MX vs ATV Untamed

With not having too many racing choices on the Nintendo DS, gamers should be pleased to see the arrival of MX vs. ATV Untamed. On top of that – having already experienced the console versions – they should be ecstatic to hear that it is head and toes above every other variation (PS2, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PSP) in terms of quality gameplay. That’s right, if there’s one version to pick up then it has to be the Nintendo DS iteration.

Having skipped out on the Nintendo consoles prior to Untamed’s release, THQ has finally seen the light and brought the series to the Wii and DS. Handling the development of the DS version is Tantalus, THQ’s team known for their work on Spongebob Squarepants titles in the past. What have they done to make the DS version better than the consoles? Well let’s dig a little deeper.

The basics of MX vs. ATV Untamed include what is expected for a racer: accelerating to fast speeds, hitting the brake at the right time for the corner, using your clutch effectively and getting mad air from jumps on the track. The only problem with it is that you have to sacrifice the amount of racers on the track; only four racers can be on the track at once. How does this change the pace of the game? Well, it’s not as thrilling to compete against the few amounts of racers provided due to that the game feels void of life when you are in the lead and have no one around you. It just feels a little too empty at times.

What does Untamed have going for it? Its strongest feature has to be the level design; it’s absolutely superb in comparison to the console versions. Having huge gaps to jump over and the ability to get air underneath your vehicle is impressive on the Nintendo DS. Having 10 tracks to tear it up on, gamers shouldn’t have too much trouble being entertained by Untamed.

The gameplay on the other hand Untamed may feel a little unbalanced, but if you have any problems with one vehicle on a track, our advice is to pick a new one and take it for a test spin; most likely it’ll run better than the last. For a quick heads up, make sure you are using your pre-load on the jumps. Also, right off the bat, you should come to terms with not being able to hold down the A button for the entire game. This isn’t Mario Kart; it’s based on the rhythm and timing of your jumps.

As for the actual game modes, Untamed isn’t packaged with a plethora of options to choose from. There are three cups to race in, with eight racers (separated equally between MX and ATV) in Stunt Challenge and X-Cross Tournament. As mentioned earlier, there are 10 tracks to race on. There’s also the ability to set up your own event with customizing the rules, vehicles and courses, but it isn’t much of a departure from the other two game modes. Overall, you aren’t playing Untamed for the game modes provided, but rather for the gameplay.

What may in fact be the biggest determent to MX vs. ATV Untamed is the lack of online connectivity. With no online modes, you are stuck with trying to find a few friends with the game to play with. Up to four players can game it up with hosting matches in the three cups found in the X-Cross and Stunt races. But with no download play, it’s going to be hard to find friends that’ll be playing Untamed with you.

For the graphics, the game isn’t going to wow anyone that’s for sure. The models for the racers are great, as well are the tracks, but it didn’t seem like there were enough animations to go with the models. Their maneuvers become quite repetitive after a few races. As for the audio, it’s a generic package altogether. The technical department isn’t the major focus for the first go-around of MX vs. ATV on the DS; it’s the gameplay.

Gameplay: 7.4
Four vehicles classes make up Untamed: 250cc and 500cc MX bikes, light and heavy ATVs. The selection is a little limited in comparison to the consoles, but the DS version makes due.

Graphics: 6.9
The tracks end up looking similar to each other and there aren’t enough animations to keep the visuals fresh.

Sound: 6.6
The sound effects are decent with engines revving up. Though, the music is generic as generic can be.

Difficulty: Easy
Even with the rubber band A.I., the game is primarily easy. Figure out how to land your jumps and stay on the track, and you’ll be perfectly fine.

Concept: 6.9
With no implementation of the DS touch controls (outside of the menus), Untamed isn’t one ounce innovative as it could be.

Multiplayer: 6.0
No online Wi-Fi connectivity is what holds this back from being a must-have handheld racer.

Overall: 7.1
While Untamed is thin in terms of depth, the gameplay is solid. I cannot wait for next year’s edition to see if they can expand on what they have set before themselves. MX vs. ATV Untamed is a quality racer that you’ll become tired of rather fast.