MX Unleashed

MX Superfly featuring Ricky Carmichael is the final installment in THQ's MX trilogy, developed by Rainbow Studios and published by THQ.

Overview
With a change of developers, Unleashed departs from the gameplay of prior MX installments. In the career mode, the player must make a podium finish (i.e. finish in the top 3) to unlock the next race. The freestyle mode introduces a new challenge unlock system in which some challenges must be done before others, unlocking more freestyle venues along the way. There are also increased variety in the challenges, which include landing on targets after jumps or racing against larger vehicles. Split-screen multiplayer between two players is available.

Development
Eager to make more successful motocross racing games like the PC-exclusive Motocross Madness duology, Rainbow Studios took control of the MX trilogy from Locomotive Games for its final installment, after making the first two games of the ATV Offroad Fury series. Leaving further development of the Fury series to Climax Studios, creator of Acclaim Entertainment's ATV Quad Power Racing duology, Rainbow Studios took a bold approach to making this third game, marrying its seasoned experience of designing high-quality graphics, physics and control for offroad racing games with the cool idea of pitting motocrosses against other vehicles, which would herald its plan to make a racing series crossover between MX and ATV Offroad Fury called MX vs. ATV.

Release
Unlike the prior two installments, Unleashed would not be endorsed by Ricky Carmichael and had both console versions release on the same day in 2004, which varied across regions. The game is PS2-exclusive in Australia and endorsed by fellow Australian MX racer Chad Reed. A mobile phone version was released later that year.