MTV Pure Ride
Score: 80% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: THQ Developer: THQ Media: Cart/1 Players: 1 Genre: Sports
Graphics & Sound: It's funny to see MTV's name on a Game Boy Color game. I mean, the tunes aren't exactly pumpin' out that little speaker, right? It's the culture, man! Snowboarding, skateboarding, BMX... MTV has a piece of all the cool sports games, and Pure Ride is definitely cool. What it may lack in tunes, it makes up for in good looking graphics. Everything is nice and bright, with well-animated boarders and scrolling slopes. Basically, the perspective is over each boarder's shoulder as the hill comes at 'ya. It's done well, and reminded me a little of Pole Position, but without the cars. Or the roads... Okay, it's a stretch. 8/ But believe that it looks good, and much closer to what snowboarding should look like than any side-scrolling game.
Gameplay: The simple things are always best. Pure Ride is uncomplicated fun, but don't think that means it's boring. Whether you liked or even played the PlayStation version, Pure Ride for Game Boy Color is a nice showing. In the beginning, you pick a rider and train. Each training area turns out to be a skills test or point quota; if you pass, a new feature opens up. Even after you've played for awhile, Training Mode is a place to come back and try unlocking boards and new riders. Likewise, as you progress in actual races, new training areas open up. There's a constant feeling of expansion and exploration in Pure Ride that I really got off on, since it's tough to make GBC games more than one-trick ponies. Life after Training consists of both downhill and halfpipe challenges. Downhill races, like MTV or Pure Ride Tour Mode, actually have a good sense of speed. Each trail is a mix of slalom and jump sections, with trees and rocks to make things difficult. After qualifying and taking a look at the lay of the track, you launch downhill. Board choice can make a big difference in slalom, since some boards move and some boards handle. Fast boards are great for getting to the bottom under the time limit, but may not help you for those tight turns around a red or blue flag. When not mastering turns, Pure Ride downhill runs have a lot of jumps. In the later sections, and definitely the Pure Ride Tour, using jumps to maximum advantage is how you score points. And, advanced runs not only require you hit the points, they want you to pull off special tricks! It really is fun, and anybody familiar with Pure Ride for PlayStation or even a game like Tony Hawk will recognize this type of gameplay. Gradually, you string those tricks together more and more smoothly until you're a pro. Mixed in with downhill runs are halfpipe sections. Instead of going to a side perspective, Pure Ride keeps the downhill, over-the-shoulder visual. As you look down the pipe, pushing the boarder up the edge and pressing (B) results in a grind. From the grind you jump, and try to pull tricks. It's not exactly the smooth halfpipe action we know from bigger consoles, but THQ made a smart conversion to GBC. You can even pull a fakie, but falling in the halfpipe looks painful, so proceed at your own risk.
Difficulty: Pure Ride doesn't stretch things too far at first, but point quotas go higher and higher gradually. Probably the best thing about this game is how gently it notches the difficulty up, giving you a chance to master tricks and technique steadily before the major competition sets in. Making some of the downhill jumps felt clunky, but no other control issues showed up. Some of what seems like muddy control in the beginning turns out to just be weak boards and riders. Winning in Training Mode earns the good stuff, and the control difference is noticeable when you upgrade.
Game Mechanics: Nailing tricks in Pure Ride is easier than actually timing jumps. Jumps on downhill tracks have to be hit just right, or your rider doesn't get real air to earn points. A little too sensitive, I thought. Left and right turns come from D-pad movement, helped by the (B) button for tighter turns. Jumps happen on downhill runs and halfpipe by hitting (A), but halfpipe is a little different since you have to grind before you can jump. In the air, pushing the D-pad and sometimes the (B) button makes the tricks happen. Plenty of tricks are available, but not so many that you won't learn quickly. Some courses ask for certain tricks or combinations, so being quick on the trigger really helps. Password saves maintain progress in all modes, and music can be turned on or off. There's just a good sense of design at work here, evident from animated icons on menus and character pictures or board designs. Board and character stats help judge performance, but it's really a matter of practice. Luckily, Training Mode has plenty of Free Ride tracks to test out new equipment. The main differences in boards is braking and speed, while riders are rated on stamina and weight. It's hard to tell how much these relate to actual performance, especially for riders. Board performance is obvious, but the rider stats may just be for looks. Pure Ride works. It looks good, and although it has a simple presentation, nobody can fault it for not being fun. With lots of tracks, riders and boards to unlock, this one is sure to please boarders and might just convince you to hit the slopes and try the sport. It would have been nice to see some different styles of racing or jumping, but I'd still rather have a little quality than a lot of mediocrity.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
Championship Motocross 2001 Featuring Ricky Carmichael Rugrats in Paris