Motocross Mania
Score: 80% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Take2 Interactive Developer: Deibus Studios Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Racing/ Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: If you've made your way through most of the available off-road racing and especially motorcycle racing games, and still need more action to satisfy your craving, or if you are just running low on cash, Motocross Mania is a great budget motocross action title. I really have a problem with stripped down and seemingly incomplete titles that wouldn't ever have seen the light of day but for budget gaming. Thankfully, Motocross Mania weighs in as a full-featured if still rough-around-the-edges cousin to games like Championship Motocross or ATV Off-Road. For those who have yet to make the investment to go to PS2, and have saved up a tenner for a trip to the mall, this is a good choice. Lots of nice menu design and screen window dressing shows some attention to detail that usually doesn't make an appearance on a small budget. I liked to see the many choices available for bike and rider design, much like any of the bigger titles. Tracks are modestly appointed, but have plenty of good twists and turns. There's always a lot of trick action in Motocross, and although the animations here leave something to be desired, they still get the point across. 'Screw-up' animations are even included for those times when you try something unwise and end up doing a face-plant. Obviously, we don't hear top-seat rock bands on this, but the edgy rock soundtrack is fine and builds the right energy and excitement for the event.
Gameplay: Following most conventions of the form, Motocross Mania pulls in not only the Single Race and Championship, but also Time Attack, Practice and Freestyle Modes. This is a bit of a surprise, but a nice one, and the resulting depth in options for gameplay again makes this a good alternative for the economically challenged among us. The Championship Mode even includes multiple difficulty levels that present successively larger fields of opponents and more laps to complete. Standard, Motocross and Supercross seasons are available, so multiply the full Championship season by three to get the full picture. Most unlocking of tracks and bikes happens here, so after you open up some new options, it's time to try out one of the other, single race modes to either beat your best time, improve your knowledge of a particular track or nail down some cool moves and tricks. As with any of the best Motocross joints out there, learning the tracks' curves and bumps means the difference between winning and losing. I was very surprised at the extent to which Motocross Mania modeled physics for jumps and landings, and even though I came in expecting a very 'flat' feeling game, there's no denying that you can tell when you land on the front side of a hill versus getting maximum speed by missing bumps after a jump or coming down on the back side. Sure, you can't preload suspension or any next-gen business like that, but you can upgrade the bikes constantly, tune them up for handling that really translates to a different feel on the track, and even turn on the Free Roaming option to cruise off-track in the dirtier levels. All told, I really found Motocross Mania coming through more often than not with solid options that felt more like a big-budget title.
Difficulty: Simplified handling and physics tend to make the earliest stages a hard adjustment for those of us who have tasted the real thing...and by 'real' I mean virtual, of course. ;) But, with some tweaking to match your personal preferences and a good grasp of the controls, nothing here should be outside the grasp of seasoned motocross fans. Sure, the lack of top-notch physics sometimes makes take-off and landing a bit on the slippery side, but (and not to sound like a jerk) what did you expect for 10 dollars? For the money, everything is right...well, on the money.
Game Mechanics: Surprisingly effective trick controls and even some neat ways to change the camera mid-trick are a highlight of Motocross Mania if you assume that riding controls are about the same. Because of some watered down analog controls - they're in place, but feel pretty mushy - riding the powerslide is a big part of getting around the track. Unlike the wide-open tracks of ATV Off-Road, this is Motocross on a smaller scale, and making the most of a small space means lots of curves and lots of hills. Opponents don't tend to shadow you too much or get in the way like Championship Motocross, but they can throw a monkey wrench into the spokes during curves and straight stretches. My answer is always to adjust gear ratios so I'm optimized for the quick acceleration in curves and before big jumps, but you may just choose to go with a more aggressive riding style. Suspension adjustments can improve stability, but make the bike less responsive, and braking balance or sensitivity has a lot to do with performance in curves. One interesting tweak you're allowed with Motocross Mania is a gas and brake gyro, intended to give the bike more response in a tilt when you're getting big air. Going for those insane flips and tricks, you'll find these gyros a handy feature to play with. Tricks are almost entirely executed with the R2 button and a push in one direction or another. Making up tricks will expose more than the 10+ tricks outlined in the manual, so knock yourself out. PS2: Load times were much improved but not graphics, and since the graphics aren't expected to be revolutionary, you'll at least have something to be grateful for if you miss some of the loading. Without a bit more speed, these tracks will have you waiting for a long time, so make the most of your PS2! Nobody can say this isn't worth 10 bucks, and having sampled more than a few of the budget games, I'm pleased to say this is one of the best I've played. It pales in comparison to the larger titles, but you probably won't find many of them under 20 dollars at this point. For a lark, if you enjoy the sport, this is a fun game that can give you and a friend plenty of racing action that won't break the bank.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
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