Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Shaba Games [lower-alpha 1] |
Publisher(s) | Activision [lower-alpha 2] |
Platform(s) | |
Release | PlayStation, Game Boy ColorDreamcastWindowsGame Boy Advance |
Genre(s) | Sports |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX is a 2001 BMX video game developed by Shaba Games and the first game to be published by Activision under the Activision O2 label. It is similar to the Tony Hawk's series and competed directly with Acclaim Entertainment's Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX . [5] Despite a planned release in fall of 2000, the game was released in 2001 for the PlayStation and Game Boy Color, followed by Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance. The PlayStation and Dreamcast versions received "favorable" reviews, while the PC and Game Boy Advance versions received "average" reviews. A sequel, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 , was released in 2002.
Following the success of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater , Activision looked to expand its line of video games to other extreme sports outside of just skateboarding. Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX would be the first of such efforts. A demo version of the game is available in the options menu in the PlayStation version of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 which features two BMX riders and a beta version of the finished game's first level. Despite a "fall 2000" release listed in the demo, the game would be delayed until its eventual release in May 2001, nearly eight months after Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX was released.
Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX uses a tweaked version of the game engine used in a similar video game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater . The goal of the game is to successfully perform and combine different tricks on a BMX bike, with successful executions adding to the player's score. The point value of the trick is based on time maintained, degrees rotated, number of tricks performed in sequence, and the number of times the tricks have been used (the more often a trick is used, the less it's worth). Successful tricks also add to the player's special meter, which, once full, allows for the execution of "signature moves" which are worth more than normal tricks. Grinds, lip tricks, and manuals (wheelies) are included in the game to help the player link tricks together into combos. Bails (falling off the bike due to poor landing) cause for no points to be awarded for the attempted trick or combo, and resets the special bar to empty.
The player can play as one of eight different professional BMX riders, including Mat Hoffman, Rick Thorne, Dennis McCoy and Mike Escamilla. Tony Hawk is featured as a hidden character, as is a fictional elderly character named "Granny". Each rider has their own individual stats, bikes, and trick-sets.
Ten levels exist in the game (including two remade levels from Pro Skater), consisting of street, vert, and dirt track-oriented courses. Secret areas, point-bonuses, and many breakable objects are scattered amongst the levels.
Career Mode — In Career Mode, the player has five magazine covers (i.e. objectives) to obtain in six of the eight levels. The player has only two minutes in which to obtain a cover after which their run ends; however, individual objectives are marked off once completed. In each level, two of the covers are acquired by reaching set scores (with the second score being two to three times the amount required for the first), one is obtained by collecting the five letters to spell "T-R-I-C-K", one is a hidden cover which the player must find in the level, and one requirement varies from level to level, but always involves doing something to five objects (e.g., "smash five lights"). The other two levels are competitions, where the goal is to receive a gold, silver, or bronze medal by ranking higher than the other riders. In these levels, the basis for ranking is not the player's score, but the mean number of points given on a scale of one to ten by three computer AI judges after three sets. Advancing in Career mode allows the player to unlock new levels, bikes, and secret riders.
Single Session — In this mode, the player chooses a BMX rider, an available bike, and available level, and rides for a two-minute session in an attempt to set a high score. While similar to the two-minute session in career mode, there are no specific goals for the player to attempt.
Free Ride — Free Ride is similar to the Single Session mode; the player chooses a BMX rider, an available bike, and an available level. Instead of a two-minute timer, however, there is no time limit, allowing the player to practice or simply explore, searching for gaps and secrets areas.
Multiplayer modes — The game features several split-screen multi-player modes including Trick Attack, Horse, and Graffiti.
Park Editor — This mode allows the player to create their own level by arranging various ramps, rails, and other pieces. Gaps can be created and named, and the player's starting positions can also be chosen by the player. Once a created park is finished, the level can be accessed in the game's "Single Session", "Free Ride", and multiplayer modes. Five pre-made parks, which were created using Park Editor, were included in the game as samples of the editor's potential.
Aggregator | Score | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dreamcast | GBA | GBC | PC | PS | |
GameRankings | 79% [6] | 67% [7] | 77% [8] | 73% [9] | 80% [10] |
Metacritic | 75/100 [11] | 71/100 [12] | N/A | 73/100 [13] | 80/100 [14] |
Publication | Score | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dreamcast | GBA | GBC | PC | PS | |
Computer Gaming World | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3/5 [15] | N/A |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.5/10 [16] | 4.5/10 [17] [lower-alpha 3] | N/A | N/A | 7.83/10 [18] [lower-alpha 4] |
EP Daily | 7/10 [19] | N/A | N/A | 7.5/10 [20] | N/A |
Game Informer | 7/10 [21] | 7.5/10 [22] | N/A | N/A | 8.5/10 [23] |
GameRevolution | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | C+ [24] |
GameSpot | 7.6/10 [25] | 8.1/10 [26] | 7.9/10 [27] | 7.8/10 [28] | 7.8/10 [29] |
GameSpy | 8/10 [30] | 66% [31] | N/A | N/A | N/A |
GameZone | 8.5/10 [32] | N/A | N/A | 8/10 [33] | 9.3/10 [34] |
IGN | 8.1/10 [35] | 8.6/10 [36] | 8/10 [37] | 7.2/10 [38] | 7.8/10 [39] |
Next Generation | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3/5 [40] |
Nintendo Power | N/A | 3.2/5 [41] | 3/5 [42] | N/A | N/A |
Nintendo World Report | N/A | 6.5/10 [43] | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4/5 [44] |
PC Gamer (US) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 71% [45] | N/A |
BBC Sport | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 79% [46] |
The Cincinnati Enquirer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4/5 [47] |
The PlayStation and Dreamcast versions received "favorable" reviews, while the PC and Game Boy Advance versions received "average" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [11] [12] [13] [14] Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen said of the former console version: "Even two years later, the Tony Hawk engine makes a monkey out of the likes of Razor Freestyle Scooter – which is, weirdly enough, this game's only immediate competition on PlayStation." [40]
The Cincinnati Enquirer gave the PlayStation version a score of four stars out of five, saying that "players can create their own custom BMX tracks with the bundled 3-D course editor, offering more than 100 variations of ramps, rails and other obstacles." [47] Maxim gave the same console version a similar score of eight out of ten, saying that "extreme-sports poseurs can break a femur in solo and multiplayer modes; master the controls and you’ll open new venues by performing death-defying stunts that’d make Evel Knievel wet his bedpan. Despite a trick roster with some troubling names (anyone care to attempt a "Rocket Queen"?), this is as down and dirty as they come. Detergent not included." [48] BBC Sport gave the similar console version a score of 79%, saying: "If you like rock music to accompany your efforts, this has some of the best with even the Stone Roses lending their tracks." [46] Extended Play gave it a score of three stars out of five, saying: "The levels aren't the greatest around, and it's not quite as solid as THPS, but "Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX" is better than THQ and Acclaim's freestyle bike games. It's easy to slip into and fun to play. At the same time however, because "Hoffman's Pro BMX" piggybacks on the THPS engine, they're very similar, and if you've started to get bored with "Tony Hawk's", you might want to try out Matt Hoffman's before you pick it up." [49] Edge similarly gave it six out of ten, stating that the game "offers more realism, while Mirra delivers a marginally better, if arcadey, experience. Both entertain in differing fashions. Then again, you could always wait for the next-gen versions." [50] In Japan, where the same console version was ported and published by Success on September 5, 2002, Famitsu gave it a score of 26 out of 40. [51]
Jon Thompson of AllGame gave the GBC version four stars out of five, saying that it "tries hard to live up to its big brother on the PlayStation, and it does a pretty good job of it, surprisingly. A diverse trick set is hampered only by stuffy controls, and the levels themselves are visually pleasing and fun to play. Hopefully, this is a sign of better things to come for the portable market." [52] The same website gave the GBA and PC versions each three-and-a-half stars out of five, with Michael L. House saying of the former: "As an extreme sport that fills a specific niche, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX will appeal more to bikers who've had hands-on experiences than casual gamers looking for a fun sport with less subjective scoring and easier controls"; [53] and Thompson saying of the latter: "The host of different riders, bikes, and levels come together to create a cohesive package, and with the relative dearth of quality extreme sports games on the PC, the title is worthwhile. If you've played the game in console form, you won't find anything new here, but fans will find it undeniably fun." [54] Scott Steinberg of Computer Games Magazine gave the same PC version three-and-a-half stars out of five, calling it "Breezy, lightweight entertainment at best. As a quick coffee break-style diversion, the product succeeds well enough." [55]
Dan Elektro of GamePro 's July 2001 issue said of the PlayStation version, "If you're choosing between Mat and Mirra , there's no contest: Hoffman's gameplay and mechanics are much more fun. Between Hawk and Hoffman, well, THPS2 has the edge – but if you're specifically looking for two-wheeled thrills, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX is the game to get." [56] [lower-alpha 5] Four issues later, he called the Dreamcast version "an adequate port of a decent game, and as the Dreamcast software pool dries up, beggars can't be choosers. It's a shame nothing was done to take advantage of the Dreamcast specifically, but Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX stands as a fine game worth renting." [57] [lower-alpha 6] Another issue later, however, Star Dingo said that the Game Boy Advance version "contains the wide variety of Career Mode goals and big bag of fun tricks you're used to. Even though they feel a little canned and inorganic, most of the stunts are easy to execute, thanks in part to a great tutorial mode. It's just too bad Mat Hoffman has such a tough act to follow." [58] [lower-alpha 7]
The game was a runner-up for the "Best Music" award at GameSpot 's Best and Worst of 2001 Awards, which went to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty . [59]
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is a 2000 skateboarding video game developed by Neversoft for PlayStation, Vicarious Visions for Game Boy Advance, and Natsume for Game Boy Color. Published by Activision, it is the second installment in the Tony Hawk's series of sports games, and was released for the PlayStation in 2000, with subsequent ports to Windows and Dreamcast alongside a distinct version for Game Boy Color the same year. In 2001, the game was ported to Mac OS, Mac OS X, Nintendo 64, and Xbox, alongside a separate version for Game Boy Advance. The game was later ported to Windows Mobile and Windows Phone devices in 2006 and to iPhone OS devices in 2010.
Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, released as Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 in Europe and Need for Speed: Porsche in Latin America and Germany, is a 2000 racing video game. It is the fifth installment in the Need for Speed series. Unlike other NFS titles, Porsche Unleashed centers on racing Porsche sports cars, with models ranging from years 1950 to 2000.
Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness is a maze chase video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation in 2000. It was later released for the Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Advance. A remake of Ms. Pac-Man (1982), players control the titular character in her quest to stop a witch named Mesmerelda from stealing the Gems of Virtue. The game was well-received upon release, with critics applauding its simplicity and faithfulness to the arcade original. A sequel was in development around 2006, but was cancelled for unknown reasons.
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX is a 2000 BMX video game developed by Z-Axis and published by Acclaim Entertainment under their Acclaim Max Sports label. The game was released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast and Microsoft Windows. The player's main objective in the game is to choose one of the riders and work their way through a total of 12 different levels, completing objectives to unlock new equipment. It received "favorable" reviews. A sequel, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2, released in 2001.
Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 is a 2002 BMX video game developed by Rainbow Studios and published by Activision under the Activision O2 label. The game, which serves as a sequel to Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX, was released on August 13, 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A Game Boy Advance port was developed by HotGen and released the same day as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions. A GameCube port was developed by Gratuitous Games and was released on October 8, 2002. It received "favorable" reviews.
Sheep is a strategy puzzle video game released for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance. In 2001 it was released for Mac OS X by Feral Interactive. The Game Boy Advance version was released in March 2002 in the EU, while the intended North American release was cancelled for unknown reasons.
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 is a 2001 BMX video game developed by Z-Axis and published by Acclaim Entertainment under their Acclaim Max Sports label. It is the sequel to Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX. It was released for the PlayStation 2 in August 2001, and in the following months it was ported to the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and Xbox video game systems. Both the GameCube and Xbox ports featured two extra levels that were not present in the PS2 version.
Bomberman Tournament is a game in the Bomberman series for the GBA. The game contains a multiplayer battle mode between linked Game Boy Advances. The player and up to three others can compete in any of the game's eight multiplayer battle arenas, each of which has its own unique gameplay twist.
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 is a boxing game for the Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and Game Boy Advance. It is the sequel to Ready 2 Rumble Boxing.
Chicken Run is a platform-stealth based 3-D platform video game based on the 2000 film of the same name. Developed by Blitz Games and published by Eidos Interactive and THQ, the game was released in November 2000, prior to the movie's home media release, for the PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Color. The game is a loose parody of the 1963 film The Great Escape. The Game Boy Color version is a 2D isometric puzzle-solving game. The game's plot centers about a band of chickens escaping from an egg farm from their evil owners and fighting for freedom.
Razor Freestyle Scooter, known as Freestyle Scooter in Europe, is an extreme sports game released for the PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64.
Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue is a 1999 platform game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Activision and Disney Interactive. Based on Disney/Pixar's 1999 computer animated film Toy Story 2, it was released for the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Macintosh in late 1999, while a Dreamcast version followed in 2000. The computer versions were released under the title Disney/Pixar's Action Game, Toy Story 2. A different version, a side-scrolling platform game titled Toy Story 2, was also released for the Game Boy Color in 1999.
Test Drive 6 is a racing video game developed by Pitbull Syndicate for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows and Dreamcast. In the United States the game was published by Infogrames North America, while in Europe the game was published by Cryo Interactive. The game featured 37 licensed cars, plus four police car variants. As a first for the series, cars from General Motors are not playable in this game, instead they appear as traffic cars. The soundtrack featured industrial rock and techno music from artists such as Fear Factory, Lunatic Calm and Cirrus.
The Grinch is a 2000 platform video game loosely based on the film How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Developed by Artificial Mind & Movement and published by Konami, the game was released in North America one week prior to the film's theatrical release—November 10, 2000. George Lowe does uncredited work as the narrator of the game. The Game Boy Color version was released that same month, which was ported for a release in Japan on November 22, 2000.
Centipede is a 1998 action game developed by Leaping Lizard Software, and a remake of Atari's 1981 arcade game of the same name. It was published by Hasbro Interactive, their first under the Atari label after purchasing the brand and former assets.
Disney's Dinosaur is a 2000 video game published by Ubi Soft, and functions as a tie-in to the Disney film of the same name.
Kao the Kangaroo is a platform video game developed by X-Ray Interactive for Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast and Game Boy Advance. During development it was known as Denis the Kangaroo.
High Heat Major League Baseball 2002, also known as High Heat Baseball 2002, is a video game released in 2001, and is the fourth game in the High Heat Major League Baseball video game series. Then-Montreal Expos right fielder Vladimir Guerrero is featured on the cover. The game was released in March 2001 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2, followed by a Game Boy Advance port in September 2001. A Game Boy Color version was also in development but was cancelled.
Championship Surfer is an extreme sports video game developed by Krome Studios, published by Mattel Interactive in North American and GAME Studios in Europe, and released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation and Dreamcast in 2000.
Le Mans 24 Hours is a video game released for the PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Windows. The Dreamcast version was ported and published by Sega in Japan on 15 March 2001, while the PlayStation 2 version was ported and published by the same company on 13 June. Based on the famous 24 hours of Le Mans race in France, the player is invited to race the entire 24-hour endurance course or take part in a simpler arcade mode. The game also featured tracks such as Bugatti Circuit, Brno Circuit, Road Atlanta, Suzuka Circuit, Donington Park and Circuit de Catalunya, as well as a weather and night system.