With the UK lockdown showing no signs of abating any time soon it’s crucial you keep yourself occupied, and for bikers you’re no doubt suffering the blues from not being able to go for a ride. Last week we looked at a few of the various ways you could keep yourself occupied, and one of those things was video games.
Typically associated with the younger generations video games’ appeal continue to broaden, it’s not uncommon for the 40+ to be into their games. Whether you’re after a simulation or some arcadey fun you’ll be able to get some of your motorcycle kicks on either PS4, Xbox One or PC.
First up, one of the most complete motorcycle racing games you can find right now; Ride 3. A lot of bike games focus of motorsport only, so you’re stuck with sportsbikes and race tracks, and while Ride 3 has racetracks and sportsbikes it also has bikes that mere mortals can get the most out of. A wide variety of tracks keeps things fresh, with racetracks from around the world, including road race circuits in Ireland as well as some European roads so you can try and pretend you’re sort of on a Euro tour! Over 230 bikes with deep customisation will mean you can find a steed to live out some of your bike racing dreams, and a fully-fledged multiplayer mode means you can play with your mates if you want.
As with most major racing series MotoGP has its own official video game, with the latest edition of MotoGP 20 being the one to beat. It’s certainly geared towards the MotoGP fan with an in-depth career mode and weighty and realistic bike handling, even including tyre wear by section. If it all gets too much it has a rewind feature for when you overcook a corner or pile into someone’s rear tyre. For those who aren’t into MotoGP it might be a little impenetrable, but for fans of the sport there is little else that’ll get your juices flowing quite the way this game will. With sporting events being cancelled left, right and centre this might be your only option for fresh action on the track.
If you prefer road racing to circuit racing then look no further than TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2. If you want to ride the entire mountain circuit this is the game to go for. While not as fully featured as Ride 3 in terms of motorcycles it does include 17 other tracks to keep things fresh and 18 different bikes including classic models. Like MotoGP 20 this game errs on the simulation side of things so expect to fall off often while learning the ropes! The TT this year has been officially cancelled so it might be high time to make your own TT!
The next game would appear further up this list if it didn’t have a couple of major issues; firstly, it’s only on PS4, but more importantly it’s no longer getting updates and its multiplayer mode is no longer supported. Driveclub Bikes is my most favourite bike racing game; the sound, graphics and handling are sublime, and although it leans towards a more arcade experience with rear wheel drifts commonplace! For sheer fun and satisfaction, it’s really hard to beat and while its bike selection doesn’t compare to Ride 3’s it’s still got a good range, and they all sound fantastic. Its car-based predecessor Driveclub is well worth a look if you’re into all things with an engine too, although it too has had its multiplayer mode ended.
Taking a completely different tack, the grand-daddy of video games; Grand Theft Auto 5, or GTA V as it’s more commonly called. This is not a game dedicated to motorcycle racing, or motorcycles in general. The game features every vehicle you can think of from supercars, to mopeds, to fighter jets to a bin lorry, all with a huge virtual rendition of West Coast USA to muck about with them in. There is a good selection of bikes in the game, with more added all the time, and it’s hard to beat cruising down a desert highway on a chopper with Kenny Loggins playing through the in-game radio, or maybe a bit of All Saints is more your jam! The game is very much of the mature variety with basically the entire criminal underworld mapped out in the game, however for childish and clever giggles and for escaping the real world it’s one of the best games ever created. A gigantic, ever-growing online mode will keep you occupied if you ever get tired of the main single-player game.
Finally, taking a completely stupid, but stupid fun, turn the Trials series of games will get bikers and non-bikers alike having a laugh. The premise and controls are simple; you have accelerate, brake and lean forward/back, and you’ve got to negotiate trials courses that could only exist in a video game. The latest edition, Trials Rising, has well over 100 levels and simple pick-up-and-playability that gives it a huge audience, along with a price well below big releases (sub £20 depending on platform!).
The Bike Stop shop in Stevenage is currently temporarily closed, but our online shop is still alive and well and taking orders (and calls Monday to Friday!) We’re even doing a 10% off promotion – just enter the code ‘TOGETHER’ at checkout. You can check out our full range on our website with free delivery for any order over £25 on the UK mainland, and delivery possible to almost anywhere else. Not only that but our ‘No Quibble’ returns policy allows for returns within a 365 day period – see our returns page for more details.
