Electronic Arts has a winning formula for larger-than-life games so it's no surprise its latest title is more evolution than revolution.

Freekstyle for the PlayStation 2 takes the thrills and spills from snowboarding games SSX and SSX Tricky, puts them on two wheels and guns the engine - hard.

The result is an over-the-top motocross game in which outlandish freestyle combos are just as important as your speed on the ground.

There are single race, free ride and freestyle modes but the focus of the game is the circuit mode, which finds players literally jumping through hoops to make the biggest score.

Anyone who remembers the snowflake multipliers in SSX Tricky won't find the rings of fire too hard but everyone else will be cursing until they reach for the skies more often than eating dirt.

Every time you complete a trick, two meters build-up. A turbo meter helps you ride faster and jump higher and the freekout meter enables you to bust an uber-trick and leads to your character "freeking out".

When you wipe out the meters drop, which can be frustrating, especially in the beginning when you want to be tricky but you still feel like you have stabilisers on.

Fans of SSX Tricky will know the score - success yields new riders and new bikes, each with different skills and attributes, while doing tricks or combos unlocks outfits.

The basic controls are easy but there are a lot of moves to learn, so you will need to make best friends with the shoulder buttons to get the most out of your tanks of tricks. The graphics are good, as is the game's soundtrack, if you like Limp Bizkit-esque tunes.

The game is challenging and fun and should appeal to gamers everywhere.

The only problem is Freekstyle's motorbike follows in the snowy footsteps of SSX Tricky's snowboard, which, for my money, remains unbeaten if you like spending a game spinning through the air.

Price: £39.99.

Contact: www.ea.com.

Feel good factor: 7 out of 10.