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Players: 1-4
Playing Time: about 20 minutes
I’ve mentioned in past game reviews that I’ve noticed a growing trend in the rise of DVD-based games. But another type of non-traditional game is also on the rise. It takes games that might have previously been confined to a video-game system like Nintendo, and transforms them into a new genre of “plug-and-play” games. Take the game out of the box, plug it into your TV set, and you’re good to go. In this category, sports-oriented games seem to be the most prevalent. Golfing games, hunting games, driving games…the list goes on.
In that spirit comes Tiger Games’ “MX Dirt Rebel,” which, although the name suggests otherwise, is not about your 6-year-old son’s dogged fight against taking a bath. No, this game puts you, Johnny Sits-On-The-Couch, at the wheel (or, more accurately, handlebars) of a dirt-racing bike. Players use a pair of motorcycle handlebars (plastic, of course) instead of a conventional controller to interact with the game. The handlebar controller allows the player to accelerate and brake just like you could on a real motorbike. Racers can take on computerized opponents, zipping around a track from the comfort of your living room, or can chose to tackle a stunt course, where your only opponent is gravity. You can also compete with your friends, although sadly not simultaneously (I know…video games are a solitary pursuit. Who knew?) You do your racing, then hand off to a friend (or stranger) and see if they can top you.
Here’s the bottom line: as plug-and-play games based around racing dirt bikes released by Tiger Games (a division of Hasbro) go, this is probably the best you can find. If you’ve ever dreamt of racing dirt bikes, but the thought of all that, well, dirt makes you come over all Tide with Bleach, check out Tiger Games’ “MX Dirt Rebel.”
