MX Superfly Hands-on
The next installment in THQ's Ricky Carmichael franchise is coming to the GameCube with a brand-new name.
If you ask most people about their motocross experiences on Nintendo consoles, they'll likely share stories of playing various incarnations of Excitebike. In truth, it's hard to beat the formula established by Nintendo's series in the early '80s, but THQ's MX Superfly for the GameCube borrows many of its elements to create a deep game that somehow isn't weighted down with heavy simulation elements.
When compared to other motocross games, MX Superfly kicks up plenty of dirt where gameplay modes are concerned. It features separate career modes for both freestyle and racing, which provides a wide range of challenge for the solo player. Races in career mode pit you against seven other riders as you attempt to come in first overall in a series of races. Races consist of three or four laps, and in this early build we played, the computer AI falls well behind in the initial circuits. Entering freestyle events works in a similar manner in that you compete against seven other riders as you take turns on the stunt course. You can learn the tracks in the exhibition mode, in addition to the career mode, or tackle almost a dozen different minigames. The minigames are composed of a wide variety of events such as soccer, golf, the high jump, horse, pizza delivery, and many more. The minigames are accessible in the multiplayer mode, as well as the exhibition mode for two players in both freestyle and racing, which adds quite a bit of depth to the proceedings.
Playing MX Superfly is easy to pick up, but there is some depth for dedicated players to master. The A button is the gas, and the B button stops your bike or drops it in reverse even though real bikes do not include such a gear. Catching air is simply a matter of launching off a jump with an adequate amount of speed. But to catch huge air and pull off gnarly tricks, you can hold in the R trigger to preload the shocks on your bike and release it as you launch off the lip of a ramp. Doing so gives you up to twice the hang time of a normal jump, and the longer you hold the R trigger, the farther the jump. Mastering this gameplay mechanic is essential to cutting seconds off your lap times, as landing on the downslope of a hill will help you keep your speed. If your jump falls short, you'll case your bike, and competitors will quickly speed around you. While in the air, it's also important to orient your bike to the angle of the ground when preparing for landing. This will also ensure that you keep any speed you had before taking flight. Tricks are also performed using the R trigger, and it makes mastering the jump-and-stunt gameplay rather easy. To perform a trick, you must hold the R button while pressing various combinations of the B, A, and X buttons. All the most popular tricks from the world of motocross have made the cut, as well as some of the more recent maneuvers that have recently been invented. You can also mix flips and helicopter spins with the more traditional tricks for even more points. Steering is very tight, if not a bit too forgiving, but it helps to keep the emphasis on the tricks instead of worrying about keeping your bike on the track.
Motocross has yet to gain the mainstream acceptance that skateboarding and snowboarding enjoy, but all the real riders, gear, and bikes included in MX Superfly will do a lot to acquaint the common person with the sport. There are a whopping 27 real riders in the game, including Ricky Carmichael, Mike Jones, Tommy Clowers, Dan Pastor, Jeremy Stenberg, Shane Trittler, and Tyler Evans. If you're a female player or just like to be creative, you can construct your own rider with a simplistic player-creation tool. Going the extra mile, THQ has also included plenty of authentic gear from companies such as Oakley, Shoei, No Fear, and Scott to give the riders an authentic look. A multitude of licensed bikes from manufacturers such as Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and KTM are included in both 125cc and 250cc forms.
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