Rugby Challenge 2006

Rugby Challenge 2006 kicks off this week on the PSP, and it brings more new content to the license-rich football game.

Named the 2010 Season, this week's update will introduce a new Career Mode option, a total of 80 teams, a new season mode, and a revamped career mode. There are even more ball-related tweaks in this month's update, too, such as a number of new licenses, improved practice options, a new tutorial, and new social networking options.

Rugby Challenge 2006 was released on the PlayStation 2 back in October of 2004. The PSP edition, which was developed by UK-based developer Sumo Digital, puts you in control of the rugged superspies as they compete to take part in a series of competitions. It features all of the same gameplay as the PS2 version. You can choose from eight formations of up to six players and go through 11 championships, including the Super League, the Rugby Championship, and the UEFA Champions League. The PSP game also features an exclusive postrace mode that lets you play one of three events--the Grand Prix, the Kudsen National Championship, or the London Underground Challenge. If you have a memory card, you can download a "creep" mode for the PSP that lets you watch live race replays.

The PlayStation 2 version of MX vs. ATV Untamed features a new training mode that lets you take your virtual rider through training exercises. In addition to the various training and activities, you can use a variety of collectibles, such as letters of the alphabet, stardom, cards of the game's mascot, and many more. You'll get to spend many hours playing the training mode, training your bike to become a high-performance vehicle, and taking on the artificial intelligence-controlled opponents. There are six categories that are adjustable in the training mode. The most useful is the GTR. In the GTR training, you'll earn points you can spend in the Kudsen National Championship. The GTR training features a face-to-face camera, the top-view camera, and a picture-in-picture view of the race.

Like its predecessor, MX vs. ATV Untamed features a number of different racing modes to keep you entertained. For example, you can race against a friend in the normal online multiplayer mode, or a group of friends in the single-player mode. There's also an arcade mode that lets you play against a friend in a variety of competitions. You can also test your skills in the practice mode or challenge your friends in a race in the popular 8-player deathmatch mode. In addition, there's the Freestyle mode, which lets you play with up to eight players on a track against the CPU. The courses are even more interactive than that found in MX vs. ATV Untamed. You'll be able to unlock additional tracks and bikes.

MX vs. ATV Untamed also sports a free-roaming mode, although that is restricted to the four races you can race in. You can race the mountainous regions of Mexico in this mode or run over some of the game's other locales. The single-player game is broken up into races that take you through different locales such as Amaye sur Prey, The Shoreline, and Yosemite National Park. You'll also be able to participate in the two game modes: rallycross and time attack. In rallycross, you race on the same track as the three other drivers, who will eventually bump to your choice of course. Time attack allows you to race against AI opponents, who will try to pull off a spectacular race if you can catch up. Finally, time attack allows you to race against AI opponents. There are six difficulty levels and 14 vehicles to choose from, ranging from civilian tanks and off-road trucks to muscle cars.

Firing up bikes is as easy as pointing the mouse cursor at your vehicle and moving your mouse. You can adjust the camera angle using the left mouse button. As you progress through the game, you'll gain new types of bike to pilot, each of which features its own distinct handling characteristics and special moves. The bikes you'll pilot in the game will have unique attributes and behaviors, as well as different kinds of ammunition. To ensure that you don't spend too much time driving around on the motorcycle, you'll find that the game features numerous weapons and items to aid you in your fight against the artificial intelligence opponents.

The multiplayer mode features three game types: competitive, time attack, and assault. In competitive mode, you'll have a team of three players battle it out over a $50,000 prize money split evenly between the three modes: capture the flag, attack the opponent's base, and defend it. To make things even more interesting, each player will be able to take one of two maps, a "fight night" setting that requires the object you're trying to destroy with a weapon, and a "defend the base" mode, which requires you to stop the opposing team and protect your base from all opposition.