While Ride Direct believe the euphoric thrill of BMX and mountain biking will always be most rewarding in the real world, we have to admit there’s a fine selection of videogames out there based on the sport.

During the early 00s when extreme sports were enjoying their first major flirtation with the mainstream, a number of cash hungry game publishers quickly picked up on this. The resulting boom in extreme sports gaming yielded a number of great titles which still prove a riot to play today. Here’s our top three biking videogames.

Downhill Domination – PS2 (2003)

This is a total underrated gem that sadly slipped by into the dirt tracks of obscurity. Fortunately those that did play it are able to tell you how much of a riotous challenge it is. One of the few professionally developed mountain bike games out there, Downhill Domination is unadulterated fun with huge mountain courses to bomb down in a mad race to gain sponsorship. It can be picked up second hand for next to nothing so go see what you’re missing!

Mat Hoffman Pro BMX 2 – PS2, GameCube, Xbox (2002)

Based on the hugely popular Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game engine, this was an impressive sequel that sadly never saw much love. While the gameplay is much the same as the original, it introduced some awesome level design with plenty of ground to pull off street and vert tricks. Bikers like Rick Thorne, Mike Escamilla and Donny Robinson all make an appearance alongside a rad soundtrack with Fugazi, Gang of Four and Spoon to note. Definietely worth a spin.

Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 – PS2, GameCube, Xbox (2001)

While the first game was a bit of a sleeper hit, the second title was a vast improvement. With a more realistic spin on the sport than Mat Hoffman’s title, this was the real biker’s choice. Don’t get us wrong, it’s still fun and silly but it just felt more in touch with BMX culture. The park editor and multiplayer also provided plenty of value and the short soundtrack was more than made up for in the quality. Another one to check out for mere pennies.

Are we totally off the beaten track? Let us know.

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