If you’re into motorcycle racing or looking for something a bit different from all the car racing games out there, you might want to check out MotoGP 08.
It’s the official game of the 2008 MotoGP season – the pinnacle of motorcycle racing – and features all the riders, bikes and tracks from the championship.

In the two-wheeled world, this game provides the definitive racing experience. It’s the Madden/GT4 of bike games and the development team worked with several MotoGP teams and riders to deliver an unparalleled handling model that allows access points for gamers of all skill levels by providing a challenge to meet each player’s abilities.
What this means is you can jump into the game in arcade mode and have fun right away. However, it will grow with you as you learn to control the bike. The “expert” setting allows a full simulation mode where the motorbike behaves very much as a real one would, going down if you throttle too soon and sliding in the wet, etc.
MotoGP 08 puts the player at the centre of the experience by allowing you join a team and compete alongside the real racers in all three race classes – 125cc, 250cc and the 800cc MotoGP bikes. You can play either as an existing rider, such as the newly-crowned 2008 championship winner Valentino Rossi, or create your own character and progress through the season. Good results in qualifying and racing earn points that can be exchanged for bike upgrades to improve attributes such as straight line speed, braking and cornering. You can also customize your appearance.
True to the 2008 season, the game includes the all-new Indianapolis track plus the spectacle of night racing at the Qatar circuit. You can also set the weather conditions at each track. Racing in the wet brings raindrops onto your helmet visor that clear as speed rises, making it feel very realistic.
Having played some of the earlier versions of the MotoGP franchise, this latest offering is extremely user-friendly. Where the previous versions required enormous braking effort, fragmenting the action, MotoGP 08 plays much better. There are even on-screen graphics tell you which ways the corners flow, when to brake, and even congratulate you on good cornering.
Both in real life and this video game, racing a motorcycle isn’t as easy as jumping into a car. It requires a little more concentration and constant focus. But the payoff is rewarding gameplay that motorcycle fans will love. And there are precious few video games that can do that.
For even more action, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC owners can play online with riders around the world. What’s more, a version is under development for the Wii as well.