MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael

He's been spotted on Game Boy and he's been spotted on PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PC, and now he's making his latest next generation appearance on Xbox with MX 2002. The game, featuring Ricky Carmichael, is the first Motocross game to appear on Microsoft's PC-in-a-box. Riding on the success of the previous versions, MX 2002 on Xbox is a comprehensive balance of Motocross, Supercross and Freestyle riding styles.

28 real riders from the 125cc, 250cc and freestyle classes are available for you to choose. Each rider and bike has unique handling characteristics, so with a little experimentation it is possible to find a bike that suits your riding style almost perfectly.

Probably the most important aspect of any racing game is how it 'handles' and MX 2002 does not disappoint. From the very first play, it's easy to make riders perform exactly how you want them to. Lining up your bike in relation to the undulations of the ground becomes second nature, and you'll soon be gaining time instead of losing momentum when you make a bad connection with the track. Power slides are particularly useful for tight corners and are challenging, but fun and rewarding to execute.

Tricks add to the fun of MX 2002 immensely, and are necessary in the freestyle events to racking up high scoring, judge-impressing runs. As you approach a jump, hold down L2 or R2 to charge up your stunt. If you time it correctly, your rider will leap high and gain plenty of airtime that you can use to pull off a series of tricks. Backflips are known as suicide flips for a good reason.

The visuals of this latest Xbox incarnation of the series are somewhat more advanced than its predecessors. Not all of the Xbox touches and enhancements are immediately noticeable, but the game as a finished product looks much better. The improved graphics, gameplay and physics makes MX 2002 both an excellent Motocross simulator and a great arcade game.