Now you would have thought after the success of MotoGP 2 and the Burnout-on-bikes Speed Kings that there's nothing Climax couldn't do with two wheels. Sadly, this arcade fantasy racer may well prove to be the fly in the ointment.

The two main game modes consist of the fairly unstructured Arcade and the far more interesting cheeseathon Championship. In Championship mode, you can choose from a multitude of international riders, all of whom are fairly nondescript since SX Superstar avoids all things corporate, including official licences. Characters, bikes, sponsors and tracks are all firmly tongue in cheek.

Starting off in a ramshackle apartment not unlike a student hovel, your main aim in SX is to rise from Amateur status through to Pro while making as much cash as possible, dodging stalkers and dumping your girlfriend every time you win a race (just like real life... or so says Climax). Thankfully it's all done over an answer machine so there's none of that nasty silent discussion stuff that goes on in real relationships.

Races themselves take place over five countries in three types of area. There are arenas - one per country - which are essentially track-based dirt bowls with jumps, obstacles and nice little country enhancements like bombing it around the Coliseum in Italy or through the pyramids in Egypt. Baja stages are off-road sections, which are again country specific and expand the game's appeal further as shortcuts, hidden jumps and changes in layout differ depending on the difficulty level. And lastly there are 'special' optional races which consist of trick contests, uphill races and even a Microlite challenge, which imaginatively involves chasing a plane around a mountain.

When it comes to gameplay, don't expect rocket science in terms of bike dynamics or rival AI It's arcade all the way and if you're looking forward to Colin McRae depth you're going to be disappointed. As you progress through the levels, upgrading bikes becomes essential. In each class you begin with a basic Tiny Tim' from 125cc in Amateur, 250cc Semi-pro and 500cc for Pro. Sadly the only noticeable sensation that differs with the bikes is a negligible increase in speed.

Handling is painfully simplistic once you have got to grips with powersliding through corners by feathering the Right trigger and realised that landing the machine upright when returning back to Earth after a 300 metre cliff jump is fairly important. From here on in, winning races and titles is a mere formality and not because of pure gaming ability which, for those with a short attention span, may be fun but in reality is never a good thing.

The biggest crime committed by SX is the ludicrously stupid actions of the other riders. With skills more akin to Mr Bean than Ricky Carmichael, it's not unusual for four out of six Pro riders to fall more than once in a five-lap race, often leaving their skidding bikes to act as an obstacle, taking other competitors along for the ride. This factor alone induces a heavy dose of catch-up which in turn takes the title's unrealistic attributes to dangerously daft heights.

It's not all bad news, as the game does have its niceties. The 24 tricks that can be pulled off in the now-standard 'Tricks=Points=Nitro' gauge are done with flair, adding a little spice to races, and can come in useful when overtaking on straights. The water and dirt particle displacement isn't too shabby either. This said, it isn't quite enough to save SX Superstar from banishment to bargain basements in the near future. It's one of those generic 'seen it all before' titles, when both on paper and with the heavyweight backing of Climax it could have, should have, been so much better.

1. Career Mode is strangely addictive
2. The Baja course design is impressive

1. Way too easy for advanced gamers
2. Bikes too samey
3. Poor rider AI

Power
At 60fps, visuals are smooth and simple although there's nothing in SX that really pushes boundaries.

Style
Arcade cheese all the way, but heat haze and reflection are poor when compared with MotoGP 2.

Immersion
Controls are simple and effective, with both powersliding and stunt work easy to pull off.

Lifespan
You'll cruise through Championship in two days, leaving Arcade mode for a basic multiplayer racer.

Summary
Formulaic average-looking racer with a few aesthetic pleasantries. Will suffice for a weekend rental but little more.