MotoGP '06 review

Two-wheeling it with plenty of 360 style

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Gorgeous HD tracks

  • +

    Screamingly sweet audio

  • +

    Wicked sensation of speed

Cons

  • -

    Slow load times

  • -

    Off-track penalty timer

  • -

    Where's the damage modeling?

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

It takes skill, balance and a well-developed pair of cojones to control a 180-mph MotoGP racing bike on the worldwide Grand Prix stage - but 60 bucks and a videogamer's steady hand will get the job done on an Xbox 360. Of course, pretty or not, that last bit may determine whether or not you'll even like MotoGP '06.

It's not that the game is overly sim-like; the cursory controls and arcade bike physics are easy enough to manage. But you must remember one thing:you'repiloting an unstable two-wheeled rocketaround a hard surface at blinding speeds. Mess it up - even a bit - and you'll tear some big holes in those fancy riding leathers.

Your personal riding proficiency is one thing (and it is satisfying to master the rear-brake powersliding technique that leads to quick lap times), but MotoGP '06's real allure lies in its exquisite eye and ear candy. Owners of last year's MotoGP 3 (for the original Xbox) might resist the temptation to upgrade because of content overlap - MGP06 adds in only a handful of new tracks - but they'd be cheating themselves. The lush new HD visuals are postcard perfect and the dizzying sensation of speed you get as your Yamaha rockets up Laguna Seca's backstraight is enough to give your eyeballs windburn.

The audio is just as sweet. Brit developer Climax Studios made sure that each bike emits its own signature engine note so you can now pick out that Honda or Ducati behind you without a backward glance.

More info

GenreRacing
DescriptionThis motorcycle racer's visuals are postcard perfect, and the dizzying sensation of speed is enough to give your eyeballs windburn.
Platform"Xbox 360"
US censor rating"Everyone"
UK censor rating""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
More
CATEGORIES
Latest in Racing
Mario racing on a desert track during the Switch 2 reveal trailer.
Porting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to the Nintendo Switch was "kind of an afterthought," and now it's so popular that getting fans to switch could be a challenge
Wreckfest 2
Devs behind beloved destruction-focused racing game Wreckfest launch the sequel in early access with a trailer full of physics glitches and fatal error messages
A decorated purple car speeding head-on down a road in Toyko Xtreme Racer
Tokyo Xtreme Racer is a novel throwback to classic PS2 racing games like Midnight Club, and I can't get enough of it
Rivals Hover League appearing in the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2025
The spirit of Burnout heads to the future as Rivals Hover League brings destruction derby to the skies
Japanese Drift Master appearing in FGS Live From GDC
After a years-long way, this Initial D-inspired open-world racing game is now just around the corner
Bionic Bay appearing at the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2025
Check out Bionic Bay's frantic physics fueled racing in this new Future Games Show trailer
Latest in Reviews
Image of the Corsair Virtuoso Max wireless headset sitting on top of a gaming PC case taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe.
Corsair Virtuoso Max Wireless review - a PC headset tour de force
Zombicide box featuring stylized art of survivors fighting zombies
Zombicide 2nd Edition review: "Like a zombie flick brought to tabletop"
Razer Handheld Dock with Steam Deck sitting on cradle, pink and yellow RGB lighting on, and Alienware monitor in background with Tomb Raider Trilogy gameplay on screen.
Razer Handheld Dock review: “Your Steam Deck will ride shiny and Chroma"
Photographs of the Agricola board game in play
Agricola review: "Accurate representation of the highly competitive and often unstable world of agriculture"
Photos taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe of the Shure MV7i microphone, within a pink and white themed room.
Shure MV7i review - convenience and excellence rolled into one superb sounding package
Key art for Atomfall showing a character in the English countryside looking at a nuclear plant some distance away
Atomfall review: "This isn't British Fallout – it's something much better than that"