Game Boy Color - Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX. EXTREME(ly) bad controls.

Author's Rating:

Pros: Game looks very good, many moves and tricks.

Cons: Control scheme is poor, gameplay is repetitious.

The Bottom Line: 
If you're hardcore BMX, snag it out of the bargain bin. If not... well, don't... snag it... out of the bargain bin.

Author's Review
Quick Facts:
Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX – for Game Boy Color. (Also will work on Gameboy and Game Boy Advance). About $5 at the time of this writing, 1 player. Released by Activision in March of 2001, rated E for everyone. Extreme Sports Genre.

Full Review:

I’m not an extreme sports guy. Back in the day, I definitely played some California Games, even some Skate or Die. However, “extreme” sports aren’t really my thing, so current gaming hits like SSX (Snowboarding) and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater don’t really hold anything for me.

So why then, am I reviewing Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX for the GBC? It was given to me by someone who found it on the ground. Ah, to have money…

Also, it appears the other reviews presently on Epinions in this category are actually for the Playstation 2 game, and not for the Game Boy Color game.

Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX is a game based on, you guessed it, pro BMX rider Mat Hoffman (10 time world champion!), and several other professional riders – each of whom have their own signature moves. There is Training mode, which helps you get the basics of the bike riding, and Career Mode – which allows you to move through different courses, trying to reach the goals which will get you medals, to unlock the other modes of the game – Time Trial and Free Ride.

The controls are in theory, simple enough. You move the bike by pushing forward, get up enough speed, and using ramps/rails/funboxes/spines you press a button and a direction, and get a trick. Do a couple of these in combination, and you get fancier moves and combos, worth even more points.

Unfortunately, in actual play the controls tend to be unresponsive, and the tricks are sometimes a bit vague. Some require you to hold the direction or button, others require a tap. Some require different speeds, as well as you performing the trick at a certain spot on the jump. All of this was frustrating to me as I was climbing through the training levels, wondering why on earth “A+Up” wasn’t doing what I was led to believe it would.

The graphics of the game are actually very good, vibrant color – and the game shines. The sounds are repetitive and monotonous, and the music lacks flavor and variety.

However, the frustrating control scheme and the generally monotonous gameplay make Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX a must not have title for all but the most hardcore of BMX fans. Casual gamers will be left mostly frustrated and unfulfilled, and even the serious fans would be better served by one of the next gen console titles, boasting much better graphics, control, options and overall fun.

Graphics: 4 out of 5

One of the best looking GBC titles I have seen, though sometimes doing when performing a trick, it is tough to see exactly what the bike is doing.

Sound: 2 out of 5

You’re riding a BMX. If there’s no roaring crowd, there’s not a lot to hope for.

Control: 3 out of 5

I appreciate the attempt at a simple but varied interface (the game boasts over 100 moves), but in practice, I found getting the moves and combos off to be a bit tedious and sometimes simply random.

Gameplay: 2 out of 5

Add to the frustration of the control scheme the repetitiveness of the gameplay, and you’ve got yourself a generally poor game. You’ll find certain moves and combos that reward a certain amount of points, and you’ll stick to them primarily. Moving along the stages in Career mode is fairly interesting, and the levels LOOK varied, but it all boils back down to Backflip + No Hander to 1 Footer. Repeat.

What I liked:

Game looks nice.

Varied moves and stages.

What I didn't like:

Control scheme is finicky.

Monotonous gameplay.

Overall:

Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX if you are a fan of Pro BMX, then this will be a good addition to your portable gaming collection. If you’re a more casual gamer, look for your extreme thrills elsewhere. Basically, there’s a good reason you can find this for $5 or less in your local gaming store bargain bin.

Mr_D