FunGenerationLab SIA, is based in Riga, Latvia. They have created a fun, colorful and well-polished racing game, that was recently released in the Play Store, entitled Motocross Elite. The controls are well implemented, there are numerous uniquely designed tracks, and the backdrops for the races, as well as the characters that take the podium at the end of the races, are extremely well rendered. In short, Motocross Elite is worth your hard earned $.99.
I’m a fan of most racing games. However, there are a few areas where racing games can easily fail. The first has to do with the controls, second, the design and the amount of tracks, and third, graphics/immersion in the game. Motocross Elite actually excels in all three areas, even though it is a side-scrolling racer. What FunGenerationLab has created, is a game that is easy to play, varied in game play (tracks), and an art style that takes on a character all its own. These are the reasons that Motocross Elite will keep you engaged in its game play.
On the surface, there are quite a few games similar to Motocross Elite in the Play Store. Side-scrolling racers are popular. It is easy to get into a quick race and move on to your next task in the middle of the day. If you want to spend more time, generally these games allow you to do so. This one has quite a few tracks for you to go through. There are Local, Regional, National, Supercup, Trains, International, Ships, Suits, Planes, Supercross, Global, and Finals. In all, there are 120 tracks in the game to be unlocked. If you want to unlock them all at once, it will cost you $5.99.
“Have the ride of your life in the all-new and exciting racing game Motocross Elite! Rise to the challenge and see if you can beat the riders from the Elite team. Customize your story with multilevel upgrades, different bikes and many hilarious characters.” – FunGenerationLab SIA
The controls are easy to pick up. One button for acceleration, another two for tilting your bike left or right, one for nitro boost, and one for stopping. Interestingly enough, FunGenerationLab, has introduced different areas in the tracks, where you will be required, while racing, to tilt right or left, stop or boost. The areas on the tracks are highlighted in bright green. There’s so much to take in with what is going on in the background while you are racing, that you could miss them if you aren’t careful. Following those prompts are key to you winning the races. You get coins when you pull off tricks and place on the podium at the end of each race.
You will want to consistently make the podium in the races. In the early races this is not difficult to do. Winning the race earns you more coins. Coins are used for bike upgrades. There are 9 different bikes total. You start off with the Rookie Bike, and from there, you can purchase with in-game coins, other bikes, like the Ninja, Flip Bike, Skeleton, Scooter, Mudbike, Ghost, and the Superbike. If the names of the bikes sound uncommon, they should, because when you look closely at who you are racing against, you shouldn’t find it too strange to see either a ninja clad in all black or a bucket of bones riding a bike. When the race is finished, you can see the level of detail that FunGenerationLab has put into the zany characters/racers in the game.
I wish upgrading your bike was more detailed than what is provided in the game. The only way to upgrade your bike is to purchase a different one, and the bikes aren’t cheap either. The first bike you can purchase is the Ninja, and it goes for 125,000 coins. I have completed over twenty-five races in career mode and have only amassed 108,000 coins. Granted, I could accrue more coins by pulling off more tricks in the races, but the prices of the bikes still seem pretty steep to me. You can race any of the courses over again if you want to gain more coins, but I think the rewards should be more balanced when you win, so that you can upgrade your bike without breaking the bank. I am not sure how far into the game you will have to race before your Rookie Bike isn’t good enough to compete with the others, but so far it hangs in there pretty well. When you do upgrade your bike, the impact it will have on your ability to race ehances: Top Speed, Acceleration, Speed in Mud and Recovery. Based on how the tracks/races are designed, I can see where upgrading the bike will be essential in later tracks.
The art/graphics in the game are excellent. You primarily have a rider with an oversized helmet. The backdrops and tracks are extremely varied. You can go from racing on the tops of train box cars, illuminated by lights and the moon, to sand dunes with ships in the background. I wish there were a free race mode, where you can just ride and pull off tricks, so you could take in all the great designed scenery. As it is, you are far too busy trying to stay ahead of the pack to appreciate the beauty. I found myself winning a race, and then racing the same track again, to take a look at the art in the game.
There are many pros to Motocross Elite. There are also a few cons as well, and they mainly revolve around the in-game pricing for either the bike upgrades or style upgrades. In my opinion, they are just too expensive. Especially after you have paid for the game. I think the pricing structure could be a bit more lenient. Now, it could be that other styles or bikes are unlocked as you progress farther into the game. It is entirely possible, but it doesn’t look like it is designed that way. You can certainly accrue enough points to buy the different bikes and styles, because the career campaign is extensive. However, it would be nice to see an easier, less expensive path to upgrading, rather than spending additional money to do so after you have purchased the game.
The other area where the game could use some additional help, is with multiplayer options. This game is really designed for it, and because there are so many tracks, I can see where you can have loads of fun, racing against people all over the world. Unfortunately, the only multiplayer integration provided with the game currently, requires you to sign in with FaceBook. I am not a fan of this, but if you are, it unlocks more game play to an already deep game, as far as the amount of tracks is concerned.
There is no integration with Google Game Play Services, so that means no leaderboards, no achievements, and no syncing between your devices. This is really disappointing because I often go from playing a game on my phone to my tablet, depending on the environment that I am in. Integration with Google Game Play Services would be a great boost for this game, especially as it relates to multiplayer and syncing between devices. The other game play decision that is questionable, relates to some races that you can only access if you post to Twitter or Facebook. Again, this takes away from tracks that you have already paid for in my opinion. Though they are a scant few, the concept still troubles me. If FunGenerationLab had some things to tweak in the game, it would be those that I have mentioned, and utilizing the back button on your device so you can actually close out of the game properly.
Overall, Motocross Elite is a really good game, and it is well-worth purchasing. It has a few areas that could be modified easily with an update. Hopefully, FunGenerationLab will continue to support this title, and reexamine some of the pricing structure for upgrades, because the game really has a lot going for it. If you enjoy racing games with a great deal of character, and an enormous amount of tracks, you should download Motorcross Elite. FunGenerationLab has indeed concocted a game that is fun, and that will more than likely stay on your device for quite some time. Motocross Elite can be yours for $.99. It does contain in-app purchases, but you probably won’t have to use those, unless you want to unlock everything quickly. Otherwise, dig in for the long haul, so you can upgrade to the elite bikes.
