Mad Skills Motocross Review
PROS
- Challenging semi-realistic racing.
- Fine-tuned physics to contend with; bikes can break with sharp impacts as well.
- Previous time-attack runs saved as ghosts to compete against.
CONS
- Steep learning curve; only minimal assistance given for teaching advanced concepts.
VERDICT
While Mad Skills Motocross may look like another casual racer, it is in fact a very technical and challenging title to master, giving hardcore racing fans and gamers a run for their money.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
If you never had a chance to play the classic motocross racer 'Excitebike' back in the day then you may have missed out on a genuinely (and I'm sorry to say it) exciting racer that challenged players with its semi-realistic style that rewarded players that carefully managed their bikes instead of simply smashing the accelerator. Mad Skills Motocross by Turborilla feels like a serious revival of this classic racer, pitting players against AI opponents while using minimalistic controls that affect your bike's performance with a surprising amount of fidelity.
Initially the game is relatively simple, pitting you against an AI opponent or a specific challenge in order to successfully complete a level. However, while surviving and unlocking additional levels is relatively simple, taking the next step and winning races represents a skill ceiling that's hard to overcome. Almost every aspect of your bike's balance is under your control, which is absolutely fantastic from a realism perspective as tiny shifts in your weight can mean the difference between jumping a trough or slamming in to a hill. But this fine level of detail isn't easy to master and the AI is completely without pity, almost perfectly smashing its way through a level (even without power-ups) while you're left eating dirt thanks to one tiny mistake.
With practiced repetition it's possible to memorize the exact maneuvers required to edge out your AI opponent, but this often feels like a cop-out as you can't predict what's coming ahead on your initial runs, precluding any sense of skill in beating the AI. Thankfully the tracks are often compact and relatively easy to learn, so hitting the restart button isn't so frustrating.
If you're after a casual racing challenge you'll not find it here; Mad Skills Motocross makes the most of its realistic physics and control to truly challenge players to overcome each level. It's an addictive racer that punishes imperfection while testing your patience, but thankfully the fault is almost always on the player so it's hard to hate this pocket-rocket title.
Screenshots
$0.99
