Video guide through WalkthroughMonster Energy Supercross 3 on Realistic (250 East)
Video guide through WalkthroughMonster Energy Supercross 3 on Realistic (250 East)
Let me say first up front, honestly, I'm a bit disappointed Realistic difficulty is not much different from Hard. Generally the AI lap times are only about 1 second faster, and that's their fastest laps. They do not hit rhythm sections as consistently well as I thought they would, and I've already won the first 250 East race more than once easily without doing very well in rhythm sections myself
(but wait, there's more, read below!)
.
These again will be done in 2 round sets, and hopefully, as the game progresses to tougher venues, the AI will become more competitive. This set includes Minneapolis and Arlington. I had already completed and uploaded them without giving the AI a head start, but I didn't feel comfortable taking the lead right away and winning by several seconds. It just looked boring, without much challenge.
So I again gave the AI head starts.
Minneapolis
It was either my being a bit rusty not having played the game in a while, or the rhythm sections being a bit harder to hit than Arlington, but I gave the AI a 10 second head start here. After a quick dash through some spawning in Tuff Blocks, one of which I hit, it starts with a tight left bend off the start chute, into a double/triple/triple combo on small to med jumps in the first rhythm section. I more often than not didn't hit this section as well on subsequent laps. It then goes into a near 90 degree right off a dragon's back, dropping into a set of 2 short flats connected by a high, steep 180 berm left.
It then goes into a 90 degree right with a double/triple/double combo on small to med jumps, then into a high, steep 180 right berm. I rail this berm as fast as possible as it takes you into a whoop section that is fast, but can also bounce you up a bit at the end. You then take a high, steep near 180 left berm back onto the wide starting chute flat, and into a high, steep near 180 right berm. Best to take this berm on the 250, vs hitting the apex like with the 450, or you'll lack speed to make the next jump.
You are now at the big air double off the big finish line jump, then a double over med jumps, then into a high, steep 180 left berm. This takes you into a double/double/double/double combo, then into a near 90 left, and immediately into a big air triple off a big jump. This continuous double rhythm section and big air triple part of the track is a great place to pass AI. You then take a med jump across the flat start chute at it's bend, crossing the holeshot line again and into the first rhythm section again.
Spoiler
At times the AI would pull ahead of me when trying to pass them when I missed rhythm sections, but sometimes I managed to keep them close by salvaging enough speed via bouncing off the tops of the jumps. The highlight for me was at the 5:18 mark when I caught lead rider Marin Davalos, bumping elbows with him in the middle of the big air triple before taking the lead. I also managed to hit both rhythm sections after that well, which gave me a comfortable lead. At the last time check I had a just over 2.25 sec lead.
Arlington
As mentioned, this track is a bit easier for me to hit rhythm sections on than Minneapolis, so I gave the AI a 12 sec head start. After a fairly easy weave through some spawned in Tuff Blocks, it starts with a semi tight left bend, off a small jump onto an on/off on a tabletop, then a double over a small jump, into a big air triple off a big jump, then over a small jump to end the first rhythm section. This takes you immediately into a 90 degree left off a med jump, and onto a flat straight. You then go into a high, steep 180 left berm, into a double over small to med jumps, and onto another flat straight.
This takes you to another rhythm section after a 90 degree right, that starts with a double over small to med jumps, then into a big air triple off a big jump, then a med jump into a high, steep 180 right berm. You then take a big jump back onto the start chute, into a near 90 left over a med jump, then immediately into another near 90 left, and into a rhythm section with a double/double/double combo. The track splits into two lanes divided by Tuff Blocks at the start of this rhythm section. The inside lane if you hit it right can allow you to make use of an on/off on the tabletop after the first jump, but I stuck with the outside lane.
You then go into a high, steep 180 left berm, onto a long, fast whoop section, the end of which has to be taken with care, as it can bounce you high, which if going too fast, can make you overshoot the berm. The berm is a high, steep 180 right that takes you into a small jump double, then into a big air double off the big finish line jump. You then go into a big decreasing radius left bend, that has small to med jumps, the first of which is a med jump only on the left side of the track. It can help to stay right here and avoid the jump, but leaning hard left and staying away from the Tuff Blocks on the outside edge of the track is key. This takes you back to the holeshot line.
Spoiler
Most of the time I did not attempt to sync jumps on the big decreasing radius bend after the finish line jump. I don't consider it a rhythm section, and usually do well enough skimming off the jumps with left lean. Usually I avoided going right of the first med jump in that section, as I was contending with AI for most of the race, and didn't want to risk getting pushed wide into the Tuff Blocks. At the 5:20 mark I managed to hit the jumps really well on that section and the one after, taking me from 4th to 2nd. At the 5:46 mark I fool heartedly took a line to attempt a block pass on Jordon Smith, which only slowed me down. At that point I thought sure I'd lost the race, but to my surprise, hitting the rhythm section after well (despite not taking the whoop section it leads into well), kept me just barely close enough to block pass him at the 6:13 mark just before the finish line, which crashed him, and was clearly the highlight for me. Thus my actual lead was on the then 3rd place rider at the last time check, being the .877 sec I had on Kyle Cunningham at that point. However since Kyle crashed on the last berm, technically I won by more like 1.287 sec, which was my lead on Martin Davalos at the last time check, whom finished 2nd.
Here are the two rounds rewritten with the same structure and length:
OK, I took a break during the holidays and spent some time enjoying Halo Infinite. These contests are a Triple Crown at Detroit and Atlanta. Both tracks feature a rhythm section that's tough to nail consistently on a 250.
Detroit
I often find it difficult to hit the split track rhythm section here, but the AI isn’t very reliable in this area. It took some time to determine the right amount of head start, so I gave them 7 seconds initially, then 10 seconds for the second and third laps. The pace starts with a fast sprint around a fairly loose, quick holeshot bend, followed by a bounce off a small jump that repeats over two more jumps, then carrying that momentum into another bounce off a med jump, tripling again after two more jumps. Next comes a hard brake over a small jump, a 90 left, and double over med jumps, ending with the face of a tabletop to trigger an on/off on an adjacent tabletop. Then I drop down onto a small jump and immediately into a 90-degree left, swinging wide to stay on flat ground while avoiding the left jump. A double over med sets up a big air triple into a high, steep 180 left berm. This pulls you into a long, fast washboard whoop section.
You then face a high, steep 180 right berm, followed by a double/double combo, then a big air double off the finish line jump. This lands you on a short, flat straight into a shallow 180 left berm, then onto a long straight with a med double in the middle and big whoops at the end, heading into a high, steep 180 right berm. It’s essential to try and rail this berm quickly to secure the left-side triple afterward, as doing so lets you hit another triple right after while keeping good speed through the rhythm section. There’s only one small jump after that, then a short straight into a high, semi-steep 180 left berm.
This moves into a steep med step up, onto a short, flat straight back to the holeshot line. The same triple/triple combo bounce jump technique used on the first rhythm section is applied on subsequent laps as well, though with a more rolling than bouncing style.
Spoiler
Occasionally I made a quick choice realizing my speed off the berm before the split track rhythm section wouldn’t be enough for the left-side triple. Instead, I shifted focus to the shorter right-side triple, then turned back toward the left side to still secure a triple/triple combo. The standout moment came when I caught up and passed Martin Davalos on the final lap of the second race, after hitting a Tuff Block into the berm before the split track rhythm section. That significantly slowed my pace, costing me the lead. At the final time checks, I finished just under 1.7 seconds behind.
Atlanta
The AI performs much better on this track compared to Detroit, consistently mastering the challenging rhythm section. This often results in losing the lead repeatedly. For that, I gave them a 5-second head start. Luckily, there are other tracks where you can recover time. It begins with a tight bend left of the holeshot line, followed by a small jump double to set up a triple—if executed well, it becomes a triple/triple/double combo. Then it moves into a high, steep 180 left berm, entering a double/double combo that immediately leads into a big air triple off a big jump.
Next, I apply a hard brake for a sharp right turn onto a long, flat straight—reusing the start chute. The tight turn at its peak often lets me pass AI that rely on the available berm. This takes me into a nearly flat, fast loose left bend, then onto a fast rhythm section where I use the gradual sloped 1st med jump to launch into the third and bounce off it, landing a triple, followed immediately by a high, steep 180 left berm. I keep this berm high to maintain speed through the subsequent whoop section, staying on the right to avoid AI.
This continues into a high, steep 180 right berm, then a double/off on a tabletop via a small jump, over a small jump, and straight into a big air double off the finish line jump. I then dive under a bridge jump tunnel, complete three 90-degree rights in deep sand to circle around and clear the bridge. I grip these tight turns, leaning hard to pass AI. The next part is a short flat into a nearly 90-degree left turn back toward the holeshot. The approach for the next lap is similar in this rhythm section, though it can be trickier to execute from this angle.
Spoiler
I never managed to hit the hard rhythm section well. The only way I secured a win was by staying determined on other parts of the track. The key moments were catching up to and overtaking Martin Davalos on the final lap of the second race, after hitting a Tuff Block into the berm before the split track rhythm section. That significantly slowed my pace, costing me the lead. At the final time check, I finished just under 0.13 seconds behind.
Here's rounds 5 and 6, and these are at Daytona, and Indianapolis. The AI weren't particularly outstanding on either of these tracks, so I allotted them a 12 sec head start on both.
Daytona
This is a speedway vs a stadium type track, and is a much longer course with long straights. The conditions this time were pouring rain. It starts with a pretty fast dogleg left bend into a fast straight with micro whoops where you cross the holeshot line (thankfully with NO Tuff Blocks spawned in the way, even after 12 sec). It's necessary to weight back even while braking at the end of this straight, as despite the whoops being tiny, they can kick the rear of your bike up at the end. You then brake hard for a near flat 180 left, then into a short sand section, then into a near flat 180 right. You then have the first rhythm section, which is just a series of med jumps you double all the way through.
I discovered a new technique, which I forgot to mention the last couple of rounds, which I've been using since then. I basically weight back when accelerating out of flat and downslope landings, out of turns, and saddle landings between jumps. This boosts your acceleration, and can make you hit jump sequences you'd otherwise miss, especially on the less powerful 250 bikes. Surprisingly, this even works on wet terrain. It has to be timed right though, or you'll lose traction in wet conditions, or wheelie out of control in dry conditions.
After this double jump section, there's a wide 180 shallow left berm that takes you into a big air triple jump off a big jump. It's imperative in wet conditions to go deep into the berm to allow enough acceleration to make this jump, but in wet conditions, even when using the weight back technique off the jump, it can be hard to land on the downslope of the 3rd jump. It really can boost your speed to do so though, and allow you to pass lots of AI, especially if you weight back while accelerating out of the landing.
This takes you into a super long straight that is the length of the whole track. After the big triple jump, there's a fast section with large whoops, then a big jump, then you cross the flat, wide start chute. If you hit the triple jump well, this whoop section can be taken very fast. I generally scrub the big jump, and try to land with the rear tire slightly first. It's hard to land this jump smoothly, and if you don't, one foot will come off the peg, slowing you down a bit, as well as making it harder to accelerate well out of the landing.
Landing that jump well and carrying good speed into the rest of this long straight helps immensely. This part of the straight starts with a low hop off a small jump, over another small jump, then a bounce jump off the face of a med jump. If this bounce jump is hit with adequate speed, you can triple over some small jumps, then use the face of a tabletop to double over a small jump, then do the same with two more tabletops. You then have one more small jump to get over, and this straight ends with a tricky small whoop section that are more like moguls than whoops.
You then have a shallow 180 left berm, that goes into a small jump you can use to double onto an on/off on a tabletop. The jump off this tabletop is critical. You want to hit the downslope of the small jump after it well, but then temper your speed to just do a short double after that, which then allows you to hit a longer double after that. The reason this section is critical is the AI are very fast here. Several times when I had a lead going into this section on the final lap and thought I would win, the AI caught and passed me, as I didn't hit it just right. This section finishes with some large, spaced out whoops, and a big air triple off a big jump. I could generally only at best land on top of the 3rd jump of the triple in these wet conditions.
You then have a near flat tight right, then a short section where you can do a double/double/double combo off med jumps. You then have a tight left on a shallow berm, a few ascending whoops, then a tabletop ledge that drops you down over a small jump, into a double on med jumps, and a big air double off the large finish line jump, which takes you back to the holeshot line.
Spoiler
Chase Sexton is usually the best AI rider on this track, as that was the case in the season this game is made from. The highlight for me was when I rocketed past him toward the end of the long straight at the 5:40 mark just after the 2 laps to go notice came up. I hit this section well when I needed to. At the last time check I had just over a 2.6 sec lead.
Indianapolis
This track can be either fun when you hit it well, or frustrating as hell. It's not so much that it has hard to hit rhythm sections if you look at just the jump layout. It's more the tight turns going into them, and narrow width of the track in key places, that can cause you to go off tack, crash on Tuff Blocks, or get slowed down by AI in your way. At times you can feel like poetry in motion, and at others it feels like you're out of control most of the time, as one small mistake can have a domino effect.
It starts with another fast dogleg left, but this time with Tuff Blocks that can easily crash you, and a small to med jump rhythm section. I clipped a Tuff Block at the dogleg that sent me flying high, but salvaged enough speed and control to still pull off a double over 2 small jumps, then a sort of triple off a med jump landing atop a small jump just before the turn. This near 90 left turn is best taken as a double off a small jump over a med jump, then a double over med jumps off the face of a tabletop. Then braking and rolling over a small jump, into another near 90 left, doubling over 2 small jumps, then tripling off a semi large med jump over 2 more med jumps, finishing this section with a double over 2 med jumps.
You then have a semi high, steep 180 left berm, into a fast whoop section. It is imperative to slow down adequately at the end of this whoop section, to line up for a 90 right, then hopping onto the left side of a tabletop off a small jump going into this next very short section, in order to allow for a good line hoping over a small jump into another 90 right. Avoiding taking that last 90 right too wide is key to staying on track, as you also need to try and get good speed here to hit a triple over small jumps, and a double off the face of a tabletop. Oddly enough, at times I hit this triple more often with AI in the way, than when the track was clear.
You then have 2 short, flat straights, connected by a high, steep 180 right berm, then a big air double off the big finish line jump. Immediately after landing this jump, there's a high, steep 180 left berm that is split with Tuff Blocks into 2 narrow lanes. Thus it is crucial not to carry too much speed off the big air double. I find it works best for me to let off gas right where the dirt changes color at the start of the finish line jump, which usually allows me to land on the downslope of the 2nd big jump, and coast through the inner side of the split track berm with just the right speed.
Out of this berm there's a straight that is half med whoops, then a flat that goes into two 90 lefts one right after the other. The 1st left involves a jump off a med jump over a bigger one. The 2nd left takes you into a big air triple off a big jump, landing on the flat straight back to the holeshot line. You are carrying good speed here at this point, so it's easy to now weight back bounce jump off that 3rd Med jump of this section, but you must temper speed doing so to avoid overshooting the landing at the end of this section.
Spoiler
The highlight for me was passing lead rider Martin Davalos at the 4:40 mark with about 20 sec time remaining, then managing to keep control after nearly crashing on the long rhythm section thereafter. At the final time check I had a just over 2.8 sec lead.
Next up is the dreaded Nashville track, which is a hard track to master, yet the AI ride it very well. I'm REALLY hoping the timed weight back acceleration technique I spoke of earlier will allow me to finally win in the 250 class, which I've never done there on Hard, let alone Realistic mode. It will no doubt still take a lot of well focused laps, hitting my marks most if not all of the time.
Round 7 and 8 are the final stages, with the championship match in Las Vegas. The events unfold at Nashville and East Rutherford. I’m unsure if the challenge is because I’ve won every race so far, or if it’s due to Realistic mode, but both tracks were in heavy rain, making things significantly tougher than usual. Given the AI’s strong performance on these courses, I didn’t give it any advantage.
Nashville
As previously mentioned, this round is undoubtedly the most demanding across all career settings. It combines the difficulty of maintaining a consistent long rhythm on the 250 bike with the AI consistently delivering solid results, and the same applies to both whoop sections. The first rhythm section begins with a tight left bend into the holeshot. Under normal conditions, I could handle a complex double or triple here, but in this sloppy condition, I managed only a couple of clean top taps, two decent doubles, and a hop over the final jump. It’s essential to stay high on the 180 left berm after that to maintain speed for a clean double, then continue with a double onto an on/off tabletop, followed by another on/off on consecutive tabletops, finishing with a double. I succeeded in four out of six laps, though this section was particularly challenging a few times.
Next, the course shifts to a steep, nearly 180-degree right berm, returning to the wide start chute and then into a flat, wide left bend leading back to the long rhythm section. I hesitated to attempt a triple with the 450, opting instead for a reliable on/off on a tabletop, followed by a double after a jump. Off the tabletop, I usually doubled, then jumped off the face of the third jump (another tabletop), bounced off the next one, and cleared the final jump. This sequence takes you through another 180 left berm and onto a long whoop section. It’s tempting to push forward on this berm, but the optimal strategy is to coast until you’re aligned well with the whoops before accelerating. The irregular spacing and size of these whoops can slow you down, though I generally managed to maintain speed through them.
Then comes a high, steep 180-degree right berm followed by a short whoop section, similar to the first. You attempt a big air double off the finish line jump. By slightly leveling the bike before the jump and shifting weight back while accelerating, I cleared it adequately, preserving enough speed for the subsequent 90 left and big air triple on the right. This is crucial, as it sets you up for another top tapping double and a solid double to wrap up the lap. On later laps, I often bounced off the first jump (a tabletop) and used the next one to double, securing a couple of clean doubles before the final challenge.
[SPOILER="The standout moments came at 5:17 with two laps remaining, where I caught up and passed Jordan Bailey and Brandon Hartranft after a tough crash on the Tuff Blocks near the holeshot line. At 5:42, I executed a massive jump to the tabletop right after a crash on the wide bend into the long rhythm section. By 6:12, I managed a block pass on Jordan Bailey in the bend, following his exit from the 3 tabletops. This is why I didn’t let the AI gain any advantage here. Even with perfect execution, a single small error on this track can quickly cost you the lead.]]
East Rutherford
Typically, I’d have given the AI a five-second advantage on this course, but the challenging conditions at East Rutherford made it equally tough for them. The start is sharp and sudden, forcing you to rely on instinctive judgment. To succeed, it’s wise to slow down slightly to execute a double/double/double/double combo—especially the third being an on/off tabletop—and finish with a hop over the last jump. This leads into a high, steep 180-degree right berm followed by a long, demanding rhythm section. The trick is landing a double onto an on/off tabletop from that berm, then doubling down the slope after it. This sets up a triple, which you manage with enough speed to finish cleanly.
Next comes a semi-steep 180-degree right berm into a short big air double off the finish line jump. If you control your speed here and lean left into the following flat section with two 90s, you’ll have the momentum to swing wide left on a controlled jump across the start chute, then lean right with a very controlled descent over the next jump. This allows you to gather enough speed for another top tapping double and a solid double to wrap up the lap.
After the whoop section, you face a high, steep 180-degree left berm, back onto the start chute, then into a near-180-degree right berm (or a wide arc to the apex pole), followed by a whoop section, and finally a high, steep 180-degree left berm back to the holeshot. On later laps, with better visibility, you can attempt an on/off tabletop double, but in this muddy condition, it was difficult and often resulted in mistakes.
Spoiler
There aren’t many highlights here, but I secured a solid big air triple at 1:47 and 4:51, just enough speed to clear all three jumps afterward. At the final time check, my lead was under 2.8 seconds, meaning the five-second advantage I usually reserve wouldn’t have been enough.
Thank you for your patience; I spent some time enjoying God of War. This marks the conclusion of my 250 East career, with the championship race in Las Vegas. The weather was still heavy rain, which added challenges, and the AI proved quite aggressive and quick, giving me a seven-second advantage.
Las Vegas
The race begins with a dog leg into the holeshot line, followed by a shallow 180 right berm leading into a short rhythm section. Typically, the AI doesn’t dive deep into the berm, but I needed to stay clear of it—especially in the slop—to build enough speed for the small first jump that lets me hop over the med 2nd jump, then use the small 3rd jump to transition onto and off the tabletop. After the tabletop, a brief jump allows me to cross it before a 90-degree right turn.
Next comes a long, demanding rhythm section on the track, which can be decisive. I usually skip the first med jump, using it to reach the downslope of the next small jump, double over two more jumps, and then use the small jump after to transition onto the next feature—a tabletop. From there, I hit the downslope of the tabletop to set up another small jump onto a tabletop, exiting via the second tabletop by landing the downslope of another small jump, followed by another jump over the final one. Speed is key here; entering this section quickly can help you avoid being caught off guard, but rushing past the first jump risks a slower second half.
The track then shifts to a long, challenging straight with a sweeping bend right, featuring a sizable jump in the middle. Staying on course and maintaining good line helps you pass AI through this bend, though they can still push you into the Tuff Blocks if you lose position. At the end of the second straight, a lengthy section with spaced small jumps and a tabletop follows. Rather than trying to time jumps precisely, I focus on powering back after landing. Many AI crashes here, making it another solid opportunity to pass.
Next is "Monster Alley"—two long, flat straights connected by a sweeping bend right with a mid-section jump. If you stay on your side and keep a steady line, you can easily clear the AI. However, if you leave the lane entirely, you risk being hit by Tuff Blocks. The second straight ends with a long straight featuring numerous small jumps and a tabletop. Instead of fumbling to sync jumps, I power through and land back on the track. After the tabletop, I use the downslope of another jump to transition onto a tabletop, exiting via the next one by landing the downslope of yet another small jump.
If you maintain speed after this section, you can easily clear it. But if you slow down completely, the AI will block your path more easily, especially on the holeshot line.
Spoiler
The most effective strategy was to weight back during key moments—landings and takeoffs. This approach significantly improved my chances, particularly in the slop. Notable moments included passing Austin Forkner at 3:25 on the inside split just before the finish, and holding a narrow lead at that position during the final lap after a tough rhythm section. At the end of the race, I finished with a slight advantage of over 0.4 seconds.