The upcoming Summer Olympics of 1984 provided Konami the perfect opportunity to release their arcade game Track & Field. Microsoft's Olympic Decathlon inspired the Olympic-style track and field competition of the game. With its realistic, full-color graphics and lively gameplay, Track & Field was an arcade hit. Track and Field allowed the everyday American to experience the glory of winning an Olympic gold, even if it was only a virtual one.
The game included several different events: long jump, javelin, hammer throw, high jump, 100 meter dash, and the 110 meter hurdles. Two players were able to compete with each other to see who could run the fastest, jump the highest, and throw the farthest. Points and medals were rewarded for winning competitions.
The simple controls of the game involved three buttons. Two "RUN" buttons were furiously pounded to accelerate, while the "ACTION" button allowed players to throw or jump at the correct time. The cabinets took a lot of wear from the repeated pressing of the buttons, and the cabinets were often in need of repair.
Konami continued the success of Track & Field with a number of other sports games, including Hyper Olympic, Hyper Sports, and International Track & Field 2000. The success of Track &Field and its sequels opened the doors for sports-related video games. Sports games are now one of the largest genres of video games.