Trials HD Big Pack Review

Good luck completing these mind numbing levels.

Trials HD received a major boost with the addition of downloadable content in the form of the Big Pack.  This expansion offers a variety of goodies for its five-dollar price tag, including 12 new medium tracks, nine hard tracks, two extreme tracks, 12 mini-games, five tournaments and new Achievements.

As with previous stages in Trials HD, you’ll need patience and timing to get through all of the tracks.  The faster you complete a stage, the better, but you’ll need crackerjack timing to get through these obstacles.  Whether you use wind gusts to float across gaps or climb near-vertical walls without flipping your bike over (which, by the way, is easier said than done), you’ll strategically work your way through each level to complete it in one piece. There are times you’re going to crash, so just accept it and keep your thumb on the restart button. 

Some of the stages are better than others.  The donkey mini-bike level, for instance, is frustrating.  Not only must you navigate the stage with this smaller motorbike, but you’ll also have to cram into spaces that aren’t normally meant for riding.  We’re more than happy with the Excitebike-style throwback stage, however, where you drive a bike across a side-scrolling area, with graphics resembling an NES title.  We wish there were more of these in the game.  

No matter which ones you pick as your favorites, the stage designs are excellent, and right on par with those from the original game.  Yes, the extreme ones live up to their name, and will frustrate you to no end (until you eventually reach the 500-crash stage limit, obviously).  However, that’s why there are medium and hard stages, so you can build up your confidence.  The mini-games are a lot of fun too, using environmental items as you roll from point A to point B.  The tournaments will keep you busy, with new medals to add to your collection.  (For that matter, three new Achievements will boost your Gamerscore by an additional 50 points.) 

For 400 Microsoft points (five bucks), you’ll get plenty of content with the Big Pack.  It’s no cakewalk, by any means, but it’s fun, especially if you’ve somehow conquered all the original challenges.  So hop inside your enormous metallic marble, take advantage of every wind gust and hold on tight.  This ride has plenty of gas.