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Ducati Moto Review for the Nintendo DS (NDS)

Ducati Moto Review for the Nintendo DS (NDS)

Take it for a Spin

When I was a kid (and yes the wheel was already invented), my father had a Ducati motorcycle. To be quite honest, I thought it was nothing special. I didn’t realize at the time that Ducati is a coveted name in bikes, but this thing just didn’t look all that cool. I was too young to test it out myself, so I can’t tell you how good it handled, but my mother made my father sell it at the end of summer, so I never did get a chance to ride it. With Ducati Moto, I get to relive some of my childhood and actually re-invent it, as I finally get to ride my own Ducati motorcycle.

Ducati Moto screenshot

Truth be told, Ducati Moto is a decent little racing game. It’s arcade-friendly, so you won’t have to worry about crashing into the rail for failing to nail a hairpin turn. The racing is fast and exciting. There is a well-balanced pace to it that allows you to develop your own style and rhythm. You can really lean into turns and take corners quickly, employing techniques such as power sliding. Upgrades actually affect the performance of these vehicles, and not only do they look nice, but they handle incredibly well. A racing game such as this runs the risk of becoming redundant, but with different tracks, bikes, and upgrades, the gameplay is fresh and challenging. The controls are simple and responsive. The bikes are so smooth they almost hover atop the asphalt. Anyone can pick-up-and-play the game in Easy mode, and those looking for more of a challenge won’t be disappointed in the Hard mode.

There are 11 different Ducati bikes to be unlocked, purchased, and upgraded. Most of them are red, but that’s not due to a limited color palette, that’s Ducati’s signature color. Steering is controlled with the D-pad. It’s not perfect, but you will get used to making those corners. Gas is controlled by the A button and the bike stops with a press of the B button. The control system feels about as good as you can expect from a handheld system. Upgrades include suspension, tires, shocks, and engine. Money needed to purchase these upgrades comes from winning or betting on races. You can bet on the outcome of the races if an opponent wants to make a wager, but you’re not forced into it. While it’s not imperative to upgrade your bike early on in the game, there’s just no way you’re going to seriously compete in the upcoming tracks without some high-performance add-ons.

Ducati Moto screenshot

Races take place all over the world in the single-player Championship mode. Locations include Scotland, Morocco, Italy, Hong Kong, and the U.S. Each environment is not only different looking in terms of background scenery, but offers different challenges. Scotland has plenty of twists and turns, and Morocco offers some off-roading in the desert sands. It’s pure cliffhanging along the roads of Italy, where a wrong move can send you plunging to your death. Hong Kong offers the most different and challenging courses. Taking place in the urban jungle, the races follow city streets littered with seemingly abandoned vehicles, creating a treacherous and tricky obstacle course. Although the streets are filled with obstacles, there are no pedestrians or traffic in the background to bring the city to life. It looks like the aftermath of a Godzilla attack.

Ducati Moto screenshot

Even if you don’t know anything about Ducati, you’ll learn about the various models and their performance attributes. There are 11 different bikes including the Hypermotard, the Monster, the 1098R, and the Desmosidisi to name a few. The Hypermotard is an extreme, high-performance bike that must be used on one of the courses simply because it’s the only bike designed for it. A handful of customized riders are available, including three females. I didn’t notice any differences among them except for that of appearances. They all animate well as they lean into turns and hang off the handlebars during jumps.

Ducati Moto screenshot

Wheelies, donuts, power sliding, and catching air are among the stable of tricks that you’ll be required to pull off in the Stunt Challenge. Some of these tricks can be used in other modes as well. Quick Race, Ghost Race, and Multi-player modes round out the list. You can take on another opponent locally or anywhere in the world by employing the Wi-Fi connection. For the most part, the single-player mode played well and held a steady framerate, but things got a little less slick in the multi-player mode, as slowdown was much more evident. Fortunately, the single-player mode completely overshadows the multi-player mode thanks in part to the realistic A.I.

The draw distance is remarkable. You will usually have plenty of time to react to all of the twists, turns, and obstacles that you encounter, but there are plenty of surprises in store as the difficulty increases. The bikes move with a good sense of speed, but thanks to the long draw distance, you will still be able to enjoy the scenery consisting of trees, hills, rocks, lakes, mountains, townships, bridges, causeways, guard rails, indicator arrows, and city streets. The colors and textures are diverse enough to make everything distinct. The bikes look good in-game but they are nothing less than mouthwatering when on display in the garage. They radiate power and beauty as they are rotated in 3D.

Unlike Harley’s, Ducati’s don’t roar, they purr. The engine sound effects in the game are a little on the whiney side. The techno tunes bring a certain Euro-Disco flavor to the game, but there are only two songs, and I don’t need to tell you how repetitious that will get. Fortunately, you can turn the audio off.

Ducati Moto is definitely recommended for fans of bike racing of all levels. Even those with no interest in the genre should at least try their hand at this game, as it’s really beginner-friendly. Your skills will increase as you play, and you can actually cultivate your own style through skill development and the upgrades that you purchase. Be sure to give this one a spin.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.6 Graphics
Excellent draw distance. Nice 3D detailed scenery. Good animation. 4.5 Control
Simple and effective. Great for players of all skills. 2.3 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The bikes sound a bit anemic and the tunes are looped. 4.5

Play Value
Lots of racing variety. Challenging but not frustrating.

4.4 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Five Championship Events including Time Attack, Race, Eliminator, Race Line, and Stunt Challenge.
  • Challenge yourself in locales like Hong Kong, Italy, Morocco, and more.
  • Take on opponents via local wireless or through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
  • Choose from 11 Ducati bikes featuring the Monster, Hypermotard, Superbike, and Desmosedici RR.
  • Choose from eight unique characters each in their own colorful and distinctive leathers.
  • Arcade-style racing with power sliding, wheelies, and jumps.

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