Review: 2XL ATV Offroad – Virtual ATV Fun in a Portable Package

Off-roading and video games have gone hand-in-hand since Excite Bike on the NES. In recent years however, the genre has been pegged as dying breed since publishing juggernaut THQ announced they were killing the MX vs ATV franchise. Luckily, the genre hasn’t died completely.

With the success of tablets and smartphones, software developers like 2XL are capitalizing by developing off-road themed games for mobile platforms like the iPhone and Android. We downloaded the 125MB file directly from the iTunes App Store for $4.99 onto our iPhone 3 and were playing in under two-minutes.

2XL ATV Offroad was recently released on the iPhone in an attempt to entice the growing mobile market. But does it succeed at bringing the same thrill it’s full-sized siblings are known for? Find out after the break.

Gameplay

So what’s it like to play? Surprisingly addicting! Single player mode slaps 8-computer controlled opponents on the track to battle while Wi-Fi multiplayer mode allows you to go head to head with up to 5 other people.  Be forewarned, no matter how good you think you are, there’s some teenager who has foregone homework, sleep and food to perfect the skill to leave you in his prepubescent dust out there.

Those hoping for licensed ATVs may be disappointed to find the quads, though adequately detailed, are generic.  Hundreds of preset skins give you the opportunity to create almost any color scheme you can dream up.  Tracks aren’t licensed either, but it’s barely a concern given the adequate design of the outdoor courses for building speed and the heavy reliance upon timing in the supercross courses.

Setting the game up for motion control is a neat change when the standard-control scheme starts to get stale. Tilting the iPhone left causes the onscreen ATV to turn left and so on.  It brings an interesting challenge to the game-play dynamics, if even at the cost of looking foolish when playing in public.

Additionally, if the robust career mode doesn’t offer enough long-standing challenge, an Achievement mode is included that unlocks various trophies and bonuses by accomplishing a variety of tasks (setting the fastest lap, getting the highest freestyle trick combination and so on).

Verdict

Considering the several hours we’ve logged in the game since having downloaded it a few weeks ago, it’s pretty safe to say it was five well-spent dollars.  2XL manages to have captured much of the appeal of the two extremes of the genre: Easy to control, arcade-style game play coupled to just enough simulation elements to keep a player interested in advancement.

For more information on the game, visit 2XL Games. Or, check it out in the iPhone app store.