MOTOCROSS MANIA 3 XBOX - BRAND NEW GAMES

Released to little fanfare come the end of April 2005, Motocross Mania 3 is the latest in a long-ish line of Deibus-developed MX games. This one comes with a combat element reminiscent of Road Rash and the like. Races are not conventional three lap affairs where the position in which you cross the line becomes your placing. In Motocross Mania 3, it's about surviving the length of the race itself. Races have a set number of laps and a required finishing position, but there is no longer a need to get all the way to the finish. Riders can dispose of their opponents by using the game's combat system. Racing becomes a 'last man standing' where you either knock other riders out of the race by dislodging them from their bikes or avoid combat to get to the line without being knocked off yourself.

Combat can be a complex affair, but the use of a weapon makes it so much simpler. To begin, all riders will have a simple baseball bat with a limited lifespan. Throughout the career, you are able to upgrade your rider's arsenal and purchase more powerful weapons to dish out more damage to your opposition. Choose wisely, because the more powerful a weapon, the fewer times you can use it before it becomes redundant.

Developer Deibus has been in the motorcycle game for quite a while and this third incarnation trumps everything that came before it. Wind it on!