Though there's a low count of tracks and weird Avatar implementation, Microsoft's downloadable biker is well worth the ride. Especially with friends.
Another neat aspect to Madness is the ability to rack up XP by wrecking. Normally, a bail can be quite painful, but here, it doesn't hurt to try for a stylish crash, just to build up some points and improve your racer. It's nice to win even when you're losing.
Though the presentation isn't wow-worthy, it's sufficient. The game runs at a moderate speed, and the track design is deep enough to overlook the lack of selections. The rider animations are humorous, and well fitting for your Avatar. The music could be better, but at least it's not made up of generic rock that wears out its welcome. At least you can turn on your own tunes via XMB.
While Motocross Madness doesn't quite live up to the potential of better bike racers (we're looking at you, Pure), it's a quality download that's worth adding to your library, especially if you've got fellow bikers you want to sling mud with. Not a bad deal for ten bucks. Not bad at all.
Score: 7.5 / 10
