Bike sport goes 3-D
Added on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments
James Toseland in 3-D form in MotoGP 08
With motorcycle sales on the rise in the UK, more and more people tuning into MotoGP races on TV and test centres fully booked, it comes as no surprise to hear that the popularity of biking is on a well-deserved high.
And now it seems that the gaming world has noted the recent success of two wheels, with the two top racing championships getting a 3D makeover to allow biking fans the chance to experience speeds of 200km/h+ from the comfort of their own sofa without risking next year’s bike insurance premium!
Already on the shelves, SBK 08 is the first “next gen” attempt at recreating the thrills and spills of the World Superbike Championship and, so far at least, the gaming community has given it a resounding thumbs up.
SBK 08 has been widely praised for being a far more realistic simulation of racing than previous incarnations of its MotoGP-based rival. In particular, the way in which the sense of speed, momentum and bike movement is presented are extremely impressive, even if the sound effects aren’t quite so realistic.
Riders can prepare for any given race in a virtual pit garage and there is certainly enough to keep you occupied. Aside from the challenge of ruining Troy Bayliss’ retirement season in the Championship mode, you can try your hand at more than 20 individual challenges, a full ‘race weekend’ mode and of course, go up against the rest of the world with the online function.
What does stand out is that SBK 08 really does throw you in at the deep end. Every aspect of the riding experience has been thought through. Racing lines, braking times, even rider weight distribution have all been factored in. That might go way over the helmet of your casual gamer or biking beginner but for the real experts, it makes for a challenging and extremely rewarding gaming experience.
But SBK 08 won’t have the market to itself, with MotoGP 08 well and truly caught in the slipstream.
Annoyingly, you won’t be able to get your hands on it until the end of the current season but if the video clips and screenshots coming out of Capcom HQ are anything to go by, PS2 & 3, Xbox 360, PC and Nintendo Wii owners can forgive them for being a little late.
Criticised in the past for being more of an arcade cruise than a full-throttle simulator, MotoGP 08, we’re told, will better recreate the Grand Prix experience.
As you’d expect, the game is fully licensed with all the bikes, circuits, sponsors, teams and riders making an appearance, allowing you to recreate those Rossi-Stoner spats, try and complete a lap with Jorge Lorenzo without ending up in the gravel or attempt to make James Toseland the first British champion since 1977.
On top of that, there’s the chance to start your own career and create your own wannabe champion. If you’ve ever wanted to see what you might look like in digitally enhanced leathers, this is the game for you.
Included in the game will be the premier class championship as well as 250 and 125’s and in career mode, you’ll start at the bottom and work your way up. If you don’t think you can cope with the long-haul of matching ‘The Doctor’s’ seven world titles, you can just take yourself on a leisurely 200bhp cruise around Donington Park or kill some time under the floodlights at Losail.
Details of the Wii version have been kept under wraps although we’re expecting the Wiimote to act as your own virtual handlebars, ensuring plenty of the quirkiness that we’ve come to expect from Nintendo.
So far at least, it appears as though the two games will split both biker and gamers down the middle in the same way that football fans have been split by the FIFA and Pro Evo games. SBK 08 is considered to be the more refined, realistic representation of what it’s like to throw yourself into a corner at mind-bogglingly high speeds, but lacks the appeal to the more casual fan. MotoGP on the other hand has the bonus of the more prestigious brand name, the simpler game play and, based on what we’ve seen, better graphics. What might hurt its sales however is a speculated lack of depth as well as a launch day which practically renders it out of date the minute the shops open
Both games are available for the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. You’ll also find SBK 08 (out now) on the PSP whilst MotoGP 08 (released 31st October) will be available for the Wii. Prices for both games vary depending on the format, but expect prices to start at £24.99 for the PC, PS2 and PSP versions, going up to £39.99 for the PS3 and Xbox 360.
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