Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2

In addition to Dave Mirra, the game features other BMX champs and bigshots including Ryan Nyquist, Rick Moliterno, and Todd Lyons. In total, license covers 12 Pro BMX riders along with the ability to perform their signature moves. The game also takes advantage of five licensed bikes, each having a different effect on its rider according to their stats. Each rider is visible with fluid motion and animation while performing any of the more than 800 tricks. The only trouble in pulling the tricks off is landing on your two wheels again. Although the clear tap of the direction pad adjusted the rider for a relatively smooth landing in past console versions, the Game Boy Advance doesn't exactly have that convenience. Yet it doesn't seem to be as much of a problem here due to the fact that each trick is simple enough to perform with enough airtime.

There are four different modes within, from Proquest, Session, Free Ride, to its Two Player option, each containing the same basic principles only modified rules and limitations. Like Tony Hawk, each setting has an assortment of goals that must be completed to earn experience points and open the remaining levels. Mirra 2 contains a savory 30 mission objectives to beef up the competition ranging from collecting and spelling M-I-R-R-A, to gathering spray paint cans, to matching the set number for trick points. After finishing these objectives and earning enough experience points, players can access up 13 different parks and environments to grind their wheels into.

Mirra 2 utilizes that the same isometric viewpoint for each park area that's found in Tony Hawk 2, and while the controls are loser than our previous experience with THPS2, each environment is built with similar structures throughout. Levels are filled with a bunch of ramps, rails, fences, and a variety junk like automobiles set along various grounds of vert, dirt, street, and park. Dave Mirra 2 delivers its 2D sprites mixed with 3D models in an engine that definitely has the Tony Hawk touch, but nonetheless, gets the job done with great success.

The audio department is almost as impressive as the rest of the game's offering with a suitable amount of tunes and precise sounds effects. There's a variety of hard hitting music to play that'll get any player pumped for another run, but the problem seems to be that the speakers on Game Boy Advance can't support some of the beats that come out. Still, the overall soundtrack is dead on to what is needed and the game is choke full of samples conveying grinds, bails, and of course, the crashes.

To add the to Dave Mirra 2's enjoyment and reply value, the developer chose a rather unusual approach to setting up the game's two player mode. Instead of using a link cable, players take turns using a single Game Boy Advance unit and game and hand it off to an opponent. This method is used in versions of Worms and many other games in history, and always results in mixed feelings. No longer do you have the need for a second Advance system, game cart, or link cable, however waiting for a turn might be the death of you; especially with how it works.

In Star Collection, the first player must gather stars around in one area, and then the second player must beat the time doing the same thing in another environment. The problem lies with the first player and the unlimited time it can take the to circle the park. Of course there's a Full Run that is the standard two minutes time frame mode that won't be spoiled by any more than the 120 seconds that players must wait. Not much depth or challenge here, which is ashame considering this is where Mat Hoffman thrives with link cable support and a bunch of modes.