For anyone following the world of BMX bike competition, performing BMX stunts in difficult terrain is the top of the crop. BMX stunts are generally part of the BMX Freestyle side of the sport, as opposed to BMX bike racing in off track courses. The division of freestyle BMX bike riding which includes a ramp, often called a half pipe, is the ‘Vert’. This form of BMX bike competition places the rider in a half pipe, which is 11 to 15 feet tall with slanted edges facing each other. The largest half pipe in display was shown at the 2008 Summer X Games on ESPN, which measured a whooping 27 feet tall.

These ramps allow the biker to gather speed as he rides down one side, and fly off in mid air as he rides off the opposite side. These are dangerous stunts, which require a great deal of practice and concentration. Therefore, caution is advised when attempting these stunts. The novice rider is also advised to wear all the corresponding protective gear at all times. Not even the pros are allowed to engage the half pipe unless they are wearing suitable protective gear. Another good idea is to play online BMX games to get a better feel of the stunts to be performed and the mechanics of riding on a half pipe. Online BMX games are free to play through thousands of free arcade game websites in the web. There are many titles available, each focusing on different aspects of BMX bike riding. For the ‘Vert’ segment of freestyle BMX bike riding there are titles like ‘BMX Extreme’ which have been developed around the concept of performing BMX stunts on a ramp, or half pipe setting.

BMX Extreme is very straight forward and easy to understand. The initial screen prompts the player for a mode of play, of two available. In free mode, there are no time constraints and the player is free to ride for as long as he wants. In compete mode; the player must earn as many points as he can within one minute. Either choice will start the game on a course with several ramps of different shapes and sizes. The included set of controls allow the player to move his bike forward by pressing the right arrow key, while the down arrow key will perform a side flip. The left arrow key will perform the famous backflip, while the more difficult stunts may be activated with the Z key for the superman flip, the C key for the batman flip, and the X key to rotate the wheel.

As in real life BMX bike riding timing and momentum are very important. None of the stunts will be successful unless the animated character played by you, has enough speed going in or out the ramp. Considering these online BMX games are free to play for as long as you want, you can’t go wrong. They can be a useful tool for beginners who want to get acquainted with the exciting world of BMX bike riding without having to break a leg on their first try.

By: Damian Cross