The graphics in Castrol Honda Superbike Racing are very well done, but that is something that we have come to expect from EA. Track locales are exotic and well-rendered, while pop-in is almost non-existent. When it does occur, chances are you’re in a tight turn and should have your eyes on the road anyhow. Very realistic sound effects add to the biking experience -- the purr of your engine, the screech of your tires, the hum of your approaching opponents. Background music is strangely absent, considering the cool intro tune. However, I actually found it easier to be drawn into the race without the background music, and only the sounds of my surroundings to listen to. Somehow, more realistic...

Excellent. In the past, I have found some motorcycle games to lack in the handling department, but Superbike Racing has it goin’ on! The default bike, complete with certain helpful or hindering settings, turned either “on” or “off,” made for a good ride for the beginner. Your bike seems to grip the road and handles like a dream. The only complaint I had is that my bike seemed to travel at a slower pace than my speedometer. Of course, this seems common among many driving games.

Quite frankly, it’s all up to you. Of course, you have difficulty settings (not three, but six!!!) What makes Superbike Racing special are the many customizable settings which allow you not only to optimize your ride, but to make things as easy or as hard as you want them to be. This allows more gameplay, as a curvy track is much harder to master if you turn “off” Auto Brake and turn “on” Engine Overheat. Nice touches like that show us how much time the EA team puts into their titles.

As I mentioned earlier, Options a-go-go! Everything from Auto Brake to Steering Assist to optional Bike Damage, even the ability to pop-wheelies and lose a tire if you go too fast! Features like these really maximize the gameplay, as the most advanced gamer as well as the beginner cannot only play the game, but really enjoy it. There are several modes of play -- Practice Mode, Trainer Mode (a trainer drives ahead of you to show you how it’s done), Single Race, and Championship Mode (work your way up the ranks). In Training Mode, I couldn’t seem to crash into the trainer, no matter how hard I tried. Aw, come on EA -- let us have a little evil fun. If you are a fan of biking games, buy Castrol Honda Superbike Racing. If you like racing games in general, at least rent it. You’ll probably have a good time with it.