GameCube review: 'Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2'

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By Four Eyed Dragon

(IDG) -- Don't expect miracle gameplay from BMX superstar "Miracle Boy" Mirra in this second outing of his extreme series. In fact, not much is different from the PS2 and Xbox versions of the same game.

You'll ride with 14 pro riders in 10 levels filled with freestyle obstacles, interactive environments, and tons of hidden areas. Unfortunately, the wonderful level designs and slick character animations are hampered by draw-in, some slowdown, and poor collision detection.

The cool, eclectic, head-banging music, however, has been retained, and it includes lyrical geniuses Gang Starr and Sublime.

The standard trick setup using all of the buttons is straightforward, but consistently pulling off wheelies and manuals can be a chore -- the analog stick is too loose. Still, you can perform the tons of available air tricks without a hitch. Plus there's a surplus of multiplayer games that can keep you and a friend busy for hours. "Freestyle BMX 2" is a good, solid biking game -- but rent it first to make sure it's the right BMX game for you.