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[Pondrew]

Motogear
for Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC (QVGA)

www.clickgamer.co.uk said:

A great simulator of motobike now on your PocketPC, with online ladder server for best records.

Features:
- Real physics simulation of motobike
- 2 paks with more that 100 levels (more to come)
- Additional level paks
- Support for levels made for Elastomania
- 2 graphics skins for levels (more to come)
- Save and view the replays
- Upload replays to ladder
- Online ladder for BestBikers
- Customizable controls for better game feeling

More information and online ladder can be found on game site at
http://motogear.mobirate.com

From developer Mobirate comes the Motorbike sim sideways scroller Motogear. You won't believe how addictive this game is! I never thought a game which is that tricky in later levels so as to cause me to lose within seconds could keep me coming back, but Motogear manages it.

 Motogear.jpg   22.24K   342 downloads  options.jpg   23.94K   283 downloads

Featuring neat graphics (if a little simple) and effective motorbike engine sound effects, the game is quite well presented. Surprisingly there's no music whatsoever but this can be forgiven and if like me you like to listen to your own music while playing then it just makes one less option to tweak! If anything the menu screen can seem a little too complex, almost enough to leave you wondering 'where do I start?'! But soon enough you'll cut through the different menu options to the nice straight forward game within.

 fame.jpg   16.54K   310 downloads

The game itself is best played with exclusively with the direction pad although you can use the stylus for manuvering the bike. Most of you like me will give up on stylus control quickly enough in favour of the easy direction pad. The aim is to control the bike over rough and winding terrains. Each level features a start and finish and you have to get to the end as quickly as you can without crashing (not as easy as it sounds!). Although the game does start off fairly easy, with you soon showing off your deft control doing somersaults, the levels quickly become more difficult providing a stiff challenge. Expect to crash more then a few times when you get to the expert levels!

 oops.jpg   22.4K   300 downloads

Admittedly from time to time the expert levels can seem that difficult you'll think there's no solution, but with practice you'll get past even the impossible looking levels.The killer level I'm STILL struggling to get past is the fiendishly difficult Ground Pocket. If you don't believe me at how tight and difficult this level is look at the pic below (and that's barely a second into the level!). After repeated attempts I'm now able to get three quarters of the way through this level but even this feels like an achievement!

 ground_pocket.jpg   15.15K   283 downloads

In case you want a change of scenary during the life of the game (which should be quite long given how long I've been playing this!) there's an alternative Game Skin called 'Nuclear' which paints the levels and backgrounds in more moody shades. I actually found it more appealing so tend to use it whenever I play...

 nuclear.jpg   14.59K   278 downloads

The game is controlled by the in-game physics engine which the developer mobirate actually tweaked in order to improve the gameplay in a recent update (version 1.1). This bodes well for further support. And supported this is given it is possible to upload level replays to the developers site and enter an online ladder for BestBikers. There is even the promise of tournaments with prizes! If that wasn't enough the developers promise additional level paks to come and the ability to create your own levels for the game. This should ensure that this purchase is a good purchase (and at a reasonable price too).

 fame.jpg   16.54K   260 downloads

So all in all, and after an unsure start and initial reservations, I've become quite addicted to Motogear! The more I crashed trying to do the expert levels the more I just had to keep playing! I found myself picking it up intending just to have a quick play (5 minutes top!) and half an hour later would finally succeed in beating whichever level I'd been struggling with. What satisfaction! Still, those of you with a temper and a tendancy to throw your device across the room when frustrated may want to avoid this For the rest of us, at a good price (under £10!) this is a great addition to your gaming collection and especially good for those bus journeys to or from work.

 victory.jpg   23.63K   284 downloads

Available from www.clickgamer.com
Cost is  $9.95 | £5.74 | €8.44