When Motocross Madness hit shelves almost two years ago, gamers and critics alike were taken aback at just how much fun the first racing simulation from Rainbow Studios turned out to be. "Simulation" might not be the right word to describe a dirt-bike game with bare-bones setup options and a physics model that lets you pull off jumps and stunts that would leave real-life riders and their bikes piled up in a broken heap - but no matter how you define it, the fact remains that Motocross Madness was one of the most exciting and addictive games of 1998.
The original set a high standard, but for the sequel, Rainbow and Microsoft have managed to deliver a game that's even bigger, badder, bolder, and better in just about every way imaginable. From its eye-popping scenery graphics and breathtaking crash and stunt animations to its impressive array of indoor courses and fully realized outdoor environments, Motocross Madness 2 almost never ceases to impress. Whether you opt for a hair-raising 15-minute session of stunts or a marathon session of online racing against fellow Motocross maniacs, the game always leaves you eager to give it one more go-round.
Some Motocross Madness 2 owners might feel slighted that the game doesn't ship with a course editor, but there should be plenty of courses to keep them happy until Microsoft makes the utility available for download: The game features more than 70 venues, from noisy indoor arenas to snow-capped mountains, sun-scorched deserts, hilly forests, working farms, and more. Cyber-cyclists can choose from more than 20 models of dirt bikes, starting with nimble, quick 125s and moving all the way up to 600cc monsters that can easily prove to be too much to handle for beginners.
It's a bit disappointing that the game only has 12 models of bikes from three real-life manufacturers (Honda, Yamaha, and KTM), but it's probably just as well since you'd be hard-pressed to spot any significant handling differences between comparably sized cycles. The game's garage feature is equally slim: You can adjust front and rear suspension settings and tweak the power curve to deliver more horsepower at various RPM settings, but at the end of the day most gamers will happily use one of the preset configurations for each of the bikes. Besides, most of us would rather spend our time designing custom rider skins (which can be uploaded for all to admire in a multiplayer match), rather than getting greasy in the garage.
The 70 tracks are divided among six single-player events, including the original game's Baja, Freestyle Stunts, Nationals, and Supercross modes, in addition to Enduro (similar to Baja) and a career-based Pro Circuit where your performance determines how soon you'll move up to new bikes and courses. Both Baja and Enduro events are set in the great outdoors on tracks that consist of a series of waypoints - but the path you take from gate to gate is entirely up to you. To finish at the front of the pack, you'll need to log more than a few practice sessions to explore the area in search of shortcuts, but even this is a blast because of all the goodies the developers have packed into each area.
As you burn through the countryside, you'll marvel at low-flying planes, jump over speeding trains, scream past (or slam into) cars and trucks, and dodge slow-moving farm machinery. Add lushly detailed terrain and vegetation, and it's easy to see why you can spend hours just feeding your wanderlust.
Freestyle Stunts are incredibly fun whether you pull off a mind-blowing combo of moves or just kick back and relish the spectacular crash animations. Watching your character fly through the air with arms akimbo as the bike hurtles just behind him is a guilty but very satisfying pleasure. There's definitely a bit of a learning curve involved if you want to start racking up big-time scores with multiplier bonuses, but the feeling of satisfaction you get after ripping off two or even three moves while airborne makes it more than worth the effort. The only shortcoming with the Freestyle mode is the game's VCR feature: Although you can switch the view between all the riders and manipulate a user-defined perspective, the lack of rewind or fast-forward capabilities means you can only watch it from start to finish. But at least you can pause.
Probably the most challenging events are the Nationals and Supercross. The 17 Supercross tracks, which are set inside huge coliseums, are just like the ones you see on ESPN or Speedvision - as well they should be, since they were co-designed by professional motocross rider Stephane "Ron Ron" Roncada. These M.C. Escher-like circuits will tax all your skills, from the use of suspension spring (using the spring of the rear suspension to gain height and airtime) to the fine art of feathering the brakes and gas through brutally tight curves. Nationals are set in expansive outdoor environments, so there are more opportunities for jaw-dropping jumps and crowd-pleasing stunts.
The original Motocross Madness was one of the most popular games on Microsoft's Gaming Zone, so it's no surprise the sequel is garnering the same enthusiasm. Finding opponents is no problem - hundreds were playing within a day or two of the game's release - and for the most part the game delivers smooth action without anomalies like disappearing or frozen drivers. Those things can still happen occasionally, but the good news is that an opponent's poor connection has no bearing on your performance. About the only time you can expect less-than-stellar multiplayer results is when someone with a midrange system or mediocre Internet connection tries hosting an eight-player game.
Motocross Madness 2 isn't without a few of its own problems. Some will find the sound effects for the bikes - which, along with the smell of those two-stroke engines, is one of the most easily identifiable aspects of real-life dirt-biking - aren't quite as loud and powerful as they were in the first game. The game's first-person view is practically worthless because there's no graphic for the front wheels or handlebars; without them, it's too difficult to correctly position the bike for a smooth landing. And the penalty for going off the track in National and Supercross events is definitely on the harsh side: If you don't turn around and reenter the course at the appropriate spot within five seconds - which is considerably more troublesome than it sounds - you're thrown back on the track where you left for a standing start. While there has to be some sort of penalty for leaving the course, especially if you're trying to gain an unfair advantage, there also has to be a better way of handling ticky-tack miscues.
In addition, more than one user has reported problems with video-card compatibility in Motocross Madness 2, but the majority can be corrected with updated drivers. I experienced no graphic glitches at all when playing with either a TNT2 or Voodoo2, but I did encounter one or two desktop crashes after particularly long sessions in the Stunt Quarry. But on the whole, the game seems relatively bug-free and stable.
Motocross Madness 2 isn't the most realistic motorcycle simulation you can buy, but it's definitely one of the most enjoyable. The game's got a little something for everyone - and with a modest sticker price of around $35, it's also one that just about anyone can afford. If your system can run it, you'd do well to head out to grab a copy. You won't be sorry you did.
