Moto Racer - PlayStation

Moto Racer, available at a bargain price these days, is pure arcade motorcycling at its best. Featuring both road races and dirt trails, the chances of boredom setting in are slim. If you don't fancy a blast around the city on a Japanese crotch-rocket, then why not head on out to the country, swing your leather-clad leg over one of the ridiculously bouncy trail bikes, and watch the dust and dirt fly. It's a noisy old game alright. The sound of real 2-stroke machines has been faithfully replicated for the benefit of the virtual rider, and the density of sound in two player mode is almost hypnotic.

Be warned, mastering Moto Racer will take time. Any viewing position you choose, whether over the handlebars or behind the bike, will most likely lead to over-confidence at first, and you will come a cropper when you hit one of the bends. So it's best to approach Moto Racer as you would a real motorcycle: get used to the handling and feel of your bike before you take the plunge and enter Championship mode, which is the crux of the game. There really is no other reason for Moto Racer to exist. After all, who wants to race over and over with no potential reward at the end of the game? No, me neither. Success will give you the opportunity to re-race the championship sequence in reverse (calm yourselves), and discover bonus tracks (that's more like it!). And if you're feeling full of yourself after a few spins, you may want to try popping a wheelie while powering down the straight.

More and more motorcycling titles are available across all platforms these days, but the PSX has probably found its benchmark with Moto Racer. Despite the lack of a track editing facility, a feature included in Moto Racer 2, there's been nothing to better it as yet. Even the sequel is something of a re-hash, so if you must choose between the two, go for the original.
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