Speed, action ,high altitude allthis in microsofts new MOTOCROSS MADNESS. First, it releases the surprisingly fun Monster Truck Madness series, and now it follows it up with this motocross simulator. With its multitude of modes and good terrain graphics, this is pretty much everything you could hope for in a motocross simulation, and then some. Motocross Madness is really two games in one. Most of your options are for races - there are national races, supercross races, and the grueling Baja. The first two are typical multilap races in outdoor or indoor arenas.The Baja races are very different. These marathons have you racing many laps through expansive outdoor environments - they aren't so much about speed as endurance. These are quite fun, as they take a great deal of time to complete, and the standings can change dramatically over the course of a single race. In the race modes, understanding motorcycle mechanics comes in handy, as well, and you'll have to adjust shocks, engine, and gears if you want to hit peak performance in the different environments.

And while Motocross Madness does provide preset values for these - as well as a number of assists - the only major problem with the game is that it doesn't give beginners any context or help in determining how to tweak the different elements. But where the game really shines is in the stunt quarry. Each of the arenas for this mode is a series of sharp rises and valleys where you compete to successfully perform the most stunts in a predetermined period of time. This mode flaunts Motocross Madness' greatest feature: the excellent physics engine, which has just enough realism to make it believable and just enough exaggeration to make it fun. There's only one minor problem with this mode, which is that the stunts themselves are just a series of preset button combinations, and you gain more or fewer points depending on how long you hold them.

It'd be great if there was room for a bit more freestyle action - but there's no denying the thrill of pulling off a few stunts in a single while you're careening through the air over the competition.Add to this some solid graphics (which require a Direct3D-compatible accelerator), and relatively lag-free multiplayer racing over Microsoft's own Internet Gaming Zone, and there really isn't much to complain about. Motocross Madness is, quite simply, a great deal of fun with a lot to offer both the motorcycle racing fan who wants to test his mettle on the Baja and the action fan who just wants to pull some Barneys a few hundred feet in the air.

By Shane Cameron

written 7/1/99

System Requirements

Multimedia PC with Pentium 133 MHz processor and 4MB 3-D card or Multimedia PC Pentium 166 MHz processor and 2MB 3-D card Microsoft� Windows� 95 or Windows 98 operating system Requires Microsoft DirectX� 5.0 compatible 3-D accelerator card 16 MB of RAM 60 MB of available hard-disk space for minimum install; 180 MB of available hard-disk space for typical install (50 MB of available hard-disk space for swap file) Quad-speed or faster CD-ROM drive Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device DirectX 5.0-compatible sound card Speakers or headphones recommended DirectX 5.0-compatible joystick or gamepad recommended 28.8 modem for head-to-head play Null modem cable, or ethernet card for network play Internet access for Internet play (connect time charges may apply)