consoles and games (think console bundles, multipacks etc) sourced from the UK & Europe and break them down to just the bare consoles, separating the games then sending them in bulk to parts of Europe and the Middle East. Games were separated due to the language differences and regionalised games were sold on to their respective countries.
After some time this stock accumulated in their warehouse, but newer more interesting consoles became their focus and this stock was side-lined as a project for another day. Many years passed until they needed to use the space for something else; we were in the right time and place to bid on this stock and took delivery of it a number of years ago.
General Condition Notes
- Unless otherwise stated, DLC usually provided with these products will be used, out of date or missing.
- We use stock images (provided by Moby Games) for our product images. Variant images are taken by us (and can be viewed when selecting a variant from the dropdown of a product. If a stock image didn't exist on Moby Games, we have provided our own.
- In some cases we have more than 1 of an item, images taken by us will be representative of the condition but you won't necessarily get that exact item pictures.
- It isn't practical to take pictures of every Preloved item,
New - Sealed
- Best For: Ideal for collectors, but the shrink wrap is likely to show signs of storage and transport.
- Returns: No quibble returns when returned sealed; partial credit only when returned as opened.
Items with the official seal* will be listed as 'New - Sealed'. These are the cream of the crop; however, to manage expectations, they are likely to have those same storage and transport scuffs as the rest of the stock from this batch.
* We know that not every PS2 game was wrapped at the factory with the official PS2 seal. For example, our stock of Sly 3 came sealed from the factory but with no logos on the seal strip. This is the only exception we have currently, but this might change.
New - Unsealed
- Best For: Ideal for collectors, since the disc/cartridge will be pristine but the game case is likely to show signs of storage and transport.
- Returns: No quibble returns.
For anything marked as 'New - Unsealed' from this batch, you should expect some scuffing or storage and transport wear on the outer case; however, the manual, DVD inlay, and disc will be in brand new condition.
Please note:
- We prefer to keep to the original cases rather than use pattern part replacements, however if you did want that glossy new game feel we do sell replacement cases for PlayStation 2 games
- Since these are already unsealed we do inspect and test these so there could be a tiny bit of dust or a fingerprint on them, they will be pristine all the same.
New - Resealed
- Best For: Ideal for collectors who want a mint copy but intend to play it.
- Returns: No quibble returns.
We also have a condition of 'New - Resealed'. (Affecting some of our PlayStation 3 games).
We're not really sure who resealed them or why, but the product inside is pristine and lacks the shelf wear found on the unsealed items or the branded tear strip was not used for them (this does happen for some bundled and Platinum Edition PlayStation 3 games).
Preloved
- Best For: Ideal for gamers who just want to play the game.
- Returns: No quibble returns.
Preloved items are bought in from the public, job lots, and trade-ins or provided by 3rd parties wholesale. To remain efficient with our grading, Preloved items are advertised as 'Boxed / No Manual'. They won't be in perfect condition but they are priced to reflect this.
If a manual is included, consider it a bonus gift! Many include manuals, we just don't guarantee it therefore they are priced as if the manual is missing.
Disc Rot
Disc rot is a chemical deterioration of the reflective layer inside a CD or DVD, often appearing as small pinpricks of light or "bronzing" when held up to a lamp. This occurs over time due to oxidation and can cause games to crash or fail to load.
Our Disc Rot Policy
- Defective on Arrival: Any game found to have disc rot upon receipt is eligible for a full refund or exchange within our 30-day warranty window.
- Inspection: We visually inspect all Preloved and New-Unsealed stock for signs of rot. For New-Sealed and New - Resealed items, we cannot verify disc condition without breaking the seal.
- Sealed Item Returns: If a sealed game is opened and found to have disc rot, it can only be returned for partial credit, as the premium value of the factory seal is lost.
We appreciate your business and are committed to providing you with exceptional service and timely delivery. Please review the shipping information below for your order.
Order Processing Time:
Orders are usually processed within 24-48 hours after the order has been placed.
Custom or special order items may take longer to process, typically 3-5 business days.
Shipping Methods:
Standard Shipping (3-7 business days)
Expedited Shipping (2-3 business days)
Express Shipping (1-2 business days)
Packaging:
Rest assured that all items will be securely and safely packaged to prevent any damage during transit. Fragile or high-value parts will be packaged with additional protective materials, such as bubble wrap or foam padding.
Shipping Rates:
Shipping rates vary based on the size, weight, and destination of the package. You can view the estimated shipping costs for your order during the checkout process before placing your order.
Order Tracking:
Once your order has been shipped, you will receive an email with the tracking number and carrier information. You can also track your order status by logging into your account.
International Shipping:
We ship worldwide! Please note that international shipping rates and delivery times may vary based on destination. Customers are responsible for any customs fees, import taxes, or additional charges that may apply.
