Hands-OnMXRider

As the sport of motocross gains in popularity, the entertainment medium is taking notice. But while we wait for the film adaptation starring Sylvester Stallone and Luke Perry, we can appease our taste for the sport with a cavalcade of motocross video games. Companies such as THQ, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, and Acclaim are already motorsports veterans, but now Infogrames, which is currently developing MXRider for the Sony PlayStation 2, will join them in the fray.

Although generally categorized as a motorsports game, MXRider combines elements of that sport, supercross, and freestyle dirt racing into one tight-knit package. The game features 17 licensed FIM motocross tracks, which are based on real-world courses in such locations as France, Tokyo, and the United States. The motocross events are generally about straightforward racing. However, with 10 riders on the track at once, the courses can become cramped at times. Plus, the races are generally quite challenging. It is not uncommon to fly into turns with multiple riders on both sides challenging for your position. Because Infogrames chose to go the simulation route with MXRider, if you make a mistake, you'll usually pay for it by being thrown off your bike. To accommodate this, the game uses rather apparent rubber band AI, where riders who wipe out can easily catch up to the pack. The supercross events in MXRider feature tracks designed by FIM designer Freddy Verherstarten. There are six tracks in all, as part of the supercross events.

While the motocross and supercross events are essentially about straightforward racing, the game's freestyle mode presents a unique dynamic to its overall gameplay experience. The freestyle levels are based in large motocross arenas, which are smattered with a variety of ramps and obstacles. These levels are stunt based, so the objective is to perform difficult stunts to earn the most points possible. The control setup for performing the stunts is pretty intuitive. As the rider flies off a jump, you must hold down the trick button and perform direction combinations with either the analog stick or D-pad. Everything from uncomplicated tricks like simple taunts to more complex moves such as the Superman and the Nac Nac are available in the game. It is relatively easy to grab major air in the game, but the tricks are somewhat difficult to perform. At most times, we didn't have total control over the type of trick our rider performed, and it was generally a random event depending on the rider's position and height off the ground. It can be frustrating when you aren't able to repeat a cool trick on demand, so hopefully, the development team will tweak the trick system before the game is released.

The visuals in the game are solid, but where MXRider truly shines is in its presentation. Many of the trimmings of a real-life motocross event are represented in the game--fans clutter the trackside, cheerleaders perform at the start of a race, and announcers follow the action on the track. The game does an admirable job of immersing you in virtual motocross, supercross, and freestyle competitions. This authenticity is further achieved through the game's championship mode. Here, you can create your own rider, race to earn sponsorship and advertising revenue, upgrade your bikes, and take part in FIM events world wide to become the champion.

MXRider is developed by Paradigm Entertainment, which worked on such games as Pilot Wings 64 and F1 World Grand Prix for the Nintendo 64. The game is currently set for release late this year on the PlayStation 2.