Are you ready for an adrenaline spike? Do you feel like you are faster than all your friends? Then you need to check out MAVRIX by Matt Jones. This game was an adrenaline-filled speed demon of a game. With its steep declines, multitude of different courses, and realistic look and feel, this game will make you want to grab your mountain bike and take off to your nearest backwoods trail to test your limits. MAVRIX is set in a Welsh-like environment with lots of rolling hills and heavily wooded areas to test your hand-eye coordination and skills with a thumbstick. That’s right; this game relies heavily on your ability to multitask with your thumbs. Not only do you steer with your analog sticks, but you also use them to control your body midair and do tricks like bunny hops, front flips, back flips, and so much more!
Video by TheOldPotato
This game was Matt Jones’ brainchild. He started out as a British mountain bike slopestyle rider. When he signed with Red Bull, things got serious for him. He started his career back in 2013; however, he first started making heads turn while still going through school. By the time 2014 came around, he had won Farm Jam in New Zealand and placed third in the X-Games Red Bull Phenom. Present day he has secured his spot as one of the best slopestyle riders and is a permanent contender in the world’s top competitions. He attributes his competitiveness to growing up riding mountain bikes with his twin brother. Jones first announced his game idea back in April 2025; he partnered with developer Third Kind Games and publisher Cascade Interactive to bring what he does in real life to every gamer across the world.
Playing this game, I noticed that it felt a lot like playing Forza Horizon in the way that it was open world, had a great soundtrack, and allowed you to play with either your friends or strangers that were in the same lobby as you. Don’t worry; you can set up a private lobby to make sure you and your friends can jump into the same game. You decide how to play the game; whether you are super competitive and want to reach the top of the leaderboards in racing, or if you like, you can explore the trails and take in the beautiful nature aspect of riding in the countryside inspired by the UK. That being said, as of right now the game only has the early access release. Playing on the Steam Deck, I did encounter some slight drawbacks. Graphics and motion were a little choppy, most likely due to the limitations of the Steam Deck's processor and the size of the screen. It runs well on a PC that meets the game's spec requirements.
Now for the details of the game: you start out as a rider with the bare necessities. You have a bike, helmet, gloves, and a basic T-shirt. As you play, you can unlock new trails and compete in races. When you win a race or finish a trail, you get “Moola,” the game’s version of money. Once you get enough “Moola,” you can buy cooler gear to customize your character and ride around in sick style! This game offers a wide variety of customization when it comes to your look. Don’t worry; if you can save up enough “moola,” you can set up your own sense of style and make your friends jealous. This game also has a useful version of fast traveling. If you want to hit a certain trail but don’t want to just ride around until you find it, you can take their chairlifts; they drop you off right next to multiple trails for the area. You also get to decide what kind of bike you ride. If you prefer the downhill trails, I recommend using a downhill bike. If you prefer the more technical trails or the “tech runs,” you can also switch to an enduro bike. I definitely recommend at least trying this game out if you are a fan of mountain biking or downhill racing. If you are stuck inside on a rainy day and can’t hit the trails, then you can at least plug in and ride with friends located all over the world.
MAVRIX by Matt Jones is developed by Third Kind Games and published by Cascade Interactive. It is current available in early access on Steam for $39.99.
Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.
