Let’s face it: most multiplatform games are bound to have insanely bad handheld versions. I can’t recall one time I was blown away by a multiplatform games’s handheld spawn. MX vs. ATV Untamed for the Nintendo DS definitely applies to this theory.

Read on for the review of this poor port.

DS

I don’t know why anyone would consider getting the Nintendo DS version of a multiplatform game. You could have so much more fun on a big, nice, television screen. Not only that, but you would most likely have more options and modes than the handheld game provides. I can easily say that MX vs. ATV Untamed is better on the consoles. I haven’t played any of the console versions, but I’m so sure that the console versions don’t suck as bad as this game.

The gameplay in this game is fun for about 30 minutes. After that, you’re done with the game. The enemy AI kills the experience for players. All racers are in the same tightly packed cluster of bikes and ATVs. You’re either in that cluster, in last place, or in first place. All racers are so tightly packed in, not one of them are far ahead or far behind. This kills the racing in this game tremendously.

Another thing about MX vs. ATV Untamed is that there are no options to customize your vehicle. There are eight racers in this game in total; four MX, four ATV. You can’t edit anything about your character, or your vehicle. With ANY racer or vehicle, you’re going to perform the exact same way.

There’s also no multiplayer at all. The game doesn’t even have download play, which is something most all multiplayer DS games have included in their games in recent times. All you have left to do is race. There’s two modes of gameplay without multiplayer. Two modes of playing, no customization, and no multiplayer. There’s nothing left to do, but race with the pack of vehicles on one track.

I did enjoy doing tricks on each track. The score you get for all of the tricks you do are worthless unless you’re playing the Stunt Challenge mode, which is almost the same as the X-Cross Tournament. Just race.

All you have to do is race. Nothing else. Don’t do tricks, don’t focus on whose in front of behind you. Just race. Try to stay in first place. Nothing more, nothing less. Occasionally, you’ll have to break, but it’s not hard to speed up again. Just race. Hold “A” on your DS until you cross the finish line.

Music and graphics aren’t anything special. Hell, they’re actually just annoying. All music in this game is just a bunch of guitar riffs. Sometimes you’ll get the crowd cheering, but it’s all pretty generic. Character animations are well done, but the tracks and in-game objects are poorly done.

All I can say is stay away from this game. This isn’t the worst game I’ve played all year, but it’s still pretty damn bad. MX vs. ATV Untamed is an overall generic and dull game. Nothing exciting to be found in this. Pick up the console version over this if you’re a fan of the series. Hell, if you’re a fan of the series, don’t even look at this DS game.

360 (by backflip)

Not only is it a poor port, but it’s also a piss-poor console game. I played the game for as long as I could stand (around half an hour) on the Xbox 360, and it is awful. Just awful.

I have absolutely no idea of any of the controls (except that right trigger is accelerate), but that doesn’t seem to matter because I’d probably end up losing each race anyway. I played a couple of the tournaments on easy mode, and was still blown away by the needlessly difficult AI. The graphics are nothing special and the gameplay follows the same pattern over and again that you would expect from a game like this.

Add to this the simply awful soundtrack, including “hits” from My Chemical Romance and Pennywise (yay?) and the incessant mundane sound of motocross engines roaring and you have a sound system that sounds better in the “mute” position.

Honestly, this is probably one of the worst games that I have played all year; don’t even think of ever playing it.