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Preview  MX Superfly Featuring Ricky Carmichael
- By Nathaniel Walker
Victims of Jeremy McGrath’s Supercross World, take heart! THQ’s MX Superfly featuring Ricky Carmichael will more than likely save GameCube fans everywhere from motorbike mediocrity. I had the honorable pleasure of playing the thing this morning on the floor at E3, and while it did not send me to my knees in the same way that the new Legend of Zelda or Super Mario Sunshine did, it certainly succeeded in maintaining and even accelerating the wonderful feeling I get from playing good games. The soothing respite from the hyped-up crowds was nice as well, but knowing what I do now I would have been willing to bore my way through a few crowds to get to it! And this, especially considering the raw and unfinished state of the game, is something to say.
THQ’s press release on MX Superfly is relatively straightforward. Apparently, the newest edition in the Ricky Carmichael-fronted MX series boasts “an enhanced freestyle mode, a robust racing mode, and wide-open worlds for gamers to explore.” Having seen what I have seen, I am willing to say that this corporate self-description is uncharacteristically accurate! The racing mode was smooth and fluid, with the competition providing a nice balance of real challenge and encouraging wankerism. The turns, while a bit too sharp for the yet-to-be-tweaked controls, were unpredictable but natural--and in fact the course I got to sample was obviously given just the right amount of thought and deliberation. Surely, as the game is fleshed out and the more complex issues (such as AI and hit detection and control) are stacked up nice and tidy for the player, the quality of the course I played will be strained a little here and there. But what we have so far is great!
There is still not a whole lot about the game that can be said, but I want to add that I was especially impressed by two things: the feel of the bike and the Excitebike-esque bonus feature which allows the player to customizing stunt arenas. The feel of the motorbike was almost flawless! Unlike the rapidly dissatisfying Supercross World, the way in which I smacked against other players and objects, the way I struggled up hills and slammed down others, the way I could turn around in mid-air and land backwards (while maintaining my balance with a little concentration), and the way I could hug sheer curves and violently glance off trees all added up to make an experience worth repeating! Maybe even again and again! This bike game feels real, and it feels fun. This is a wonderful combination that is always an achievement.
My only problem with the game in its early state was a problem I also had with Supercross World. It frustrates me when I accidentally (or otherwise) run off of the beaten path, only to be suddenly knocked off of my bike and back onto the road. I mean, fair enough: if the designers don’t want to incorporate a realistic background world and if they want to avoid even the semblance of shortcuts because they have other fish to fry, fine. But the whole “suddenly fall off” thing is tacky for two big reasons: it is desperately uncreative, and it takes away from the impact and fun when you fall for real. It cheapens the physics of the world, and it causes the player to withdraw a bit. Instead, I would rather see my player hop off of his bike and walk it back to the course, or maybe just have his engine slow down (by a mysterious referee with a remote control) to make up for ill-gotten time. I just hate the arbitrary, compulsory tumbles when I stray off-track.
That said, allow me to reiterate: my impressions of this game are highly favorable. Keep your eyes peeled for it...and prepare to enjoy some marvelous backgrounds and sweet bike feel. The game is slated to come out this summer for the Nintendo GameCube, and if the raw E3 version is any indication, it will be worth the wait!
- 5.22.2002 |
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