I must be the only one in my office with any appreciation for Moto GP, THQ and Climax's collaboration of games that capture the spirit of the motorcycle racing circuit. It's not like the others in the office aren't familiar with the series, they just aren't as into it as I expected. Maybe Burnout 3's spoiled us a bit, I dunno. But anyway, I fell in love with this series right from the get-go when the initial Moto GP was released, wowing me with amazing visuals and the kind of bike performance that you don't expect in a racing game. Front and rear braking just don't come standard with all games anymore, I suppose. Maybe it was the focus of the actual simulation of the event, instead of focusing on Road Rash-like physics, that made the game series stick with me so well. Moto GP 3 Ultimate Racing Technology, the final outing for the Xbox, remains one of my favorite racing games to date...and I had to wonder if Moto GP 2006 would live up to the namesake as the series shifted to next-generation.

Well, not entirely. The game is a slight step back from Moto GP 3 only because it seems to have borrowed from it. Most of the modes that were present in that previous game have made the jump to Moto GP 2006, and some now require a bit of effort to unlock. For instance, you have to complete a whole season before you gain access to the Extreme Mode, where you engage in a series of street races that help hone your racing skills a little better than an "official" track would. Having this available right from the start would've made it more convincing for casual purchasers, instead of just enthusiasts.

If you can get over that little hurdle, however, you'll find that Moto GP 2006 is still a very worthy ride. That's because the game still manages to come off with the kind of sparkle that a next-gen racing game should have, despite its borrowed elements from the previous releases. You'll have to endure some slightly longer load times than you would expect (nothing major, but you'll notice them), but once you get into the races themselves, you'll find that Climax has done their homework well in some areas.

For instance, motorcycle noises. Some people say that all engines sound alike and that the way they perform on the road-way isn't as important as where you're looking on the screen, but never mind. They've still nailed down precision noises for each of the rides and, as you're humming along down the road and prepare for a tight turn, you can hear the slight squeal of the tires and the change in tone in the engine. If you go off road and somehow start into a slide for a crash, you'll hear it coming through. It's slight to the casual listener but it's amazing how much better Climax gets year after year as they nail down the Moto GP racing experience in audio. Now all they need to do is work on better techno tunes that play during some of the races and in the menus. It's alright, but I prefer something a little more adrenalized.

As for the game's looks, they're stellar. Moto GP 2006 takes advantage of the Xbox 360 and looks like an actual race every time you go through it, and the Extreme courses show the detail that much better, whisking you away to a number of locales that really look as if you're doing a hot-foot of a vacation on your two-wheeled steed. Some details suffer to pop-in and slight slowdown from time to time, but the general game has been tuned very well, running at a constant speed and featuring details galore. Wait till you see the clouds in this sucker, they're that good. I wanted to just race up and fly through them. Damn gravity.

And despite the fact the game's controls haven't really changed from Moto GP games of the past, they really didn't need to. The gameplay in Moto GP 2006 remains focused for the simulation set, and those who approach the game would be wise to jump right into the tutorials to get a hang of the front and rear braking system that's presented. If you don't use them properly in balance with your speed, you'll be crashing a lot more often than you'd like, watching your rider crumple up into a pile of broken dreams and bones. (OK, you can't actually see broken limbs, but, really, having a crash like that has to have some damaging effect, you think?) The tutorials work efficiently to introduce the system, and, after a few races, you'll find yourself using it like a natural, and feeling like you're actually racing, and not just whizzing through a level with your finger on the gas button and danger to the wind. Concentration pays off a lot here, giving you first place victories.

As I stated earlier, Moto GP 2006 uses a lot of modes that are straight from Moto GP games of years past, although there is a nice new feature that allows you to choose between the 2005 and 2006 seasons of the Moto GP circuit, each leading to a different series of races. This also changes your selection of bikes and riders along with the tracks, so you get a different experience each time and won't find 2006 bikes mixed in with the 2005 series. Completing the season will gain you access to new, more powerful bikes, as well as other gear and the Extreme Mode I mentioned earlier. There's still some resentment over the fact that it has to be unlocked, though. I mean, that was one of the highlights of Moto GP 3, being able to step out of circuit races and take to the open road. But, oh, well, I suppose Climax and THQ wanted to make us work a little. It'll probably just add up to some frustration for rookies.

The online community's pretty good for Moto GP 2006, as you're able to jump into a series of races pretty easily, and they run rather well through Xbox Live. There's also a Leaderboard that comes into play, so you can see just exactly where you rank in terms of your skill. But perhaps the real beauty of taking on other riders in the game is seeing their personality overflow with the design of their riders. Like previous games, you can design logos for your rider and give them a little sense of style. Never mind that I'm working on a beer stein with the GameDaily logo on it, it's hard work. But it's still nice to have the option.

So there's some slight snags in the otherwise gorgeous presentation. So some rookie riders may be frustrated at first by the complexity of the controls, a design by the development team to emulate the real thing. And so you have to work a little to get the goodies you want unlocked, as well as earn more accelerated bikes. But Moto GP 2006 is still one of the better racing games for the Xbox 360, sitting right alongside Project Gotham Racing 3 as a top-notch simulator. Enthusiasts, such as myself, will be pleased, and everyone else should still get on board and see what all the two-wheeled excitement is about. Yes, GameDaily staffers, I'm speaking to you as well. I need me some competition.