Sports Reviews

The good news is that since Xbox live comes with a demo version of this game, there will be a huge base of players on the Internet. That means there are plenty of games to pick-up and lots of friends to meet. Unfortunately, most of these gamers on Xbox Live are NOT there for this game. So it is difficult to find a good game where 75% of the people aren't just on to test out their connection and communicator. That means a lot of people crashing a few driving backwards. For those who are playing it only as a demo on Live, the game is not that easy to pick up. The physics are real, which means you are going to work to keep your bike on the track and off of the grass. For those who are racing fans, you will be pleased with the game. (Check the other reviews, which go into more of the details.) I hope, though, that the on-line play matures a bit.

It's about time that someone made a pretty good motorcycle GP game. i hope that sony and nintendo model there next moto GP game after the one made for the xbox.

first i had had Extreme GIII for the gamecube, then i bought moto GP2 for PS2, what mistakes i made. i think that a bike racing game has a lot to offer the gaming world. when moto GP first came out for xbox i was a little skeptical. i am glad that i decided to make the right choice and buy THQ's version for this system.

i said if this failed, then i would never ever buy another moto game again. i am a HUGE fan of racing games, and the bike racers were starting to disappoint me.

I SUGGEST...that you should buy this game. i really like it. i don't think anybody who buys this will be disappointed.

overall rating: 9.0/10.0 only because the turns are pretty wicked.

I give this game (Moto GP) 5 stars due to it is the best racing game I have played. But if it is racing in general you are looking for then I don't think this game could compete with some of the others.
Well looking at the game the bikes that you can use are very realistic. You can also use well known tracks. But one of the things is that the graphics could have been just a bit better and then it might just have been able to compete with other racing games
If you are a motor biking fan then this is the game for you, also it is a must for you.

If you are a motor biking fan then this is the game for you, also it is a must for you.

Just got Le Mans yesterday and I was pleasently surprised . I bought it because it received a very high score from videogames.com (9.6 out of 10) which is quite unusual for a racer. I didnt have a racing game for the dreamcast so I decided to purchase Le Mans.

The best thing about this game is the AI. Car behaves the way real cars behave on the road. Graphics is awesome, replay value is 5 stars. Im still not able to outrun any cars on the track but thats the beauty of this game, its not hard and not easy, its perfect.

This isn't the perfect racing game. It does have an arcadey feel at times, cars tend to bounce off you like dodgeballs, the selection of tracks leaves quite a bit to be desired, there is no rearview mirror, and considering the enormous historical range of cars that have raced Le Mans, the selection here is almost inexcusable.

That said, this is arguably as good as racing gets on the Dreamcast, and in some ways, is equal or better than what you get in GT 3. In racing games, where good graphics make for easier driving and better playability, the graphics are exceptional. The variable weather and night driving are done especially well, feels natural, and actually adds something to the experience. Minus the car collisions, the physics engine is consistent, predictable, and is comparable to that in the Gran Turismo series. Add in that you can race against no less than 24 (reasonably intelligent) computer opponents simultaneously, and can drive the actual 24 hours of Le Mans in real time (that's right, 24 actual PLAYED hours, one race, with realtime pit stops, changing weather, and night driving), and you have a definite winner.

As for the negatives . . .

1. Any decent driving game needs a rearview mirror. You need to be able to block your opponents as they drive up behind you or to just get out of their way. That's part of racing.

2. The game offers three levels of difficulty. The first offers automatic braking and easy computer competition. The second offers traction control, some braking assistance, and average computer competition. The third level offers no driver assistance and hard computer competition. Why they didn't allow you to toggle the amount of driver assistance AND the difficulty of the computer competition SEPERATELY is beyond me. It's a big enough jump from medium to hard level that it almost feels like a different game.

3. In medium difficulty level, you can bounce other cars off the road fairly easily. The other cars seem to have little or no weight. In the hard level, YOUR car will ALSO bounce off the road fairly easily. Since the computers tend to want to drive THROUGH you at times, count on ending up in the dirt on a regular basis.

4. More tracks. Le Mans, Catalunya, and Suzuka are all outstanding, historically significant tracks. Donnington, Brno, and the alternate versions of Le Mans, Catalunya, and Suzuka are all fine, but that's not nearly enough for a game with such huge aspirations. Where are Sebring, Road Atlanta, Daytona (the road racing track), Laguna Seca, and Spa?

5. More cars. Porche, arguably the most dominant marque at Le Mans, is never represented in actual name, and when they do appear, it's only as a 911. Neither is Ferrari, but that's par for most racing games. There's a heavy emphasis on late model Le Mans cars, which means Audi, BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Panoz, and then Dodge Vipers and Porche 911's in the GT class. That they included the Peugeot 905, Mercedes Sauber C9, Mercedes CLK-LM, Lancia LC2, Jaguar XJR9 LM as winnable cars shows that they knew better.

6. That crazy Le Mans race: You can't save unless you've pitted, which means at least an hour and a half between stops in the full 24 hour race. Also, you can't race the GT class cars against other GT class cars: you race against ALL competition, which means getting blown away by the prototypes and finishing well out of the running.

That said, these are smallish gripes that merely show the game is flawed. It's not perfect, but at its best, it is insanely fun. With 24 cars on the screen at a time, great physics, and realtime racing at Le Mans, there isn't much of anything like it on the Dreamcast. As a racing junkie, simply blasting down the Mulsanne Straight at 3:00 am in a Toyota GT1 and finally inching past the lead car I had been chasing for the last four hours was as close to heaven as I've ever gotten in a car game.

This is a very well made video game. It made EGM's 100 Greatest Games Ever and that is no small feat. I recently ordered it and Can't wait to play. It has great graphics and gameplay. From what ive seen, this game is worth it's 4 dollar price.

Hey, also try Jet Grind Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Countless others of DC games that are cheap and better than the crap now that comes out for PS2 and Gamecube and X-Box.

He's driving up the sidelines, quickly traps the ball in his feet and jumps over the defender, sends the ball like a bullet over to his teammate, the player heads into a stadium spotlight, OH MY GOD is this guy casting for "The Matrix"? Anyway he's doing flips in the air, he rears back to shoot, AND HE'S SUCKER-PUNCHED WHILE IN THE AIR! He goes down hard, with the other team in control of the ball, and goes on fire! He charges up the field and tackles some skinny guy that has sparks of electricity coming out his ears. A wrestler from Mexico gets control and shoots from midfield...HE SCORES!
End Score: 16 El Fuego, 14 Electra.

A normal "Sega Soccer Slam" match.

If you didn't get a clue from what you just read, this game is out of whack. In a good way. With six three-man one woman teams. Actually you can't tell what the frigg the goalies are because they have heavy body armor on. As I said before, this is one messed (but cool) game. It provides with more fun then some bestselling games that I will not speak of or everyone on earth will be out to get me. This game is almost like NHL HITZ 20-02 because of the three player action. (The goalies can't be controlled, but they're good enough.) And to clear things up the guy that went on fire was really a skinny girl with strange hair. And fire is El Fuego's natural power. Electra uses bolts of electicity. A team which its name escapes me has poison. Overall, this game is new and exciting.

And1homerun's Rating: A+
Anyone will like this game. Buy it for all ages.

A month before I bought Soccer Slam- i resolved to never buy a sports game again. I realized that all i did was play franchise mode seasons just so i could get to the next one- never realizing i wasnt having much fun in the process... Enter Soccer SLam. I was instantly convinced that the game had the ability to be more than just a sports game. I seem to enjoy each game i play- and the quest mode gives me more that just a trophy and a "lets do it again!" earning items adds depth to the game- AND the items you earn for one team in quest mode can actually harm you in the long run, because once you change teams- the computer controlled teams maintain those items in quest mode! the teams naturally get tougher as you get further in the game. I find the quest and tourney modes to be more fun than most people concede, but the multi-player is somehow even more fun. Two of my brothers and I played an entire 5 round tourney, and we never felt the sting of boredom- even in the games where two of us were just watching. The game is very much unlike FIFA, but its not meant to be the same game- and its a better game for it

When I first play this game, it was on a video game shop.
I start playing it and it was fun, but later I could not stop!!.
the game is a blast!!, every soccer team has his own abilities, and what I like the most is when your player jumps in the spotlight, and the game goes in slow motion, then the ball goes like the bullets on the matrix. I ordered this game to my uncle, and I can't wait to play it again.

when i bught this toy all the cards were bent and the deck box was broken

This Yu-Gi-Oh Box is of the chain its comes with a deck box,and 5 packs of 9 cards this is YUGIRIFIC!

I purchased this item about an hour ago. It came with five packs:
LOB-Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon
LON- Labyrinth of Nightmare
MRD- Metal Raiders
LOD- Legacy of Darkness
PGD- Pharoanic Guardian

Theses are great I got: LOB- Red Eyes Black Dragon, LON- United We Stand, MRD- a rare only- White Magical Hat, LOD- Mizurazane Blade, And for PGD- Helpoemer. I got the Dark Necrofear for the variant card. It is an amazing deal, trust me, get it.

When I first heard about this game coming out, which wasn't to far before the release, I was pretty excited. I have been downhill biking for some time and to here a game coming out for the sport I was pretty thrilled, but I doubted it's greatness and I thought it would let my hopes down. It turned out to be far from.
The game's smoothness and it's relativity to real bikes is great and it never faulters. The graphics could do with a little work but they weren't a problem at all. The tricking system is also flawless, a bit unrealistic, but would it be fun if it was relistic? Thats what makes it a video game. The combat system is very key to the game and kicks it up a notch. I also love how much interaction is on the mountains. There are hikers, cars, tanks, soldiers, workers, deer, sheep, cows, llamas, bears, and even big foot.
Sometimes the game gets frustrating. You crash an awful lot and sometimes when you crash you restart right infront of the object which you colided. This doesn't happen enough to make the game any worse. The one thing I really disliked was the sound track.
This game is great and highly addictive. You come across rain, snow, lava, and everything in between. The 24 levels never let up and will have you at the edge of your seat.

I am absolutely shocked that this game did not get more press or a dedicated fan base. This game is fast, fun, and the environments are awesome. The week it came out, the people at the store where I preordered it from were sick of me phoning to ask when it was coming in!!!

Choose a character, like Cosmo (from the UK) or Mai (from Japan) and a bike and get riding! You can choose from a variety of careers or just race a single race. Then hope on your bike and start riding!

Characters

Other than their name, basic stats, and country of origin, there isn't a lot to know about the characters. You have the opportunity to unlock additional characters, including real-life downhill pro riders. (Is it just me, or does Lisa Lopes look like Xena on steroids?)

Story
This game doesn't have a story, so much as it has different racing courses for you to unlock. The range of available courses is amazing. It includes:

* Mt. Liddleroch in the Scottish highlands, complete with castles and monks
* Mt. Zorkovaska in Russia, with snow and military bases
* Red Pass in USA, modeled after the beautiful rock features one can find in states like Utah

Although there isn't a ''mission'', the game has an awesome range of careers: Mountain Cross, Freeride, Arcade, Race, Technical, and more!

You can also upgrade your bicycle in the Bike Shop, which provides a wide range of tires, shocks, and frames. The Shop also provides a list of your sponsors (which you acquire the more you achieve in each of the various careers). You can also buy Extras, some of which can greatly enhance your biking stats!

Graphics and Sound
Wow, wow, wow. For a title that listed at $39.99 at its release, the graphics are far better than I imagined. No slowdown, no loading times within levels, and great detail on both the characters and the environments.

I usually hate the ''popular'' music that accompanies games (with THPS being the rare exception), but the music that comes with DD is far better than I expected. I usually mute the music on racing games, but this game is enhanced by the soundtrack.

Will This Gather Dust?
There are a lot of things to unlock in this game -- things that I will not spoil the surprise with in this review. It has a high replay value for me, as I play it at least an hour or so a week, even 4 months after its release.

Overall Recommendation:
If you like downhill sports racing (Freekstyle, SSX, Amped, 1080), you'll like this.

If you like tight controls and cool tricks, you'll like this.
If you like realistic sports simulations, you'll like this.

Anyone remember Road Rash? The game where you had to fight almost as much as you had to race in order to win? Well, Downhill Domination is basically Road Rash on bikes. With fierce fighting while on your bike while you race some seriously steep and crazy courses. All the meanwhile whih crazy stunts and a fast framerate and sense of speed(something Road Rash series had lacked because of the old technology back then) It will also have a 4 player splitscreen mode so bring 3 other friends to race you. This game is made by the team responsible for Twisted Metal 1, Twisted Metal 2 and TM:B so you know it's gonna be wild and with the recent praise and high scores from gaming magazine EGM, it looks like this one is one to watch out for.

TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER 4 *****, Anything less would be a crime! Drop in the ultimate challenge! Pros challenge you to make your mark in huge free - roaming levels, taking on 190 progressively harder goals with no time limits to hold you back! Decide when you're ready to take on your Pro Challenge and move into the pro ranks, where it's a whole new game. Build your skills, earn respect, and show that you've got what it takes to Go Pro...

"Gamepro magazine rates THPS 4 5.0!" All new tricks - skitch behind cars, skate on moving objects, and transfer over spines! New multiplayer and system link modes including Combo Mambo and Capture the Flag! 14 of the world's top pros challenge you to prove your skills. 1 - 2 players, Custom Soundtrack, In - game Dolby Digital, System Link 1 - 8 players at once and is also HDTV 720p capable! Only the XBOX version offers all of this along with smoothed graphics, and faster loading time, oh how sweet THPS 4 and XBOX go together!

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 is the best in the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series so far.The games just keep getting better and better!This game is very addictive and full of depth.The career mode is much different and improved from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3,with much more stuff to do.There is no more time limit.You have to talk to pedestrians throughout the level and they give you a goal to do.The goals get more and more challenging throughout the whole game.This is also by far the most challenging game in the series yet!The graphics are pretty good too(athough nothing shocking).The levels are very large and theres a great soundtrack featuring artists like the Offspring,N.W.A,The Cult,Gang Starr,and over 30 other aritsts.Theres also a custom soundtrack option too so you can use your own soundtrack.This game controls perfectly too with the Controller S.There are no exclusive Xbox features though,except for the obvious things like improved graphics and custom soundtracks.Plus,theres not even Xbox Live online play!But what is here is very fun and addictive and will keep you entertained for a long time.

Tony hawk iz a kool and exiting game. It has one of the best 2 player mode i've ever seen, cause there is so many thingz u can do.But the Creer mode is very challenging, u have to be a pro just to get past the 1rst level at the college. But whaen u get 2 the next level it's worth the wait. Also u can create ur own park, buy boards , grip tape wheels ,secret skaters,and even parks.U can also can also go to parks that are alredy made and they are TIGHT!!!!

Well that's it i reccomend this game if u have 2 share ur system wit a brother. Because 2player mode is awesome. or just play by yourself.

I bought this toy for my son over two years ago and he and his friends still bring this game out to play with. There are several different game options such as the home-run derby, where you can chose which field you want to play on, you can play a game or just practice. My boys are ages 4,6 and 10 and they all enjoy this game!

I purchased this toy as a birthday gift for my 6 year old nephew. He is very much a baseball fan. He simply loves it and so does the rest of our family. Upon first glance, one would probably view this game as just a toy, but the workout you get from swinging the bat is great. Not to mention that it helps anyone who plays baseball with their timing and swing. Now my nephew has learned the importance of standing correctly at the base. I'm going to purchase the boxing game today and hope that the creator invents a golf one too.

Simply put- great purchase!!!!
Suggestion: Purchase the adapter for the game.

We bought this as a Xmas present for a family member. The setup wasn't quite as plug and play friendly as advertised but I think that was because you had to bypass the VCR's and DVD's plus get the setting right on the TV. Biggest complaint is that the end of the bat where the batteries actually go in kept coming off. The end screws on but just with a half twist and each time someone is up to bat it comes unscrewed. We ended up duct taping the end on but even that only lasted a few rounds. I'd say this is a big design flaw. Overall, we had a lot of fun on Xmas day...not sure how often it will get set up again though and the iritation of the end cap was kind of a bummer (and embarrassing as the gift giver!)

Overall this is a fun game worth the ... pricetag. My only complaint deals with the hitting aspect, and the fact that the instruction manual does a poor job explaining how to hit successfully.

On the plus side, the graphics are really good and showcase the power of the GBA. Action on the field is, for the most part, easy to follow. This has been a flawed area in many a baseball game; the ball is hit, and by the time you figure out where, the batter has gotten a triple off you.

By the way...there are only 4 parks (wrigley is one of them) and yes, you can steal and you can be hit by a pitch.

I must say that Baseball Advance is AMAZING. Not just for a Game Boy Advance game, but for any system. Baseball is all about the pitcher-batter interface, and Baseball Advance delivers. The batting/pitching interface, done in 3D and very similar to games like All Star Baseball, not only looks nice graphically but is also very logical in design and gets the job done. This is the one baseball I've played where I've actually been unintentionally walked more than once in a game. Pitching in this game is an absolute joy. Unlike other portable baseball games, the fielding is very easy with a nice camera that allows the field to be seen but is still close enough to pick out the details. The game can also be challenging, and your closers will actually need to be brought in to rack up the saves.

The only area where the game is lacking, however, would be the options. For one, the only option during a season is a grueling 163 game campaign, which can take literally months to complete. Also, there are only 4 fields to choose from (Safeco, Wrigley, Fenway, and the Giants field). Another area the game could have been improved in would be including strategy of some sort, whether it be a hit and run, double steal, or adjustment of the outfielders.

Regardless, this game is great for a first effort in a series. If there is a continuation of Baseball Advance, I would not hesitate in buying it if the aforementioned cons are improved (even if they aren't, this has the makings of a great series).

If you are looking for a good baseball game on the Game Boy Advance, this is the only one. You just can't make a better game than this. The graphics are incredible: the batters, pitchers, and fielders look like real MLB players. Though the game is very easy at some points in the game, it is very hard in late game situations. The game was made in 2001, and it is still better than games they make today. It is probably the best 10 or 20 dollars you can spend. The game is incredibly addicting, me and my friend played 80 games in a few days. The game features wall scaling grabs, bang-bang plays, and all 30 major league teams. It has four modes, Rookie, Veteran, All-Star, and Legend. Rookie is very easy, Veteran is a step up but is still not a challenge, All-Star is a little tougher, and Legend is almost impossible. Don't fall for the dumb-ass phony crap they sell in stores. If you are going to buy a video game, there is no question that you shouldn't buy this one. Get out that credit card and buy the game.

This game is absolutly AMAZING! There are NO flaws I have found yet! Here is the lowdown...

Graphics: AMAZING! Every player looks and acts like they do in real life. I am a huge Celtics fan and even Tony Battie has the BATMAN tatoo on his arm. FANTASTIC! Iverson looks like they took him from real life and stuck him in the game. ALL THE PLAYERS LOOK THAT WAY!

Gameplay: AWESOME! The games are soooooo realistic! There is also franchise mode and you can create a player and have them practice before you put them on the team! AMAZING!

Fun Factor: Best NBA game out there for any system. If you are a basketball fan, sell you other system and buy XBOX just for this game. IT IS THAT GREAT!

An A+ perfomance buy Microsoft! A MUST BUY!

This is the best bball game of the 3 out for xbox. i have played live '03 and that had great graphics but you could score at will, and guys like nash would do a 360 dunk.... rediculous. nba 2k3 was ok, but very slow, and just boring, and at times too frustrating to score.
this one is the best overall balance of simulation and arcade like basketball. -- also, it allows you to increase or decrease the pobabilities of steals, 3 pts made, FG%, blocks, etc with "sliders". essentially allowing you to create the type of game pace that you would like. also in nba 2k3 players either are great or suck, in nba live its everyone is an allstar in ability... this game has good preset ability levels for the players.
features include, franchise mode up to 25 seasons, and create a player... and all the other typical stuff. no 2 on 2, but who cares about that?
buy it if you want a bball game.

This game has so many options to choose from especially in the create-a-player menu form all branded shoes to cornrows headbands wristbands and fingertape. The Graphics clearly is better than nba 2k3's. So my advice to u is get this game because the gameplay and graphics are better.

You shouldn't get this because for 1, none of the trades are up to date. Also if you were to get this you wouldn't get all the cool features that John Madden 2002 like 2minute drill where you can be on defense. ALso th Madden cards are way better inth 2002 version because you can get cheerleader cards. Also in the 2002 versiof the levels of diffiulty like on All Madden mode is actually hard and if your good you won't absulutely blow out the other team.Another reason you Shouldn't get this is because if you got this you wouldn't be able to use the Houston Texans which only 2002 has.

Madden 2001 is the best football game on N64. The graphics are improved, the animation is smooth, and play control is nice. There are some nice added features, like finally the ability to pull the ball down as the QB and run if no one is open or if your QB is in trouble. The computer seems to finally call penalties, which makes it more realistic.

The Madden commentary is still terrible(why doesn't EA take a hint?). Also, you can modify the computer AI, making them run/pass more, and set the kind of playcalling(aggressive, conservative, normal). However, even if you set the game to mostly run, the CPU still seems very pass-happy, no matter what team they are. Oh yeah, and you will get burned if you don't put major pressure on the QB, even if you have an all-star secondary.

Despite the horrible commentary and the strange AI, this is still a very, very solid game, and I would tell any football fan to buy it since QB Club stinks, and Blitz is just for casual fans. So go out and buy this!

This may be the last iteration of Madden for N64... a gaming console showing its age. Madden has improved once again and delivered a quality gaming experience. This is not a football simulation for purists. Even on the higher difficulty levels, skilled players can create unusual statistics. In the NFL, not many backs will finish a season averaging 8 yards per carry. What Madden 2001 offers is good football fun. The learning curve is not steep and even novice gamers should be able to orchestrate touchdown drives pretty quickly.

The game does have more depth than many sports games, including a franchise mode and "Madden Cards." Once you tire of 'head to head' games with your friends, you can play an entire season or manage a franchise. Again, this is not a simulation for purists. The salary cap is not realistic and the computer AI has the usual flaws including poor clock management and play calling. (The computer loves to pass the ball. You'll spend most of your time on defense in a nickel or dime.)

The Madden Cards add a nice element to the game with temporary player enhancements, cheats and historical players and teams. For older football fans, it's fun to see long-retired hall of famers in cleats playing against modern competition.

The franchise mode is relatively easy to manage and adds to the replay value of the game. The game has depth when you watch a rookie you drafted slowly become an NFL star. Of course, with stardom comes increased salary demands. This forces players to trade high-priced veterans to replenish the ranks with quality rookies.

For football fans, Madden 2001 is a fun game and will extend the enjoyment of your aging N64... at least until PS2s become readily availalbe (and more affordable).