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RETAILBIZ: SBK X 28 MCV 23/04/10
SBK X represents a major step forward for the motorcycle series, and publisher Black Bean says it’s the best bike racer ever…
WWW.MCVUK.COM
by Dominic Sacco SBK X is the latest in Black Bean’s official SBK World Championship motorcycle racing games and adds a raft of improved features and four-times World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty as a playable rider. The superbike video game category is unique with only two key players – SBK and Capcom’s MotoGP. This means the market in the UK is not as crowded as other genres such as action and FPS. Both publishers have put out new games in each franchise over the past few years, and SBK X’s UK distributor Tradewest is confident the latest SBK game can lead the way in sales. European brand manager Aidan Minter says: “SBK X is probably one of
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the most exciting products we’ve worked on for quite a long time because it’s one of those games within a limited genre. “And from what we’ve seen of the competition, MotoGP’s mediocre reviews and the reaction from the forums, it
SBK X is the best bike racing game ever. We know this from the feedback we’ve been receiving from gamers. Davide Latina, Black Bean seems the game hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. This presents a really good opportunity for Tradewest and Black Bean in the UK to go up against established competition from Capcom. “The gameplay is sharp and visually it’s amazing so we’re very, very
confident about SBK X at retail. It ticks all the boxes.” SBK GIVES GAMERS XTRA
Rather than sticking with the naming pattern established from SBK 08 and SBK 09, Black Bean has opted for SBK X rather than SBK 10, as it claims the new game represents a fundamental shift forward for the series, as well as a host of new additions over its predecessors. The game gets a legendary roster of World Superbike Series riders with their own individual riding stances, career and arcade modes and 14 tracks including Germany’s world-famous Nürburgring. It also gains tweaks to physics, graphical details, revised environments and 3D spectators.
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