Moto Racer 3: Gold Edition is a novel motorbike racing game that actually gives you five distinct game types in one. It has a lot of good points, but unfortunately enough negatives to prevent it from being a truly great game. It definitely deserves a look though if you're a racing fan.
The five modes are:
Speed - this is grand prix motorcycle racing - fast circuits, tarmac that your wheels will stick to at the highest speeds, and a lot of drivers to race against. The tracks are varied and the thrill of weaving between the other racers is almost unparalleled by any other racing game I've played (to me motorcycle racing games are somehow a much more immersive gaming experience than car racing games). Beware though - take a corner too fast and you'll end up on the grass, losing loads of time as you try to get back onto the track.
Motorcross / Supercross - don't try your boost here of you'll fall flat on your face... indoor dirt tracks or outside circuits, lots of jumps, loads of fun. The real key to this mode is knowing when to break hard and come out accelerating from the outside of the corner (or when to hug the inside of the hairpin turn and hope you can avoid a pile-up of bikes).
Trial - anyone remember the program Kickstart? In this mode speed is important, but you're not racing - you have to carefully manoeuvre your bike across various obstacle courses. There are more controls for this mode, and it's very tricky, but very rewarding if you can do it.
Freestyle - this is the weak link in the chain. The idea is great - you jump off ramps and perform stunts - but in a long time of trying I could not get any stunt to work right. Now this could just be me, but I'm sure I can't be that bad. This looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, but when nothing seems to work right... it stops being fun pretty quickly.
Traffic - now here's a great idea - race against an opponent through traffic! This is very challenging and the drivers don't all act the same - some obliging get out of your way, while others seem determined to kill you, so you really have to keep on your toes.
Now that I've explained all the modes, here's a summary of the game's good and bad points...
Good Things
As you can see from above, the five biking disciplines give you five completely different styles of play. This gives great variety to the game, and makes it feel quite unlike any racing game you've ever played.
The foreground graphics - the bikes and track - are very nicely rendered, giving a good impression of speed, and your biker (if using the third person view just behind your biker) moves realistically with quite fluid animation. The replays are also quite cool.
The game is challenging, but your opponents aren't frustratingly perfect - they can misjudge corners and slide off the track onto the grass, hit traffic or other cars, etc. This adds considerably to a feeling of realism.
There are plenty of other bits and bobs to unlock by earning points - by completing tracks, getting a top three place in races, etc. Again, this gives the game variety.
The music is good quality and suitably fast-paced for a racing game.
Though I haven't had the opportunity to try it, the multiplayer mode looks good.
The controls were nicely responsive (even on keyboard).
Bad Things
The background graphics are definitely over-simplistic - though this is rarely a problem when you're zipping past them at high speed! Having cardboard cut-out digitised stills of people along the tracks and streets was a bad move though - they look terrible (even at high speed!).
There are arenas etc in the game with cheerleaders - every one of these looks exactly the same. (Yeah, not a game stopper, just seems lazy!!)
Obviously, my problems with the Freestyle mode detract from the game somewhat.
It would have been helpful if there had been a tutorial mode and / or in-game controls reference. Yes I know all we gamers hate tutorials, but sometimes they're a good idea. I played this game on the keyboard incidentally (lack of a working joystick at the moment and disinclination to spend money on one!), which I can say with some confidence is the worst way to play it.
The biggest downfall in my opinion is the lack of a career / season / championship mode. The races are great but it's all well and good having individual races, but what about an overall competition that lets you build up rivalries with your opponents, feel the exaltation of leading the championship, the anguish of losing at the very last race?
Overall Verdict
Moto Racer 3: Gold Edition has a lot going for it, but some quite serious things going against it. I enjoy playing it and will certainly go back to it now and again, but it's definitely an occasional game. Nothing wrong with this of course - having something that's good to play for a few minutes or half hour every now and again is a good thing - but the long-term interest isn't there. It has a few interesting features and gaming modes, so if you like racing games, and particularly if you like motorbike racing games, it's worthy of a place in your collection.
Other Details
Released by: Sold Out Software
Age Rating (PEGI): 3+
Minimum System Specs
CPU: 450MHz
RAM: 64Mb
GPU: 16Mb
DirectX: 8.0a
HDD Space: 650Mb
Network (for multiplayer): LAN / Internet
Tested on: Packard Bell iMedia J2489
Similar Games
Superbike World Championship
Colin McRae Rally 2
PIXAR's Cars
The five modes are:
Speed - this is grand prix motorcycle racing - fast circuits, tarmac that your wheels will stick to at the highest speeds, and a lot of drivers to race against. The tracks are varied and the thrill of weaving between the other racers is almost unparalleled by any other racing game I've played (to me motorcycle racing games are somehow a much more immersive gaming experience than car racing games). Beware though - take a corner too fast and you'll end up on the grass, losing loads of time as you try to get back onto the track.
Motorcross / Supercross - don't try your boost here of you'll fall flat on your face... indoor dirt tracks or outside circuits, lots of jumps, loads of fun. The real key to this mode is knowing when to break hard and come out accelerating from the outside of the corner (or when to hug the inside of the hairpin turn and hope you can avoid a pile-up of bikes).
Trial - anyone remember the program Kickstart? In this mode speed is important, but you're not racing - you have to carefully manoeuvre your bike across various obstacle courses. There are more controls for this mode, and it's very tricky, but very rewarding if you can do it.
Freestyle - this is the weak link in the chain. The idea is great - you jump off ramps and perform stunts - but in a long time of trying I could not get any stunt to work right. Now this could just be me, but I'm sure I can't be that bad. This looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, but when nothing seems to work right... it stops being fun pretty quickly.
Traffic - now here's a great idea - race against an opponent through traffic! This is very challenging and the drivers don't all act the same - some obliging get out of your way, while others seem determined to kill you, so you really have to keep on your toes.
Now that I've explained all the modes, here's a summary of the game's good and bad points...
Good Things
As you can see from above, the five biking disciplines give you five completely different styles of play. This gives great variety to the game, and makes it feel quite unlike any racing game you've ever played.
The foreground graphics - the bikes and track - are very nicely rendered, giving a good impression of speed, and your biker (if using the third person view just behind your biker) moves realistically with quite fluid animation. The replays are also quite cool.
The game is challenging, but your opponents aren't frustratingly perfect - they can misjudge corners and slide off the track onto the grass, hit traffic or other cars, etc. This adds considerably to a feeling of realism.
There are plenty of other bits and bobs to unlock by earning points - by completing tracks, getting a top three place in races, etc. Again, this gives the game variety.
The music is good quality and suitably fast-paced for a racing game.
Though I haven't had the opportunity to try it, the multiplayer mode looks good.
The controls were nicely responsive (even on keyboard).
Bad Things
The background graphics are definitely over-simplistic - though this is rarely a problem when you're zipping past them at high speed! Having cardboard cut-out digitised stills of people along the tracks and streets was a bad move though - they look terrible (even at high speed!).
There are arenas etc in the game with cheerleaders - every one of these looks exactly the same. (Yeah, not a game stopper, just seems lazy!!)
Obviously, my problems with the Freestyle mode detract from the game somewhat.
It would have been helpful if there had been a tutorial mode and / or in-game controls reference. Yes I know all we gamers hate tutorials, but sometimes they're a good idea. I played this game on the keyboard incidentally (lack of a working joystick at the moment and disinclination to spend money on one!), which I can say with some confidence is the worst way to play it.
The biggest downfall in my opinion is the lack of a career / season / championship mode. The races are great but it's all well and good having individual races, but what about an overall competition that lets you build up rivalries with your opponents, feel the exaltation of leading the championship, the anguish of losing at the very last race?
Overall Verdict
Moto Racer 3: Gold Edition has a lot going for it, but some quite serious things going against it. I enjoy playing it and will certainly go back to it now and again, but it's definitely an occasional game. Nothing wrong with this of course - having something that's good to play for a few minutes or half hour every now and again is a good thing - but the long-term interest isn't there. It has a few interesting features and gaming modes, so if you like racing games, and particularly if you like motorbike racing games, it's worthy of a place in your collection.
Other Details
Released by: Sold Out Software
Age Rating (PEGI): 3+
Minimum System Specs
CPU: 450MHz
RAM: 64Mb
GPU: 16Mb
DirectX: 8.0a
HDD Space: 650Mb
Network (for multiplayer): LAN / Internet
Tested on: Packard Bell iMedia J2489
Similar Games
Superbike World Championship
Colin McRae Rally 2
PIXAR's Cars
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