Motocross Meltdown Review

It's easy to lose time to Motocross Meltdown. Oddly, that doesn't strictly mean it's a good game, but it is a game that knows exactly how to scratch various gaming itches.

Heavily geared towards an energy system and various in-app purchases, Motocross Meltdown is a grind focused motocross racing game. A map detailing various possible races and challenges dictates what can be done at any one time, with gradings suggesting how likely it is that the player can win each race. It's a familiar setup for fans of free to play racing titles, but one that does ensure there's always something to do.

Racing itself is relatively hands-off. Players don't control the direction or speed directly. Instead, like with drag racing games, tapping buttons at just the right moment is key to success. Such timings are akin to a rhythm music game with a bar at the bottom scrolling along and highlighting various moments in which one must tap the screen. Motocross Meltdown offers both standard races and trick focused routines, but ultimately the control system remains the same.

It's a simple set of controls to learn, which means the more strategical side of the game comes from its upgrade system and deciding where to focus when constructing a better bike. This relies heavily upon grinding for money, being tempted by in-app purchases to speed things up, and waiting for timers to finish. Unlike with other games it's also possible to upgrade tricks, further enhancing one's performance.

The stop/start nature of Motocross Meltdown is much of the problem with it, however. One can never play it for particularly long before having to wait for the energy bar to recharge. There are two, with one determining online play, which briefly extends what can be done but it's still a gradually sluggish game to progress in.

Proving more to do with timing than genuine skill, Motocross Meltdown might seem fun for a time, but sooner or later its shallow nature shines through.