Tony Hawk's Pro Skater from Activision became a mega-hit, but since then, dozens of companies have tried to bring fringe sports like surfing, sky diving and other "me, too" extreme sports titles to market, all looking to cash in on the craze.Up till now, none have matched the quality or replayability of Tony Hawk, and only a small few have come close, including this month's challenger, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX from Acclaim.
Instead of using a skateboard to race against the clock and perform dangerous mid-air stunts for points and prestige, this game is all about daredevil BMX bike riding, so players can aim to pull off a "Superman", "Icepick", "Tailwhip" or "Toothpick". In total, there are over a dozen unique environments, such as Camp Woodward's back-breaking "Lot 8" or the San Jose Ramp Club, to name a few.
Fortunately, controlling the rider is a cinch to learn for younger or novice gamers, and there is enough substance here to keep players pedalling long after the goals are met. In fact, along with the "Free Ride" mode, the timed "Session" mode, and the challenging, career-based "Proquest" mode, there are ten different two-player games including our favourite, dubbed "B-M-X", where the second player has to mimic the first rider's moves (remember the H-O-R-S-E variant of basketball?).
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX's visuals are only satisfactory, with nothing really to kick heels about. The 3-D engine brings a few annoying screen "pop-ups" (objects and backgrounds awkwardly disappear on occasion as riders move relative to the "camera") and "clipping" (where the rider gets mysteriously stuck) problems that probably could've been ironed out with a few more weeks in development. And while the mid-air stunts and crashes look painfully real, the game seems to lack a convincing sensation of speed.
But even with its shortcomings, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX is a rad BMX arcade/sim that proves that the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, while still the king, is not the only game in town. --Todd Mowatt
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