Board Games – Raleigh Burner BMX
Playing a board game might now encompass the thrills and spills of a real ride, but there are lots of options if you do decide a more sedate experience is for you. After all, you may not have a choice and if your love of BMX started when you were young, you might have to dust off the games and get them set up. One of the absolute best, which is sure to invoke memories for many, is Waddington’s Raleigh Burner BMX. It boasted an unusual 3D board and simulated a BMX race using a range of brightly coloured plastic pieces. If you never knew this existed, it can be found on internet auction sites and the like, but starts at around €70.
Social Media Games – BMX Bingo
If putting one foot into yesteryear is not for you, there are plenty of fun pastimes you can indulge in on social media. BMX fans confined to the house have been coming up with novel ways in which to indulge their passion, which includes games aimed at comparing notes and achievements whilst out of the saddle. One such game is BMX Bingo, with a playing card to be found on Instagram. The aim is to mark off the different achievements and aim to get a line, or a full house, based on your previous BMX experience. In a how-to guide on Cheeky Bingo it shows that the game is usually played with 75-balls, and players mark them off as they are called out, but that has been adapted here to incorporate your favourite hobby. In BMX bingo the ‘balls’ are events and challenges, many of which you may have already done. The fun here carries on once restrictions have been lifted too, because you will be out, aiming to
eventually deliver a full house.
Video Games – Trials Fusion
The obvious choice when it comes to BMX gaming is video games, and it would be remiss not to pick a title or two that you may not have played. A session on your sofa, controller in hand, cannot begin to compete with being out and about, but some of today’s efforts do come a close second. Trials Fusion, released for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, is a great way to satisfy your craving. Released in 2014, it allows you to pull off mid-air stunts but is predominately based around bikes with engines. Why does it make the list I hear you ask? Well, as you progress, you will unlock the Rabbit, a yellow BMX-style bike with no engine. Once you manage that, you will have the perfect BMX game without ever having realised. If retro gaming is more your style, then you could always find an online Commodore 64 emulator and revisit California Games. They may look old now, but boy did those games have something many of today’s lack – instant playability.
The impact of restrictions around the world is being felt by the BMX community as mass gatherings and events are being cancelled or suspended. The opportunity to get out on the tracks is limited, in some instances not available at all. The industry is being hit worldwide, not only for riders but also shops and businesses that rely on your being able to gear up and push those pedals. Whilst we all know what we cannot do, there are still ways in which you can quench your BMX thirst. The most obvious way is videos, watching online and maybe contributing to forums and discussions. There are also some other means by which you can get your BMX fix – games. We are not just talking video games here either, there is a range of activities that incorporate a love of BMX without having to grab a helmet and gloves.
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.