Olympic Decathlon involve alternately pressing the 1 and 2 keys. Other events have more complex controls, with the pole vault using five different keys. "Decathlon" received the "Creative Computing" Game of the Year Award at the 1980 West Coast Computer Faire. "BYTE" in 1981 called "Decathlon" "a great party game" and "a remarkable simulation ... challenging and entertaining", praising the adherence to the real decathlon's rules and the TRS-80 and Apple II versions' graphics. "Computer Gaming World" stated in 1982 that "Decathlon" "has all the characteristics that are required of a long-lasting, quality game". It described the game as having "superb graphics
United States Academic Decathlon President of the Orange County Academic Decathlon Association put it in 1970), but also to "change C students' lives". The inaugural competition, held in December 1968, hosted 103 students from 20 local high schools. At first only regional contests were held, organized by the Orange County Academic Decathlon Corporation (OCAD) with the assistance of the Orange County Department of Education. In 1971, when the grand jury recommended that the Orange County Department of Education should no longer play a part in the competition, full control was handed over to the OCAD. In 1979, the first statewide competition was held, and