Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer(s): Incognito Entertainment (defunct since 2009), with additional work by SCE Santa Monica Studio
Release Date: July 23, 2003 (North America) February 13, 2004 (Europe) May 20, 2004 (Japan)
Gameplay: You go down a series of downhill tracks, starting off at the top of the mountain as work your way down. Combat is well integrated and knocking over your opponent causes your “weapon” to upgrade and evens nets you with some attack points that later transfer into cash. And speaking of upgrades, in the single player modes after a race, you can go to the bike shop to either upgrade your bike or unlock extras via cash you got during races. There are three different types of courses which adds some variety: Freeride lets you roam the mountain, making your way down in any path you want while in a race, Mountain Cross is more limited, as you follow a set path down a short distance of the mountain, and while Technical Downhill is a little bit longer than Mountain Cross, it stands out of ahead of the pack, as its course is very steeper than any other type of race. The courses also get increasingly difficult. I give the gameplay an 8/10
Graphics: The graphics are pretty good. Most of the tracks in the game are based off of real locations and they look well detailed and interesting. The characters and the bikes also look fine as well. I give the graphics an 8/10.
Music and Sounds: Like most arcade sports games of this type, the soundtrack mostly consists of licensed songs, but most of them are from bands I never heard of, and they’re nothing to write home about and get repetetive. The sound clips also get repetitive after a while. I give the music/sounds a 6/10.
Controls: The controls are very good and responsive, but they can get frustrating; because of this, expect to veer off course and crash a lot in some of the later courses. I give the controls a 7.5/10.
Replay Value: There is a LOT of replay value here: there are a lot of courses and plenty of modes, and through the cash you get, you can get extra stuff, including three extra courses. This game will take you at least 30+ hours to beat on easy and 50+ on hard. I give the replay value an 8/10.
Final Thoughts: Many have said Downhill Domination is “SSX on bikes” and that could not be a more apt description. This game is a very solid, if frustrating at times, arcade racer. Seek it out if you can.
Overall: 8/10
Buy or Skip?: Buy.