Freekstyle (PlayStation 2)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * * )

Forget about snowboarding and skidoos: Freekstyle places you on a powerful moto-cross bike. Sticking to that winning formula, the game reminded me of SSX Tricky and to a lesser extent, Sled Storm. All three were developed by EA's extreme sports development arm, EA Big.

There are nine tracks in all and players can earn boost points by performing tricks at key points.

The biggest difference is the absence of any grinding, which featured so prominently in Tricky. This is more than made up for with a series of huge jumps that'll see your biker flying through the air like a stuntman with a death wish.

While there are no flaming stunts, there are several modes, including Career mode which lets you build up characters from scratch.

Players unlock tracks and hidden bonuses by completing the Freestyle races before they graduate to the more insane Freekstyle events.

Like others we've seen from EA Big, Freekstyle has little to do with reality. It relies on physics that only Superman could relate to, but then the focus is purely on fun.

But that's not a bad thing. With great characters, well-designed tracks, bone-jarring spills and high-action focus, Freekstyle offers an admirable alternative.

$129.95

jon@tenthplanet.co.nz