I can only describe this game as AWESOME!!
Spending my student loan wisely, I recently purchased a Sony Playstation 2 one of the new silver slim line versions. These look way cooler than the first Playstation I got when I was younger. Any way after seeing the TT Superbike game on the shelf, I thought I had to get it. I had also heard people say it was worth buying. After walking through town trying to find the cheapest I eventually ended up at Playtime Games. The first thing the man behind the desk said was “Good game that kid” the type of bloke you know is a total game playing anorak, at that point I knew I was on to a winner!
I haven’t actually raced around the real life TT but know quite a few who have, and have watched it numerous times on bike TT videos. I’m confident in saying that this game is incredibly realistic. The way the bikes look, sound and handle is very good, too much front brake and you will find yourself loosing the front end. As you get used to where you are going lots of high-speed crashes are inevitable, adding to the thrill of the game. Bike selection ranges from the small lightweight class of the Honda 125’s up to the mega fast Suzuki GSXR 1000’s and also a bit of side by side action can be had with the very fast but hard to handle sidecars.
Game playing mode can be set to Novice, Intermediate and Expert. I prefer to set it to intermediate. This way it’s easier to control but the game still allows you the freedom to go round the corners at high speed.
With Novice mode the CPU assists your braking and turning. With expert level you’re on your own, so is a little harder to get used to.
The aim of the game is obviously to win the races. By doing so your efforts are rewarded with new bikes, sets of leathers, helmets, and different tracks. For bonuses you get pictures of real life action, videos and bonus level races.
The game consists of Arcade, TT Challenge mode and has the usual Two-Player option.
The TT challenge mode consists of:
Master Classes- They are designed to improve your bike handling capabilities. By setting short tasks like going through a section of the course without crashing, riding without exceeding a minimum speed and making it to the finish line within a set time. These can be a little frustrating at times but this is partly why for two hours, I couldn’t do anything else but master the task of going round a certain TT corner at over 78mph!
Dunlop Novice Cup- This takes place over 2-3 mile stretches of the TT mountain section, racing against four other competitors controlled by the game
Intermediate Trophy- Similar to the Dunlop Novice cup but takes place over 4-5 mile stretches of the TT mountain section
Other race challenges include the Castletown race and the Southern 100 (This race is the same but runs in the reverse direction).
What did I get out of playing this game?
I got the satisfaction of knowing the TT course off by heart, so I reckon this game is an actual must buy for all real life competitors of the TT races. Hours and hours of fun racing against my girlfriend who loves the game as much as I do, which is slightly worrying, but good all at the same time. It is also a game that lasts after having this game for over a month now I am still playing it with the same enthusiasm that I did when I first switched it on.