MX Vs. ATV Unleashed
Author: Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine

While we were all busy taking up arms in the bloody Coke vs. Pepsi, Freddy vs. Jason, and DLR vs. Sammy wars, another bitter rivalry was apparently brewing right under our noses. If you had to choose one—and only one—method of racing other people on a dirt surface, what would you choose? The answer to that question can be found in MX vs. ATV Unleashed, another excellent racing title from Rainbow Studios (formerly of the ATV Offroad Fury franchise).

A more accurate title might be MX vs. ATV vs. Dune Buggy vs. Helicopter vs. Pretty Much Any Other Vehicle You Can Race. The championship mode features the titular matchup of motocross bikes and four-wheelers, but several of the game’s extra modes feature other vehicles as well, lest you think that dirt bikes and ATVs offer a limiting race experience.

Rainbow’s experience in the genre is evident in the game’s polished graphics, smooth framerate, and floaty-but-fun controls. The vehicles are fairly well balanced, with bikes being able to grab more air while the ATVs have easier landings. In fact, that’s the biggest issue with Unleashed: It’s often difficult to judge where your bike wheels are lined up, which leads to a multitude of crashes. Fortunately, the game doesn’t punish you too harshly, and it’s easy to make up lost time. (As with Rainbow’s previous racers, it’s easy for your computer opponents to make up lost time too, due to the aggressive “rubberband” assistance.)

As for which mode of transportation is better, that battle will likely rage on for years to come. Or at least until they make MX vs. ATV vs. Horse.