Virtuo Sport Summer is an online edutainment adventure sports game available in English & French with a Portuguese version coming soon.   Designed using Flash technology, it includes summer events such as kayaking, climbing and mountain biking.  The player can choose and customize their Virtuo (the virtual athlete) while racing in courses from all over the world competing for high scores in the leaderboard.  

The game has been intelligently designed with many of the popular gaming features intertwined to make for a positive experience for people of all ages.  The role playing aspect has been implicated with over 200 customization options available, changing the look of your Virtuo to your liking and the ability to unlock new features by progressing through the different events while gaining XP along the way.   Your Virtuo can also be improved in the extensive personalization control panel by applying the skill (agility, vigor, etc.) & attribute (leg strength, stamina, etc.)  points gained to increase the various aspects affecting the Virtuo’s athletic and intellectual performance in the game. 

To add to the depth of the content, there are also quiz questions at the end of the courses to test not just your brawn, but your brain as well.  The answers for these questions can be found in the descriptive text about the specific location in the world where the event is being held, accessible via the world map.  Along with the fact sheets are stunning photos that augment the immersion into the Virtuo Sport world where the players are carried across the globe in a virtual tour to popular locations known for their difficulty and stunning beauty.  

Medals and titles will be awarded when the results merit compensation.  With over 15 titles to unlock and assign to your Virtuo, show off your chosen designation and gain the respect of the members in the community.  On the medals page, all of the medals that have been awarded to you and the medals available to be won are displayed here with a description of each. 

Monthly contests are held by randomly selecting amongst the registered members who signed up for the draw with real prizes being awarded to the selected winners.

First impressions:

Upon entering the site, the player is welcomed with an intro, which has been refreshingly hand drawn, to welcome them to the Virtuo Sport community.  The site itself is easy to navigate with beautiful outdoor theme images and clear, well organized site links.  From the main page, a preview of the game can seen (if you missed the intro) and you can play the games right away or check out the news column for updates and upcoming events.  The all important “My Games” link is your central post for gaming adventure.  Here you will have access to the 3 different events, the world map, the leaderboard, the locker (to customize your Virtuo) and the calendar and news section for info.

Along the top of the page in the clever rock tabs, in keeping with the outdoor nature theme, are easy access links for the challenges, contests, medals, titles and your custom Virtuo page. 

Upon entering the specific event page, such as mountain biking or kayaking, you are welcomed with a wealth of useful information on improving your game techniques.  There is also event training which simulates the gameplay while providing tips and tricks along the length of the course.  It gives you a feel for the games before starting and having your scores recorded (don’t worry; you can always retry events for attempts at improving your score).  It makes the immersion less intimidating and gives the player well informed advice to reach the number one position in the leaderboard.

Competing against other real players from around the globe with a common interest; the love for outdoor sports, makes the time that went into the creation this game, appreciated that much more. 

The world map is a hub of information for tracking the events you have already played and the events that still must be completed.  It is also the portal for the fact sheet and photographs of the various places on the globe you will be visiting with athletic inspired quotes along the way.  It’s a welcome change to have fun while learning at the same time!

You control the speed of the game; there is always an option to advance to the next screen, giving you the time you need to play at your own pace.  A true representation of what a casual online game should be. 

About the 3 events

Mountain Biking:  The artwork and colors in these courses are phenomenal.  In all of the courses, the flora & fauna are representational of the locale where the event is being held.  You have to be liberal with the breaks in order not to fall and lose precious energy permanently – if your energy meter reaches 0 – you will crash!  Try to play more strategically to perfect your techniques on the different tracks.

Climbing:  The timer will not start until you start moving.  This gives you a chance to plan carefully your route before venturing to the summit; the rocks with less detail will be more of a challenging climb so ensure to keep a close eye on the indicator.  The green, yellow and red lights guide you towards your optimal route, but once again check the energy meter at the bottom of the screen closely. 

White water kayaking:  The challenging and addicting kayaking courses will have you trying over and over until you get through all of the gates without touching one of the markers.  The currents add to the difficulty by sometimes propelling you off your desired course, be sure to take the time to study the mini map before starting down the river.

Overall:

There is a combination of key gaming elements for interesting, well thought out options that provide the user with an effortless and speedy immersion to 3 exciting sports.  The game ignites the desire to go out and find places similar to the ones seen in the game, in real life and speed down the hills of some foreign country’s mountainside, seeing with their own eyes the beauty the creators wanted to share with the rest of the world.   With the forum coming soon, it will be a revolution in the online flash gaming community which I can see being around for many years to come. 

System requirements:

Operating System: Windows / XP / Vista

CPU: Pentium 4 – 1.6GHz

RAM: 1GB

Graphics Card: A graphics card supporting at least DirectX 9 or higher

Connection: ADSL

Cookies enabled:  Yes

Method of gameplay:  Online – Flash

Genre:  Casual online flash sport adventure game

Rating:  Everyone

Recommended:  Yes

URL:  http://www.virtuosport.com

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