Motocross Madness (1998 video game) explained

Motocross Madness
Developer:Rainbow Studios
Publisher:Microsoft
Designer:Robb Rinard
Programmer:Mark DeSimone
Glenn O'Bannon
Artist:Brian Gillies
Kevin Riley
Composer:Mark Stratford
Platforms:Microsoft Windows
Genre:Racing
Modes:Single-player, multiplayer

Motocross Madness is a motocross racing video game developed by Rainbow Studios[1] and published by Microsoft.

A sequel, Motocross Madness 2, was released in 2000. In 2013, a sequel for Xbox 360 was released, titled Motocross Madness. In the game, one can earn money by utilizing "career mode", but play for fun in Baja, Stunts, Enduro, Supercross, and National levels as well.

Gameplay

The game is known for its realism, including terrain, audio, and "bone-chilling" motorcycle wrecks. If the player is in Stunt mode and goes out of bounds after climbing a large cliff, an "invisible slingshot" will cause the player and the bike fly across the map while a funny sound plays until both objects hit the ground.[2] The "invisible slingshot" effect was also used in the game ATV Offroad Fury, also created by Rainbow Studios.[3]

Development

The game went gold on July 24, 1998.[4]

Reception

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.

Sales

The game sold 35,922 units during 1998. These sales accounted for $1.54 million in revenue that year.[5]

Awards

The game won Computer Games Strategy Plus 1998 "Racing Game of the Year" award. The staff hailed it as "perhaps the best motorcycle racing game of all time."[6] PC Gamer US also named it the best racing game of 1998. During the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences named Motocross Madness as a finalist for "PC Sports Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Software Engineering", both of which were ultimately awarded to FIFA 99 and , respectively.[7] [8] It also received a nomination for GameSpots 1998 "Driving Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to .[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Walker, Trey . November 7, 2001 . THQ acquires Rainbow Studios . GameSpot . Fandom . February 10, 2016.
  2. Web site: Motocross Madness . . IGN Entertainment . February 10, 2016.
  3. Web site: Contritus . June 19, 2013 . ATV Offroad Fury Funny Crashes . . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/Bwlw3M2nbZs . December 19, 2021 . live . September 20, 2019.
  4. Web site: GameSpot staff . July 24, 1998 . Motocross Madness Goes Gold [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"] ]. GameSpot . Fandom . https://web.archive.org/web/20010307060947/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_07/24_moto/index.html . March 7, 2001 . live . January 26, 2023.
  5. PC Gamer staff . Does Award Winner = Best Seller? . PC Gamer . Imagine Media . 6 . 4 . April 1999 . 50.
  6. Web site: CGSP staff . February 11, 1999 . The Best of 1998 (Racing Game of the Year) . Computer Games Strategy Plus . Strategy Plus, Inc. . https://web.archive.org/web/20050208151531/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/017/163/racing_of_year.html . February 8, 2005 . dead . March 29, 2021.
  7. Web site: Second Interactive Achievement Awards: Personal Computer . . https://web.archive.org/web/19991104003923/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html . November 4, 1999 . dead . November 26, 2021.
  8. Web site: Second Interactive Achievement Awards: Craft Award . . https://web.archive.org/web/19991011023932/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_craft.html . October 11, 1999 . dead . November 24, 2021.
  9. Web site: The Best & Worst of 1998 (Driving Game of the Year) . GameSpot staff . 1999 . GameSpot . Ziff Davis . https://web.archive.org/web/20001003013543/http://www.gamespot.com/features/awards1998/genre3b.html . October 3, 2000 . dead . November 24, 2021.