Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX

Overall: B
Violence: C+
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Sony Playstation
Publisher: Acclaim
ESRB rating: E

Probably the most awesome stunt I ever accomplished on a bike happened by accident. After a strenuous day of riding some tough mountain terrain, my companions and I were enjoying a leisurely ride back to camp on a paved downhill trail that cut through thick forest. It was raining, which made the asphalt somewhat slippery, and I happened to be traveling too fast for the conditions. Just when common sense told me to slow down, I noticed a sign proclaiming my imminent arrival at a hairpin curve. Knowing I'd never negotiate the turn I quickly assessed my options--unfortunately, each one was covered in bark. My next recollection is that of medical personnel attending my injuries in a ranger station five miles from the accident site. To this day, I rely on witnesses for details of my fifteen-foot flight through the trees--a maneuver they nicknamed The Crash-Test Jimmy.

The effects of my concussion soon wore off, and the cuts and bruises disappeared, but it took a considerable length of time for my bones and joints to fully recover. So when I consider the punishment a freestyle BMX-er's body is subjected to during practice and competition, I have nothing but admiration and respect for their intestinal fortitude (along with their ability to heal).

Thanks to the folks at Acclaim, you won't have to go through any of the physical pounding it takes to become an Extreme BMX champion like Dave "Miracle Boy" Mirra. In fact, you'll be performing candybar backflips, double tailwhips, lipslides, and tailtaps in less time than it takes to remove your training wheels. Mastery however, is a different story.

Assuming the identity of one of today's big names in BMX, you start the game as a rookie--with nothing more than the clothes on your back, a used bike and a helmet. Accompanied by a soundtrack featuring hard rock bands like Rancid, Social Distortion, 59 Times The Pain, and The Deftones, your dream of becoming the Big Kahuna depends upon your ability to meet specific objectives and perform stunts while racing against the clock on a number of well-known vertical, dirt, and street locales.

With over 1300 possible tricks at your fingertips, the only limit to what can be accomplished on your virtual bike is your imagination and your ability to complete big-air tricks before those wheels touch the ground. Completing the Pro and Hardcore objectives on each level will unlock bike upgrades and attract authentic sponsors eager to supply you with decent equipment and jerseys. Impress enough judges and you'll eventually work your way to competition-based levels where you'll go head-to-head with the cream of the crop.

There's something captivating about watching big-air stunts. It's even more rewarding knowing that you're the one pulling them off. So--while the graphics are really nothing to write home about--don't pass up the opportunity to watch replays of some of your better thrills and spills (what I'd give for a videotape of my accident).

Since game action in single-player mode is restricted to BMX venues, there are no rewards for breaking the law as in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. But that's not to say there isn't any objectionable content in this game. In 2-player mode, contestants take turns performing tricks and daring the other to complete it, resulting in an oh-yeah-well-let's-see-you-do-this competition. While this can be a fun diversion, there's also an option that requires each player to inflict as much damage as possible to his or her body within a 30-second time limit. No blood and gore is shown, but a player can pull off some pretty stupid stunts--including being hit by a train.

If your child is looking for a wheelie good time, Dave Mirra's Freestyle BMX may be just what the doctor ordered. Perhaps your biggest challenge as a parent will be to discourage real-life performances of some daredevil stunts learned in the virtual world. Just like everything else done on a bike, this game requires a good sense of balance.

Jim Fleming

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