Walkthrough of Monster Energy Supercross 3 Video Guide (250 West)
Walkthrough of Monster Energy Supercross 3 Video Guide (250 West)
Yesterday I started a new career, this time on 250 West Hard Mode. I know this is going to be a bit tougher than the 250 East career was, but to make matters worse, I reaggravated an old back injury yesterday morning. It made it very hard just to get in and out of my computer chair. None the less, it had been a while since I completed my 250 East walkthrough, so it was time to get into this one. These will be posted two at a time like 250 East was.
250 West Anaheim 1
This track is mostly simple, and getting the holeshot is not of huge importance. In fact I opted to slip in behind the pack and take the apex of the 1st turn, vs trying to clear the pack with a perfectly timed start. This left only one AI in front of me, whom I quickly caught.
After the 1st turn, it starts with a fast, shallow double that lands you into a right turn berm. From there it's a relatively easy single/double to another right turn, which leads you into a bridge jump that has to be taken very slowly to land on it's down slope. Landing this perfectly is not mandatory, but too much speed can make you land unstable on the flat, which in turn can slow you and leave you with a bad landing on the next jump.
From there it's a fairly fast, easy whoop section into a long, big air double (that next jump), which is best taken with a scrub to assure enough distance to land it well. You then rail a big 180 left turn berm that takes you into a semi long rhythm section, which has distanced, medium size jumps that can pretty easily be singled all the way through.
Then you go left under that aforementioned bridge jump, and here is where the track gets a bit tricky. There's another left that takes you into a huge gap jump across the holeshot line, and landing it well requires moderate speed. The combination of two tight left turns one right after the other going into it, can affect how well you take this jump, and also how well you take the one semi tough rhythm section thereafter (as in my final lap after hitting a Tuff Block shown at the 6:07 mark).
The reason that big air single needs to be landed well is there's another big air single right after, which crosses the starting chute part of track just before the 1st turn. The jump you land this 2nd big air single on has an abrupt, steep face to it, so coming up short slows you considerably. It is therefore best to scrub this jump, to set up well for the rhythm section.
You then take a shallow, 90 degree right berm into the rhythm section. To hit it well, you need to single onto a shallow jump, then single 3 more times on small, distanced jumps, the 2nd to last of which involves an on/off landing on a tabletop. This section feels easy when done right, but it is very easy to time that 1st jump wrong, and when you do, it slows you down considerably.
From there it's just a 180 right off a berm into a pretty fast, easy whoop section, then a sharp left off a big berm, a flat straight to a sharp right berm, and a big air very moderate speed single jump across the finish line. This takes you into a sharp left off a big berm, back to that very first shallow, fast double after the holeshot.
At the last time check before the finish line, I had about a 13.7 sec lead, despite hitting that Tuff Block and blowing the rhythm section on the final lap. Several times on prior races however, blowing that rhythm section caused the AI to catch up, so I consider it the one make or break part of this track.
250 West Anaheim 1
250 West Glendale
This track is not nearly as simple as Anaheim 1. It has a couple long rhythm sections which can be hard to hit. In fact the 2nd one, even if you go into it with a near perfect double off a single to set it up, you often don't land the double right after well, which really slows you down.
Here, again, the holeshot is not necessary, and I started again by going behind the pack and slipping through the apex side of the 1st turn. It is imperative you hit a shallow single well right after the first turn, which sets you up for a double/double/double. This is easier said than done, especially since you need to hit that single right after a hard left turn on the start. Doing so however will separate you from the pack.
The 90 degree left after this section I usually take via leaning hard left off the jump just before it, which usually scrub bounces me fairly quickly off the jump just after it. Sometimes I've actually cleared the jump just after this turn, and passed lots of AI in the process, but if you aren't to the far right of the rhythm section before taking the turn, you can get reset for a track cut. All the jumps in this section are between small and med size.
Then comes a fast flat into a 180 left berm, a small jump into another fast flat, and a 90 degree right into a small rhythm section. This rhythm section is not to be taken for granted. It's not nearly as long or tough as the other two, but can slow you down none the less if taken wrong. There's basically 2 ways to take it. The 1st is by a single off the 1st small jump, then another over the 1st table top, then an on/off on the 2nd tabletop right after it. The 2nd is a single over the 1st small jump, then using the 2nd small jump to on/off on both tabletops. The latter is best done via swinging wide into the shallow 90 degree right berm to jump off the left side of the track, which has a slightly higher lip you take off from. You need to moderate speed a bit to start this 2nd option, but it is a bit faster method through this section. This 2nd option also helps avoid AI that try to take the apex, and can easily crash you when you try to do the same.
Next is a big air double, which I try to scrub, but for some reason quite often failed to properly. Perhaps due to that nagging back pain. You then take a small jump into a 180 right berm, that takes you over a jump so small if you hit it just right to the left, you don't even waste air time. It then goes into a long, fast flat, and a sharp left shallow berm into the track's longest, hardest rhythm section.
I find it best to come into this fairly fast, shallow berm at a wide angle, braking carefully first, then coasting a bit. It is very easy to overshoot it if not. You have two options here, swinging wide to do a big double off the right side of the 1st jump, which is considerably bigger on that side of the track. The 2nd is staying left and hitting a shallow single, which if hit just right sets you up for a massive air double/double/double (as shown at the 5:43 mark). The 2nd option has more potential gain, and less risk, as it's easy to go too far to the right and off track on the first option. The first option takes you immediately into a big air double, but is far harder to flow through the rest of the rhythm after that.
You then take a 180 left berm into a fast, easy whoop section, which has a double at the end, followed by a 180 right berm into a double and over a big air single jump off the finish line. This jump I scrub, and try to land on the down slope to remain stable for the series of the just under med size few jumps after. I prefer to single over the 2nd jump, leaning left off the 3rd, to prepare well for the 90 degree left turn, which takes you into a big air double and another 90 degree left right after. This is crucial for setting up for another run through the 1st rhythm section.
Before this rhythm section you are now to the right of the holeshot turn you started out on, which has 3 well spaced med size jumps. It's not as crucial how you take these 3 jumps as it is to assure moderate speed for the 1st part of the rhythm section. This is because these 3 jumps have well graded vs abrupt faces, so even if you case them, you don't lose much speed. You can still hit that single/double/double/double as long as you have the right speed going into that single just after the holeshot line. This is shown at the 2:35 mark.
Now I'm not going to tell you I hit these rhythm sections well every time. More often than not I had to attempt to salvage what speed I could. The good thing though is, on Hard, the AI aren't exactly perfect through them either. Thus I finished with a roughly 13.4 sec lead at the final time check.
250 West Glendale
Here are the next two sections rewritten with the same structure and meaning:
250 West San Diego
This course, though it includes some longer stretches with sections that feel a bit off-beat, is overall quite manageable. The rhythm parts don’t demand perfect timing, and you have flexibility in landing jumps—especially avoiding slowdowns. It begins with a sharp left into the holeshot, followed by a short straight with minimal bumps. Then it pivots 90 degrees left from a small jump onto an on/off section on a tabletop, leading to another jump and a high 180 right berm. Proper rail work helps maintain momentum into a jump that clears a smaller one, allowing you to leap over another and use the front of a tabletop for the next. This results in a 90-degree turn, so landing with a slight lean to your right is ideal.
I usually tackle the first small jump here to clear the next one, then use the following small jumps to navigate the medium jump after it. Utilizing its downslope helps set up for another small jump, and jumping off a medium jump lets you double over two more small jumps before leaning right into another right turn just under 90 degrees. Carrying good speed through these sections is key—especially when using a small jump to clear the next one, then catching a semi-big air triple from a medium jump. Even without perfect timing at the start, I often manage well by hitting the tops of jumps. This section takes you over a high, steep 180 right berm; hitting it near the left edge helps maintain speed for the whoop ahead. It’s easy to miss Tuff Blocks on the left if you don’t give yourself enough width.
As noted, the whoop sections are connected in a tight sequence with a steep 180 left berm, and they’re longer than usual. Entering them requires strong speed to clear their tops. I often adjusted my approach by leaning forward slightly on the down slopes. These whoops lead directly into a high, steep 180 right berm, best hit near its far left edge to keep up with the track. Be cautious of Tuff Blocks at the start if you don’t allow enough space to rail the berm.
The quieter whoop sections, which link back-to-back with another steep 180 left berm, are longer and spaced further apart. This demands a strong launch to clear their tops. I sometimes adjusted my timing, leaning forward on the down slopes to preserve momentum. These whoops then send you into a big air double off the final jump, followed by a sharp, high, steep berm onto a flat that starts with a medium jump. After this, the course flattens back toward the holeshot.
After the initial medium jump at the start of the flat, I usually skip the next berm on the right and instead swing wide left, using the apex of the turn for support. Leaning hard right is essential there. At the final lap, I had a solid 4.7-second advantage in this race, despite some inconsistencies.
250 West San Diego
250 West Atlanta
This track mirrors the 250 East circuit closely, so most of the details are taken from my previous commentary. The differences lie in sections I hadn’t discussed before and a key insight that simplified hitting the toughest rhythm parts more reliably. The first rhythm section follows immediately after the holeshot, requiring a shallow double well to land two consecutive triples—crucial for avoiding a miss.
At Atlanta, the second rhythm is right after the first, involving a double into a double to prepare for a steep jump into a triple. Using a scrubbing move on the steep section helps ensure you clear the third jump, which is vital. The third rhythm comes just after a left turn off the straight, offering the easiest landing—just a shallow triple at a moderate speed followed by another triple. It’s best to rail the 180 right berm and use the small jump afterward for on/off onto the tabletop near it. This tabletop aids clearing a small jump, then a big air double from the final jump is scrubbed.
The course transitions into a semi-deep sand flat under a bridge jump, followed by a squared-off right turn over the bridge. Here’s where a key adjustment made a difference: landing on the bridge’s downslope at its far right allows a sweeping left turn back to the holeshot with a strong arc, matching AI’s timing at the apex. This improved approach helped me consistently hit the hardest rhythm section. Overall, I secured five of the seven laps this time, compared to just three in the 250 East race. At the final check, I led by about 3 seconds, a significant edge over the 250 East race.
Two more rounds, Seattle and another triple crown, this time at Houston. Both these races are fairly easy once you realize the triples in the tough rhythm sections can be done consistently if you take them at full speed with the right technique.
250 West Seattle
This race I found it best to get a good start, and while it's not 100% necessary to also get the holeshot, if you don't, things can get bottled up in the first section. From the start gate you go into a sharp left to a short semi flat section with two spaced out low jumps. This next rhythm section is hit at full speed after the 1st lap, and feels quite different. You lean hard right into a semi sharp turn where you can use a couple back to back small jump doubles to set up for a medium jump triple, which lands you on (or after) a small jump and immediately into a 180 right berm. It helps to rail this berm well to double over a couple medium jumps, and use a small jump thereafter to jump onto a table top you on/off, then over a small jump and into a 180 left berm. It helps to rail this berm as well, as it sets you up for a big air triple. I find it helpful to land this triple leaning right into a big, flat 180, after which is a big air double off the finish line jump.
Landing the big air double on the downslope of the 2nd jump helps maintain speed for a short, fast flat, laced with a few tiny bumps. You then rail a semi steep/high 180 left berm, and into a long rhythm section that starts with a short flat. I find it best to stay leaned forward, as it adds speed on the flat, and helps prepare for each landing off the jumps. The jumps are two semi small doubles, the 2nd off the face of a tabletop, and at full speed it pretty much takes you into a semi medium jump triple. You then slow down for a semi small jump, after which you rail into a high, steep 180 right berm. It helps to rail this berm as best you can, as after it is a long whoop section that can bog you down a bit if you don't carry good speed into it.
At the end of the whoops is a short flat into a 90 degree right you need to temper speed on and lean right to hit 2 semi small doubles. In fact I just stay leaned right through this short section, as it then takes you into a fast dog leg right straight. There is then a very slight dog leg right onto that 1st rhythm section mentioned earlier. I find it best to swing wide left to take this 2nd dog leg right at it's apex, to hit the rhythm section as straight as possible. I approach it at full speed leaned forward on the flat, and then go to a neutral position with no lean just before the jumps. The 1st part of this section is all small jumps, and this method almost always results in tripling to the 3rd jump, and skimming off the top of it and the next 2 jumps, which increase in size slightly, then over a 3rd that's slightly larger, then off the face of the Medium jump thereafter into a triple.
You are then back at that 180 right berm mentioned earlier, with the double and a tabletop, and then a 180 left berm into a big air triple, then the big, flat 180 right into the finish line jump. At the last checkpoint I ended with about a 7 sec lead.
250 West Seattle
250 West Houston Triple Crown
What can I say, I call this the tale of a triple crown with lots of triple jumps, 4 to be exact. Better yet, I found a way to hit the 2 harder back to back ones pretty easily.
On this race, with my technique, I recommend getting a good start to clear the field of riders on the 1st turn. In fact I actually use the default start gate position which is 3rd from far right. I know this seems counter intuitive to getting to the holeshot first, but trust me, there's a method to the madness. The far right start allows you to lean hard left and arc a big, fast turn to carry full speed into the first, and toughest by far, rhythm section. What this allows you to do is double over the 1st two small jumps, and hit the face of the 3rd big jump with enough speed to bounce off of via weighting back, which launches you into a big air triple/triple combo. In fact it easily allows you enough speed to land on the downslope of the small jump just after, to carry speed into a 180 left berm to coast rail it hard into a long whoop section. The only time I didn't land on the downslope of that small jump I skimmed the top of it due to checking speed a bit too much to avoid overshooting the berm.
There's a bit larger jump nearing the end of this whoop section, and then a very short flat thereafter. I like to stop weighting back there, and lean forward into the flat, then let off gas momentarily to take a double over small jumps into a 180 right berm. This berm is fairly high and steep, and can easily be taken too fast for the next rhythm section. I find as long as you temper speed enough to land on the face of the 3rd small jump after a double over 2 small jumps, you can use it to on/off onto the following tabletop, and 2 more just after it. There are then two small jumps after that which I usually skip off the tops of weighting back, then into a 180 left berm. This berm is a bit more shallow than the previous one, but can also be taken too fast.
Off this berm you want to ideally double over the next 2 small jumps, and use the downslope of the 2nd to carry enough speed into the medium jump thereafter to triple off of. Ideally you only want enough speed to land on the downslope of the 3rd, small jump, which allows you to smoothly use the next small jump to on/off onto a tabletop just after, but anything that lands you in between those 2 small jumps usually allows you to skim off the tabletop, even if with a bit clumsiness, at very little loss of speed. After the tabletop is a small jump, and whether skimming it or clearing it, it's best to land leaning right to prepare for going under the bridge jump. This is all a flat with a 90 right one after the other, which takes you into a couple small jumps you double, and it's best to land leaning slightly right, to avoid your momentum carrying you too far left. You then have a straight with a very short flat that goes into a semi short whoop section.
Out of the whoops there's a shallow 180 right berm that takes you to a big air triple off the big finish line jump, which I scrub. You then have a very short flat to the bridge jump, a flat sweeping left into a medium jump, a short section with 2 very small jumps and a semi medium size jump on the left side at the end of it, then a dog leg left onto a medium length flat back to that 1st rhythm section. This section is actually a bit tricky to maintain speed well enough to do that aforementioned bounce off the medium jump to hit that triple/triple combo. I found it's best to moderate speed well enough off that medium jump after that flat sweeping left, and land it leaning left a bit. This helps you maintain enough control to pick your line over or around that medium jump on the left at the end of the next short section. Either around that jump or over it can be fast, but more often than not I did a left lean jump over it, which sort of gives you a fast bounce scrub off it. Once I even hit a Tuff Block on the left side of the straight after trying to go around the left side of it, but somehow salvaged enough speed to pull off the triple/triple combo.
These techniques, which I highly recommend as they become intuitive and fairly easy, will make the AI look pretty bad. Even on Hard, they can't come close to matching your lap times using these techniques. I not only got fastest lap each of the 3 races, I averaged about a 17.3 sec lead at the last time check.
250 West Houston Triple Crown
Finally, the concluding rounds in Denver and the championship showdown at Las Vegas. Regrettably, this took roughly a week and a half longer than expected. Part of the delay stemmed from dedicating a week to revisiting Days Gone, while YT's processing time for 1440p res had increased significantly. This time, the track in Las Vegas wasn't as swift due to heavy rain and slippery mud, though my early traction issues were quickly resolved by simply adjusting my position.