THQ enlisted developer Incinerator, which had previously collaborated with Rainbow Studios on Disney's/Pixar's Cars, to bring MX vs. ATV Untamed to a Nintendo platform for the first time. The studio created the Wii game from scratch, designing the gameplay around the console's motion-sensor controls.

"The controls were a big challenge because we don't just have steering right and left, we have leaning forward and backward as a driver, plus the preloading and jumping," said Phil Straka, designer, Incinerator. "We had a head start with the nunchuck-style controller and its thumb stick. With that we were able to introduce the preloading and the moving. When we added the remote, that evolved into the two-handed stunt combos."

When playing with both motion-sensor controllers, gamers can flail their arms in different directions to have their in-game rider pull off over 40 stunts. Straka said that while the casual Wii fans will likely stick with these controls, they can also use the remote to pull off more advanced moves.

"The real challenge was doing the remote-only control styles," said Straka. "We had to get the steering right and get the leaning right, as well as the preloading. We were short on buttons."

The team solved this dilemma by employing the three directional buttons as stunt buttons with the modifier button as the back trigger. Gamers perform specific stunts by moving the remote in different directions with movements to the right resulting in a trick in that direction and a movement up correlating with a stunt in that direction. The team wanted to keep it simple to ensure that players can perform every stunt with just the one controller. The gas, clutch, brake and steering are done with standard buttons.

"There's a higher learning curve for the remote, but I think it's more fun and rewarding once you get it down," said Straka. "It's much more visceral."

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