MXGP 2019 out now, we begin warming up our thumbs

If you can’t get out on your motorbike in the real world, the next best option is often to enjoy some virtual two-wheel action where you can lose yourself pretending to be Valentino Rossi slipstreaming Marc Marquez at Mugello… until you run out of talent and high-side at 200mph. Thank goodness for the ‘restart’ option.

If MotoGP is just a little too, well, flat for you though, then perhaps the latest edition in the MXGP gaming series – MXGP 2019 - is the one for you.

With its official license and featuring all the runners, riders and venues of the 2019 MXGP season, the game – which has been running since 2014 – naturally takes things up a notch with the graphics, which will be immersive even if the gameplay is only half as engrossing as the trailer.

Check it out for yourself

Following on from MXGP Pro, which was popular amongst the die-hard enthusiasts for erring towards a more skill-driven Simulator mode of play, rather than the more ‘pick up, put down’ arcade style for a larger market, early reviews suggest MXGP 2019 leans back towards a more accessible multiplayer format. It’s up to you as to which you prefer.

What's new on MXGP 2019?

As with most modern games, the possibilities are ultimately endless with constant updates and additions being factored in for you to download, meaning MXGP 2019 could in theory be the last Motocross game you ever need if you don’t want to update the rider-team combos.

One interesting touch is the Sixth Axis format, which allows you to create your own track, a particularly fun feature in Motocross where the ‘gnarlier’ and more aggressive the tracks, the more enthralling the action. 

The game is out right now on PlayStation4, XBOX One, Windows PC and Steam.