Trials HD Review

Just released on XBox live is “Trials HD” a very well done motorbike trials game. After getting the demo I was hooked on this game. Its instant fun factor is evident from the start, and while it initially appears very simple it is actually surprisingly hard to master.

But this game threw me back to one of my most favorite games of all time, and game I played when often over 15 years ago on my ZX Spectrum. That classic game was called Kikstart, and it has more than a passing resemblance to this new title on the XBox.

With a pedigree like that, how could I resist buying it?

Trials HD

The initial idea is very simple. Each level consists of course, you need to get from the start to the finish in the quickest time possible with the least number of accidents.

The levels start out very simple, little jumps, easy ramps. You will very quickly make it past the first two difficulties with the minimum of fuss. But you will still have a lot of fun playing with the idea, and experimenting with the physics. Then the difficulty increases, the medium set of levels are challenging in places, and will cause some frustration but getting through them with trial and error will let you complete the levels quiet quickly.

Then comes the hard levels, and by hard I mean there is a second level of skill to this game that you have to master if you want to get passed even the training level.

This is the great secret of the game, there is a real skill to playing it and its not all about how fast you can drive. There is enough here to keep you entertained for hours, and you will be more than happy to play the levels again and again just for the shear hell of it. That is the making of a good game in my book.

Missed a trick

There are two glaring problems with this game:

First. You can not pull tricks on your bike. Its not really an issue in any way, but if you do happen to find yourself 3 stories up, flying through the air, it would be great to be able to pull a “super man”, or just stand on the saddle. It has no effect on game play, just makes it look cooler.

Second. There is a great level editor in the game. Its a lot of fun to create your own levels (Little Big Planet has re-introduced this idea, and set the bar high). The level of control in the editor is excellent, with an advanced mode if you want more control, and to create more impressive levels.

But I was hoping for a market place for other peoples levels. It was suggesting in the demo you would be able to swap levels with others. You can, but only your friends. Everyone should have been able to share their levels and get new ones. This would increase the games life infinitely, as it is you are pretty much stuck with the ones in the game, and the ones you make.

I have a feeling this is more to do with what Microsoft wants, than it is the developers. Which would be a real shame if Microsoft are crippling great ideas just becuase it does not make them as much money.

Links:

• Eurogames gives it 9 out of 10
• IGN gives it 8.3 – Impressive
• Sarcastic Games shows its not as easy as it looks
• Peoww also has a great review

The Predecessor

While this game is a lot of fun, there is a game that came out long before it that is almost identical in every way. Only this game came out over 20 years ago (1988 to be exact).

This was easily one of my favourite games on the ZX Spectrum, not only did it offer great game play. It could be played two player and it had a level editor built in. That was totally unheard of at the time, and made the game just astounding.

I know I have sparked your interest, so you will be please to know you can play it right now on-line.

Some more useful links:

• Crash review from 1988
• World of Spectrum – Kikstart 2 page
• Its great to see I’m not the only one who noticed the similarity to Kikstart or again here (not as original as I first thought it seems)

Conclusion

I have lost hours to this game already, just playing the levels again and again (or getting stuck). So I was delighted with “Trails HD”, I see it as a very modern remake of one of my childhood favourites.

I can thoroughly recommend it!