Parents' Guide to Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4

While casual bikers will once again wish this was simpler, or easier, serious dirt bike racing fans will thoroughly enjoy this detailed and semi-realistic racing game. Like the three previous installments, Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4 lets you race dirt bikes on bumpy tracks with hairpin turns that have been built inside open-air arenas. It also, as always, has a level of detail that will confound newbies but delight serious race fans, including options to customize your bike's performance and tweak the conditions of the races. There are also numerous ways to play, including online multiplayer races as well as single-player options that include time trials, customizable one-off events, and mini championships.

As for what's new in this year's installment, they've expanded the track editor and given you a new compound where you can practice. And, of course, this adds new real tracks and real riders, including fan favorite Ken Roczen. But the biggest changes are in the revamped career mode. Like in a role-playing game, you now earn points you use to upgrade such skills as turn control and banking ability. The thing is, while this adds some interesting depth, people without an encyclopedic knowledge of the sport may be confused by the terminology. Casual fans also won't appreciate the game's realistic controls, which require you to pay careful attention to how your biker distributes their weight. Still, if you are serious about supercross (or supercross video games), Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4 is a good way to get dirty without, well, actually getting dirty.