Urban Trial Freestyle is a game that draws comparisons to the likes of Trials Evolution. However, does it live up to the high standards of its inspiration?
Urban Trial Freestyle is a physics-based 2D action bike racer with plenty of gravity-defying stunts to pull. It also comes with a host of customisation options.
The Controls
Urban Trial Freestyle is a game that brings a lot of the physics-based action found in Trails HD and Joe Danger to 3DS. It’s an incredibly fun experience; you have to master acceleration (A), braking (B), and reversing (Y) with the analogue stick.
The controls are a lot less tight than what we’ve seen in the console-based trials games, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s easy to pick up and play, and there’s no need for a controller to be attached to the system, so you can play for long periods of time without feeling too restricted.
Replayability is encouraged through the use of money bags that can be collected at different points throughout levels. If you collect enough money, you can purchase new wheels and chassis to upgrade your bike and make it perform better.
The Presentation
Urban Trial Freestyle is a physics-based racer, meaning that your bike is constantly changing in its movements as you navigate a series of obstacles and ramps. This requires a fair amount of precision, as even the smallest lean of your rider’s body can have a massive impact on how your bike interacts with the track.
If you’ve ever played a game like Excitebike, then the mechanics in this game will feel quite familiar. Acceleration (X) and braking (B) are handled by pressing buttons, while reversing and tilting the right analog stick can change the position of the bike and driver.
The presentation is good, as the environments look nice and the 3D effect on the Nintendo 3DS works well. The music also fits the gameplay, offering rocking electric guitar riffs.
The Stunts
Urban Trial Freestyle is a physics-based racing game where you’ll be performing stunts in order to earn stars that unlock new tracks and bikes. The main way to progress through the game is by completing each course in record time, but there’s also a stunt mode that involves jumping higher and landing more accurately.
During each stunt, you’ll see the height/distance of your jump, precision of your landing, and degrees of rotation on the screen. These figures are used to calculate your score in the stunt’s area.
The stunts themselves are varied enough to keep things interesting, but the game’s physics system can be a bit tricky at times. This is especially true when you’re trying to climb a hill. The best strategy is to put plenty of gas on the bike so that it can handle the steepness of the hill, and to land as quickly and efficiently as possible after each jump.
The Customisation
Urban Trial Freestyle is a game of speed, balance and style. It’s a stunt bike racer with a huge variety of challenges and backdrops that will keep you coming back for hours on end!
The game is set against a gritty urban backdrop and offers a wide range of customisation options. You can boost your performance in Time Attack and Stunt mode by customising your bike to pull off a variety of tricks like wallrides, ollies and 360s.
There’s also a custom track editor that allows players to create their own layouts. It’s a feature that many of the other motorbike trials games don’t offer, though it does lack some of the robust track editor tools that Trials Evolution has.
The Replayability
Taking its inspiration from the Trials series, Urban Trial Freestyle mimics its winning formula of navigating your bike through increasingly difficult stages whilst avoiding obstacles and landing jumps. It’s a delicate balance of managing your power with the trigger and balancing your weight by leaning forwards or arching back with the analogue stick.
However, despite its impressive physics, this game falls short of perfection and there are some control errors that can make the experience feel sluggish or even unplayable. Elevators and spring boards will throw you off the bike in spectacular fashion while assigning the brake and reverse to the same button can make it hard to get it right.