Six New MTB Games For Getting Through The Winter

Feb 2, 2018
by Alex Evans  
When the nights are long and the weather is crap, it's impossible not to look out of the window and reminisce about epic summer days on the bike. Until the rain stops and the days are longer than the nights, we need some way to escape to the mountains, if only virtually.

Bike Mayhem Extreme Mountain Racing
So what are the options? Gazing longingly at Instagram gets old. You can daydream, but sometimes gamifying your training with Zwift and breaking out the Playstation, Xbox, or your phone works a treat. Yes, really.

Mainstream games like Downhill Domination or No Fear Downhill Mountain Biking used to be huge, but bike video games were scarce for many years. Recently we've seen a resurgence of games created by people who love mountain biking, and we've scoured the net to find the most interesting ones.




Shred! 2
A sequel to the popular Shred! game, Shred! 2 aims to improve on the first one with more levels, more tricks and better graphics. Inspired by creator Alex's own riding experiences, iconic locations and mountain biking culture, we hope that Shred! 2 will be arriving some time this year. Check out the full press release here.
Shred! 2 - Video Game Trailer

by erniesbot
Views: 14,607    Faves: 12    Comments: 0




Descenders
This new downhill and freeride game boasts procedurally-generated worlds that should keep you on your toes. If you're after a high-octane speed fix and aren't going out on your bike anytime soon then Descenders could be just the ticket. It's available on Steam from the 9th of February 2018. Click here for more information.



Lonely Mountains Downhill
Currently a project on Kickstarter that has smashed its goal, Lonely Mountains Downhill looks like a fun game where the mountain is your only opponent. It's destined for Windows, Mac and Linux come release and Megagon Industries estimate that the game will be available by July 2018. Head here to find out more.



Bike Unchained
Published by Red Bull, Bike Unchained touts a large list of top-level riders that you can take control of and locations to explore including the Red Bull Rampage. It's a free download on both Android and iOS. Head here to find out more.



Bike Mayhem 2
Developed just down the road from the Pinkbike HQ in Vancouver, Canada, Bike Mayhem 2 lets you can race your friends in multiplayer challenges, build and share trails with the trail editor, and a bunch of other stuff. It's a fast-paced, side-scrolling racing game with downhill racing and slopestyle events, with over 180 trails inspired by real locations including the Coast Gravity Park and Whistler Bike Park. The game's available on the Xbox One only, though. Click here for more.



Trail Boss
Only recently announced, there aren't many details about this new BMX game from the makers of Pumped BMX. The new game should have twists, turns and obstacles to negotiate, and based on Yeah Us! Games' previous efforts it's a safe bet that the gameplay will be awesome. Head here for more information.
Photo credit: Yeah Us! Games


Posted In:
Racing and Events Zwift


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105 Comments

  • 169 15
 I can't believe "Pinkbike Troll 2018" is not on that list... pissing off random strangers by posting genuinely insane sounding comments, where you play devils advocate or court fool, no matter the subject, using unrelated analogies and anti-euphemisms as if you were on acid or shrooms is literally the best use of computer or smartphone I could ever have in offseason...
  • 71 3
 Does @WAKIdesigns have an off-season?!?
  • 86 7
 @NickBit: yes, I let my Random Comment Generator Bot takes over from time to time. I just adjust amount of self righteousness, stupidity and then plan the sarcasm curve with cynicism levels and so it goes. But it’s RCGB 2.1 and it still has some bugs. Sometimes it mentions nazis too early in the conversation and the algorithm for E-bikes locked itself on suport, even though I don’t entirely like the idea.
  • 23 2
 @WAKIdesigns: And all that time I was thinking you were living in a psychiatric hospital with internet access for the patients...
  • 12 1
 @WAKIdesigns: Apparently you implemented the machine learning way too well, because I never notice a difference. Turing would be proud of you.
  • 3 3
 @meesterover: and or terrified of his battery free operation

Wouldn't be the same without you Waki, at least it wouldn't be the Pinkbike I know and love
  • 4 6
 @WAKIdesigns: this man is my god
  • 1 2
 @LoganKM1982: Turing dealt with AI, not psychological aspects of human behavior ;-).
  • 3 1
 Dont feed the troll Pinkbike
  • 18 4
 @meesterover - There’s Artificial Intelligence and Genuine Stupidity, I run my bot on the latter. In fact it is the same system that Donald Trump uses for his Twitter I just feed it different data. It’s written by a Russian Hacker Dimitri Cykablyatov and it is very beatiful and very powerful.
  • 1 1
 You better start writing books or short stories and stop letting that writing talent go to waste!

DLC idea: Online 1v1 of who can get a tubeless tire on faster; with and without Cushcore inserts.
  • 3 4
 @WAKIdesigns: Given the current average education level in the states, it still passes the Turing test ;-).
  • 2 1
 @meesterover: Errr...The US has the fourth or fifth highest education index in the world by country... It varies depending on which source you read. Education doesn't fix stupidity, though, which I believe may be pervasive worldwide.
  • 2 0
 it’s nice 2 have funny people in this world
  • 82 6
 How about “Sid Meyers MTB Standards manager?”

Become a product manager in one of major bike companies and join the battle for which component to resize and by how much in order to increase sales. Climb the company ladder, become a boss, manage budget between sponsored riders, product designers, engineers and marketing team. Fight other companies, file patents, file lawsuits, go direct or not, ruin your vendors, get new ones, insert electric motors, burn gearbox factory. Bring them to their knees! Lead your company to become the biggest in the world.

Resize or die...
  • 10 1
 I'm in for this one! But I want to start with a little company with people having real ideas to improve the sports driven by engineering. Build a small follower group that buy all our new products. Get a bit bigger, build a bigger factory, hire lots of people just to lay them off 3 years later and send production in china. Or I could also fake a bankrupty to get rid of my debts and obligations to my customers while I sell my company to a bigger group. I would love that game!
  • 5 1
 @lRaphl: Savage!
  • 2 1
 @lRaphl: Except a birdy told me that the deal got scuttled. Will be curious to see if that is true or not.
  • 6 1
 @lRaphl: That's like playing GTA with no possibility to club an old man to death directly after starting the game for the first time.
  • 4 1
 @wakidesigns “resize or die” I laughed til I farted. @lRaphl: wowed by that last bit about the bankruptcy. Brutal AF
  • 64 18
 How about the new game called "It's only winter, Harden the F up and ride your bike".
  • 5 22
flag Zeero (Feb 2, 2018 at 2:25) (Below Threshold)
 imgur.com/riSz5mV Thats my mate a couple of years back. Whoever stops riding because its cold or snowy cant call himself a rider.
  • 33 0
 Where I live in Canada it is -25 Today and a foot of snow... I think I am going to pass on riding
  • 5 15
flag fartymarty (Feb 2, 2018 at 6:34) (Below Threshold)
 @blakemoss: fatbike?
  • 15 0
 You'd eat your words if you had a real winter. When trails are covered in a foot of ice and it's only a couple degrees warmer than absolute zero, it's very hard to motivate oneself.
  • 4 2
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: I would give my left testicle for some snow. We have had rain, rain and more bloody rain. Saying that I have been getting 1-2 rides a week altho it has killed my drivetrain.
  • 2 0
 @fartymarty: Tell me about it. I live in Raincouver. In January we only had 6 days of sunshine. :-)
  • 3 0
 @fartymarty: its snow for about 2 days. Then the weather and salt turns it into the most corrosive ice known to man. I love snow, but it just doesn't last in big cities.
  • 2 0
 @blakemoss: same boat here. My main winter sport is pressing my nose against the front window and hoping for an early spring
  • 2 0
 Biking is legal and easy... we can do that most of the yr. Car racing is not easy, cheap or legal unless on private property...once frozen in...Forza7 time!
  • 1 0
 @Zeero: Looks photoshopped.
  • 2 0
 @fartymarty: Riding a fatbike in the winter interests me about as much as a roadbike in the summer.... I have a sled and skis for the winter time. Its also -30 with windchill where I am currently, consider the coldest ride you've ever been on and then let that temp sink in.
  • 5 0
 Says the British person
  • 2 0
 @Zeero: -45C with the wind chill today, f*ck that.
  • 2 3
 @N-60: if it sucks that much why not move to somewhere where it isn't so cold?
  • 3 0
 @fartymarty: You're kinda dense dude, we do other shit in the winter time. By your logic, it rains all the time in the UK why not move somewhere dry?
  • 1 0
 @fartymarty: Because in the summer I can start a ride at 9:00 pm and it's still sunny.
  • 2 0
 @VPS13: because you can still ride in winter and it is kinda fun and makes you appreciate the other 3 seasons
  • 1 1
 @fartymarty: So many comments regarding rain riding from the UK members. What is this rain you speak of? A quick search shows Guildford UK receives about 28 inches rain on average annually - that’s less than Santa Cruz, CA. Here in Seattle, we get about 38 inches per year. Some of the good riding in this area is 30 minutes east near North Bend where it rains about 59 inches per year. Vancouver BC - 45 inches. Squamish BC - 85 inches.
  • 1 0
 @PNdubRider: it depends on the ground as well. If it drains well it's not a problem, if it doesn't it is. Also how constant it is.
  • 1 0
 during the winter, often it’s mud, more mud, more mud.... ride with mud flicking all over .... and then i have to clean chain, clean bike, clean chain, clean bike; haven’t cleaned bike from last time i rode, probably should... run it throught the car wash..... ah winter biking in the sanpete valley, in utah, so much you haven’t heard

where i live we don’t bike much during the winter, like we do winter stuff; it be off season, but come on season (mar-oct) we ride, real hard
  • 1 0
 @fartymarty: We go skiing, boarding, sledding, touring, skating, ice fishing etc. There's never a lack of activities, its adapting to the climate and enjoying the outdoors. As much as I love biking, there's no better feeling then taking the sled deep into the backcountry and throwing it around after a meter of snow has fallen in the last few days. Ill take that over riding a bike in winter mud or ice any day. To each their own man but I know I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
  • 1 0
 @VPS13: sweet. I have always lived somewhere I can ride all year round (NZ and UK) so have never known any different. Hence I ride all year round cause I can. I've not boarded for years but did love it when I did.
  • 1 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: sounds like ski season, whats the problem?
  • 2 0
 @VPS13: amen

the winter stuff during winter, summer stuff during summer
  • 1 0
 @e46s54: All i own are powder skis, and they suck on ice.
  • 30 0
 I'm still waiting for a re release of downhill domination, what an awesome game that was!
  • 6 0
 I recently repurchased that game and then got a PS2 off craigslist just so I could play it. Worth it.
  • 1 0
 I haven't from way back when and still play it it's still fun I wish they would make a number two
  • 29 0
 Hey, we're the publisher of Descenders -- cheers for talking about the game!

It's only a week until launch on Steam, so we're preeetty excited for you guys to try it out Smile
  • 3 0
 Trailer looks great, any plans for PS4?
  • 4 0
 @djjohnr: Yep, PS4 later in the year!
  • 1 0
 @NoMoreRobots: Right on! It looks like you guys did a really good job of capturing a sense of speed; most action sports games never get that part right.
  • 1 0
 Awesome! Good luck guys!
  • 2 0
 Hey whats the deal with the "actions have real consequences" and the proceduraly generated thing, sounds to me like it has rogue lite elements, does it? and is there a non procedurally generated part of the game you know for time atacks and speedrunning? and the obvious question you gotta ask every indie developer. modding support?
  • 1 0
 @fercho25: "actions have real consequences" - uhm, that sounds like my real world mountain biking. When I'm playing GTA it's 'cause there are no consequences!
  • 3 0
 So Dee Tidwell has some nice advice on how to spend your winter, then you have this. What is going to help you more this upcoming season? As it is actually the time of year to go digging, just follow some sound advice from Timo Pritzel and learn to work the shovel both left and right. I'm actually trying but it still feels awkward. But I'll call it a game to keep me motivated Smile .
  • 3 0
 Pumped bmx 3 is my favourite so far but I'll give any of these a try and kudos for developing these games I had downhill domination on the PS2. So many Foes and Ellsworths to choose from!
  • 1 0
 Pumped is legendary
  • 2 0
 I ride my teal bike as much as possible in the winter problem here in the northeast US is mud. Freeze thaw cycles are really hell on the trails with the number of users we have. All the local trail groups put out notices to stay off the trails and not wreck them. Which relegates you to riding gravel for 20+ miles. Good for cardio etc., but not exactly a single track fix. Idk I just suffer from Mtb withdrawal.
  • 5 0
 What is this "winter" you speak of?
  • 11 0
 It's when it rains and the trails run better Smile
  • 2 0
 @Dallasdownunder: "When it rains and there's enough water to drink, have a shower and wash your bike" is probably a more accurate description for @headshot
  • 2 0
 @ROOTminus1: Yes at the moment it's gray water for washing bikes and letting it mellow if it's yellow season down here....
  • 2 0
 So looking at the list...most of these games will be available mid summer* where i'll be hopefully riding my bike. Good forward thinking for winter 18/19 though guys!




*northern hemisphere
  • 3 0
 Ooh, controversial, Sam P isn't on an E-bike in Shred 2, the makers obviously wanted to ensure some sales from the Pinkbike commenters crowd...
  • 2 0
 Are you sure? I think he is wearing a Haibike t-shirt...
  • 1 0
 Also, I could never. The second I start playing any video game all I hear is Bam Margeira in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 breaking the fourth wall and harassing the player for not knowing how to even ollie or kick flip. Lesson learned. If I'm going to spend even ten seconds, let alone hours, improving a skill it's going to be reality based.
  • 2 0
 Tried that redbull one. Can't say I like it, too much messing round choosing equipment, considering merits of different riders and not enough actual riding.

...oh wait, they nailed the pinkbike demographic ;-)
  • 5 0
 Pumped up bmx 3!
  • 3 0
 Bike Unchained is actually pretty old. Still fun, but not "new" by any means.
  • 5 0
 nice one @erniesbot
  • 4 0
 For the Winter 3/4 of the games are not available in the winter ;-)
  • 3 1
 So this is where we got: Shred! 2 has the 1week old DJ bike from Sam Pilgrim fully in game. I guess this is marketing on next level.
  • 2 0
 But where is the ebike? And does it let you turbo boost up hills and transitions?
  • 3 0
 Or you could come down to FL. No mountains but still some seriously fun riding.
  • 3 0
 No Bike Mayhem 2 for iOS??? Seriously?? I love playing the original game on my phone!
  • 1 0
 the descenders is so sick, i'm trying to stay a way from video games since its wasting time but this game looks like is going to get me stocked to ride(i'm stocked to ride any time anyway)
  • 1 0
 They should have a game where you start at the bottom as a dh racer. Start in fontana, slowly building skills and small sponsorships, then pro grts and eventually wc racing against gwin and minnar. That would be sick
  • 3 0
 Bike Mayhem 2 for the IOS!
  • 1 0
 This is a perfect example of "I skipped physics 101, mainly because I was playing video games in college, but now I wish I had taken that class".
  • 1 2
 This is such crap,I don’t play video games so I don’t uunderstand games but seriously??? None of those tricks could ever possibly be done on a mountain bike right??, I mean c’mon guys we’re talking bikes. This is real life versus reality
  • 3 0
 Is Shred 2 E-bike ready?
  • 2 0
 No Bike Mayhem for either iOS or Playstation?!?!?!? Epic fail!!!!
  • 2 1
 What's winter? Southern California shredding this weekend. Temp in the low 80's. I ride year round.
  • 1 0
 Is there a bike builder option on these games? Super boost hubs, carbon rims, 28.9999 BB?
  • 1 0
 old guy here I ride to get the fuck off the couch! oh and you motherfuckin kids get off my lawn!
  • 1 0
 Thanks for this post, didnt know about descenders. Looking forward to that release on steam next week!
  • 2 1
 LOL

"Games to get you through winter!!!!!**



**available spring/summer 2018"

Good job, Pinkbike!!
  • 1 0
 Nothing will ever compare to playing as the Slim Jim guy on Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
  • 2 1
 Fortnite is all I need to get through the winter.
  • 3 0
 Sit down brad
  • 1 0
 Played the living shit out of Downhill Domination!
  • 2 1
 its 82 in Phoenix today. we have no winter...
  • 1 1
 So what I want to know and I'd love to see is downhill domination 2 was an awesome video game
  • 3 2
 go skiing in the winter you nerds..
  • 2 1
 WTF?? Where is stickman downhill? Smile
  • 1 0
 None will ever compare to downhill domination
  • 1 0
 remember peatys game
  • 1 1
 Just, I don’t know - go out and ride your damn bike?
  • 1 0
 and ... PUMPED-BMX 2 !!!
  • 1 1
 How bout how many standards can we make a year would be a game changer!
  • 1 0
 Whack a standard?
  • 1 1
 It's called skiing. Skiing gets you through the winter.
  • 2 5
 Not everyone owns an Xbox jerkoffs!!!





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