Moto Mania is a game for Ipod Touch and iPhone that features a ragdoll character and is based on physics. It has some similarities to classic dirtbike games of the side-scrolling type, but has one exciting feature that sets it completely apart from older games of its type: because of the accelerometer built into the iPod Touch and iPhone, you can control how the bike tilts by the way you tilt the device you’re playing on. This gives it a very intuitive feel.

Aside from that, the play itself is quite challenging. The aim is to make your way over obstacles and ramps and finish the course within the time allotted. The game is quite customizable; for instance, you can create your own bike by choosing the color and the type of wheels. It might be quite a minor point, but it definitely makes the game feel more personal, and inspires you to make sure your bike survives the course unscathed.

There are two different courses that come with Moto Mania, The Country and The City. The course with the country theme is quite typical of what you’d expect from a dirtbike game – plenty of dirt, with occasional ramps and obstacles such as trees. The course with the city theme is played against scenery composed of buildings, and you have to navigate obstacles such as cars, and other city-type obstacles. In both courses there are number of tracks, which get harder as you progress, and you are always challenged to beat your previous time. This makes for very good replay value.

One issue Moto Mania has is with the physics engine, which is a pity for a game that’s physics-based. If you crash or don’t make a jump, the results don’t have the ragdoll quality you’d expect to see, and which other games have. The biker seems only to move from the waist, and the bike itself doesn’t do much at all – this aspect could use a lot more development.

Aside from this, the game is fun to play. There is a slightly more relaxed feel than other, more manic games, which makes it more enjoyable for the casual player, and not only intended for the hard-core, adrenaline-fueled player. The tilt element also does a lot to raise it above other games of its kind.