WalkthroughMonster Energy Supercross 3 Video Guide (250 East).
WalkthroughMonster Energy Supercross 3 Video Guide (250 East).
I'm experiencing more than anticipated progress thus far in Hard mode after conquering both East and West 250 classes on Medium. In my recent attempts, I was sure there were some challenges, but Hard has proven much more manageable compared to Supercross 2 for me, leading me to give up after four stadiums. I'm not betting on winning every race, as the aim is to secure the championship through points. Thus far, I've secured victories in the first two races with a lead of over ten seconds, making it feel more achievable now.
This will also help me concentrate on the specific lines and speeds that suit me during rhythm sections, which are crucial turning points on each track. It can be counterintuitive at times, but it's essential to avoid rushing through difficult rhythm sections, as this can lead to missing downslopes and losing momentum quickly. The game generally moves from easier tracks to more challenging ones, with some later stages even featuring whoop sections that demand precise timing and control.
Events at 250 East Minneapolis
Events at 250 East Arlington
I plan to share two events at a time until the desired outcome is achieved. As the tracks become progressively harder, I anticipate needing slightly more time between posts as I advance.
I've secured the two additional events as promised. The first is a triple crown race at Detroit's Ford Field stadium, and the second takes place at the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta. These races feature shorter distances, meaning they last just over twice the usual time instead of three times as long.
As anticipated, maintaining a gap from the AI has become more challenging. During the final checks in Detroit, I only managed a marginal advantage of just over three seconds, and in Atlanta, it was just over one second. This difficulty largely stems from the complexity of the rhythm sections.
The Detroit track presents a particularly challenging split rhythm after a fast, long straight. The straight ends with a double jump leading into another jump before a 180 turn that directs you into the rhythm section. Success came when I chose to land the final jump at a slower pace, which helped me reach the second jump's downward slope. Utilizing this approach allowed for a more controlled landing on the third jump, reducing G-forces and enabling a better take-off onto the berm for the triple jump on the left side of the rhythm. Failing to execute this could lead to a chaotic outcome.
I also achieved some synchronization in Atlanta, completing a crisscross pattern a few times to maintain speed and land jumps on both the right and left splits. My decisions are guided by how smoothly I manage the berm.
Atlanta offers rhythm sections that remain more manageable if you stay precise, though they aren't as risky if you're not exact. The AI handles them at a consistent pace, even when they're less accurate, and can catch you if you lose consistency. The first rhythm section follows immediately after the holeshot, requiring a shallow double well to successfully complete the two consecutive triples that follow. This is crucial for avoiding a major setback.
The second rhythm in Atlanta follows the first, involving a double into a double to prepare for a steep jump into a triple. A scrubbing technique on the steep jump helps ensure you clear the third jump, especially after a sharp right turn into the straight where you can exploit the gap for the berm. You can complete this section at a decent speed without perfecting the double/double, but as seen, it still had drawbacks.
The final rhythm occurs just after a left turn off the straight and is significantly easier to execute consistently. It simply requires landing a shallow triple at a moderate speed to secure another triple afterward. Both tracks are enjoyable, but they can quickly become frustrating if you miss the holeshot and lose your lead. Interestingly, it seems the game sometimes overlooks my holeshots even when I successfully obtain them.
OK, two more events, Daytona, and Indianapolis.
Daytona
Daytona is clearly programmed in favor of Chase Sexton, He far exceeds anything the rest of the AI can do, and can somehow miraculously catch up several seconds in one lap after crashing badly. I also experienced some rather odd graphical bugs where a ghost starting gate would pop up about 15' in front of the real one right after start.
Daytona is mostly fast, but has a few technical sections that can be tricky to flow through. The first is a series of medium jumps just after a sharp right turn following the holeshot and a sand section. Since the Med jumps are spaced out a bit, about the only way to take this smoothly for me was to temper my speed and take short single jumps through it. Since that's all the AI on Hard tend to do, it wasn't a problem.
It's then best to swing a bit wide into the left 180 turn to set up for a scrub off the big double jump. From there I just go full gas with weight back on the whoops to set up for another scrub to land on a flat section. I debated the sense of this for some time, because it's hard to land a scrub jump on a flat without losing a bit of momentum, but when I did the jump side by side with AI that weren't scrubbing, I went ahead of them in the air every time.
Here's where it gets tricky. I then go full gas again and weight back off the first shallow jump to double jump to the downslope of another shallow jump just before a tabletop. This is a crucial double to hit precisely, and weighting back on that first jump helps temper your speed for it a bit. This is the double that makes or breaks your flow through this section.
Ideally you want to hit that double with the right amount of speed to carry you into 3 more near identical doubles. However if you can manage, the table tops can suffice to salvage speed with "on/offs" using weight back, rear wheel taps if you see an error in time to correct for it. This section can really zap speed if you hit it wrong though.
After that it's just a matter of weighting back for another whoop section. Next comes a 180 left into the last rhythm section, again with shallow jumps. For me it was best to moderate speed with a single jump onto the tabletop, and on/off. Then take another moderated speed single jump, keeping speed tempered to hit two back to back doubles after that. Now you CAN, (and I have) hit a triple off the single that follows the tabletop, but it's MUCH harder to do, and when you miss it, the speed loss is not worth the risk. After that it's just a matter of weighting back on shallow jumps, and a scrub to hit a double.
For a track with long straights and mostly shallow jumps, Daytona still requires tons of focus. I none the less managed to pull off a win with a hair under 8.8 sec lead at the last time check.
Indianapolis
Indianapolis gave me fits at first. It's a track that can make you crash in a variety of ways, mainly casing jumps and wiping out on Tuff Blocks. Once I figured out one simple way to tackle it easier though, it became nirvana to ride.
You start off with a series of fast, shallow/Med jumps, doubling onto the Med, which takes you into a 90 degree left, The left is super critical to come off with a well landed single into a double/double, to set up for a little slow hop over one shallow jump into another 90 degree left and VERY tough triple to hit, which also requires landing a single perfectly to get enough distance for.
For the longest time I was trying to hit the first single off that first left turn by taking the turn at it's apex to get enough momentum to hit it with the right distance. The problem with that is it's hard to do, and the leaning of the bike that is required to pull it off can make you go out of control. I found it was FAR easier to just take that left turn from the far right of it at a bit slower speed, which gave me enough distance and an upright posture to land it every time controllably.
This also gave me WAY more control and confidence to hit that next crucial single to set up for the triple well. Only one time did I not hit the triple, but managed to salvage speed with doubles. Now granted, most of the time I did not hit the triple perfectly, tapping it's top and the next two tops as well, but that still gives you FAR more momentum than full on smacking the front side of the jump.
Out of that triple is a fast 180 left that can be coasted through pretty well, and a tough whoop section. I say tough because the last half of it has irregular spaced and sized whoops that can send you flying high if you don't hit them just right. I have crashed many times there, but then got in the habit of letting off the gas when I go high, to avoid crashing.
Next is a tough little 90 degree right single onto an on/off tabletop, where you want to really temper speed to hit a shallow single jump on it's down slope while steering/leaning for a 90 degree right, which you can hit a triple off if done well. This is tough not only to hit precise speed on, but it also helps to swing wide left for the table top, and you can easily crash on the Tuff Blocks if you're not careful.
That 2nd triple I again hit fairly consistently, but usually via tapping tops like the other. A couple times I hit it so wildly the bike wobbled severely sideways and I nearly crashed. At times I missed it due to not nearly enough speed, but managed to on/off the tabletop to salvage momentum.
You then take a 180 right, and in and out of it is fast, flat straights, but this also makes it tricky because the finish line jump right after can be disastrous if you don't temper speed correctly. It goes into a fairly big, but short double jump, followed by a split track 180 left lined with Tuff Blocks. Too little speed and you'll case the jump, too much and the Tuff Blocks will swallow you or slow you like quicksand.
If you manage to hit the downslope on the double, you can lean/steer hard left while coasting to rail the berm, missing the Blocks, but sometimes I had to tap the brakes a bit just before the turn. Then it's "just" a whoop section and a 90 degree left off a shallow jump over a medium jump into another left to hit a big air double jump...
Or IS it "just" that? The fact is that deceptively tricky jump over the Med jump can often make you case. There I found the trick, yet again, is to much like the very first left turn, slow a bit and swing wide right first, then line it up upright vs leaned, in which case I made it over that Med jump every time with plenty control.
The first time I built up a 10+ sec lead with 2 laps to go, (after NUMEROUS restarts mind you), followed by an unfortunate Tuff Block quicksand event out of that 180 left after the finish line double jump, then proceeded to crash casing on that Med left turn jump going into the big air double, I set a goal to win with a more than 10 sec lead.
After that revelation of taking the first left turn and the left into the big air double wider, slower, and more upright, I managed to pull off a win with just under a 12.4 sec lead at the last time check. The icing on the cake, was my fastest lap time was about 1.8 sec faster than any of the AI. So don't take landing triples with top taps as a fail, it's fairly effective. The only slight disappointment was the game, yet again, not crediting me for getting the holeshot, but I'm getting pretty used to that and have plenty of SX Credits anyway. It was not only rewarding, but a big relief to get that one bagged.
250 East Daytona
250 East Indianapolis
After facing numerous challenges on the Nashville track, I've completed the final two events there and at East Rutherford.
Nashville
It truly required a week of intensive, multi-hour sessions to finish Nashville. I was initially hopeful of placing in the top ten, but ended up with a fourth-place finish. Without a major misstep—like crashing into a Tuff Block at the 2:06 mark, which cost me several positions, and a risky crash at the end of a whoop section—I might have been in contention for the lead.
The key to Nashville lies in positioning the holeshot for a strong start, followed by aiming for a double or triple to clear a single jump into the first berm. From there, controlling your speed off the berm is essential to land a single and set up for consecutive on/offs on two consecutive tabletops, eventually reaching a double that takes you onto the second berm. The way you execute that double can be pivotal, as I've sometimes managed to overtake AI by landing it at the apex of a tight turn or blocking their path.
Next comes a fast, extended straight into the crucial rhythm section. I've discovered that maintaining speed and coasting slightly after braking into a large sweeping turn allows me to power through and hit a crucial triple, which lands me on the downslope of a tabletop. If executed perfectly, this leads to two more triples, culminating in a perfect landing on the next berm at 4:40.
Occasionally, I used the second tabletop with an on/off to salvage my position if I missed the first triple, though it often limited my flow. At 5:42, I sometimes tapped the top of the second triple, missing the third but still managing a strong finish.
The 2nd tabletop can also be used with an on/off if you struggle to land the first triple, which usually forces a double or double to the tabletop. This was shown at 5:42.
If you find yourself needing to on/off on the first tabletop due to AI interference or insufficient speed, your options are limited. It’s tougher than it seems, and I’d rather focus on landing that first triple. Luckily, once I had to do it, an AI helped me by riding under and clearing the top of its helmet. LOL
The final hurdle is the infamous whoop sections, which are back-to-back and lead directly to the finish line. Nashville is the only track in the entire 250 East career that poses such a challenge for speed. These sections can also cause you to lose momentum if you bounce too high, risking a crash. I’ve tested every suspension setting from soft to firm, but nothing works. I’ve also tried holding down or tapping weight during each whoop, yet the issues persist.
I try my best to use the berms effectively to gain speed, but AI often bypasses them, using the apex for a smoother turn that still lets them pass. For these sections, I have no better advice than to hope for the best and avoid crashes.
The next critical spot is where I nearly hit the Tuff Block—a big air single jump to a lower area with a 180-degree left into another 90-degree left. The strategy here is to scrub the first jump, land it wide with moderate speed to evade the block, and then hit the downslope of the double with a steady or wide approach, leaning hard left to maximize speed from the single onto an on/off tabletop. This, especially with controlled but not overly aggressive speed, can set you up for a single, single, triple, or double. This was clearly effective at 3:07.
The small berm on the second 90-degree left can also help salvage a jump onto the tabletop, as seen at 2:03 even after hitting the Tuff Block! That was a surprising turn of events.
Nashville can be exciting if you manage to link together solid laps, but even after mastering the basics to stay competitive, I finished around 9th on the fastest lap time—about 1.4 seconds behind Justin Cooper’s best. What struck me most was that John Short, who didn’t even rank in the top 12 championship points, finished surprisingly well. I came just under 6.3 seconds behind Chase Sexton at the final check, but his lead wasn’t reflected in the standings.
250 East, Nashville
East Rutherford
Luckily, East Rutherford is significantly easier. Getting the holeshot is manageable even if you don’t start strong enough to clear the field into the first turn and avoid the squeeze. The track splits in two, so if you don’t get a good start, you’ll ride between the gaps.
The first section demands a single with controlled speed to set up for a double onto an on/off tabletop. This allows a short hop over a small jump into a right turn berm, followed by a tempered single onto another on/off tabletop, leading to a triple or triple-double into a 90-degree right. I didn’t nail it on the first lap, but it was clear on the second at 1:05.
From there, moderate-speed spaced jumps lead into a 180 berm and a big air single over a moderate speed. Hitting the down slope of this jump with strong left leans and just light braking or coasting helps you outpace AI, who move slowly. This sets up a double, then a fast small jump double off a short straight into a 180 right berm, followed by a sharp left onto a short, easy whoop. I finished with a mere under 2.2 seconds ahead at the final check—just before the finish.
THANK THE GOD FOR TRACKS WITH FAST, EASY WHOOP SECTIONS! I believe even the legendary Ken Roczen would appreciate this, especially after a strong performance on them most Saturday at Atlanta, only to crash and lose his near-12-second lead to Cooper Web. The gap of 16 points versus just 10 can be decisive with a top-tier rider like Web in the final laps.
Well, it's another day and another championship, this time in Hard mode!
I wasn't sure what to anticipate here at Las Vegas, because even the previous time on Medium required more attempts than I anticipated to secure a win. I could have easily accepted a much lower score, since I already had enough points to claim the title even without any. Still, I aimed for at least a podium finish and preferred a victory.
After several attempts when I found myself within less than a quarter lap, I was closely competing with Justin Cooper. But I encountered some tough blocks, and I realized I had the edge.
Las Vegas presents another track where mistakes are common, but this time the game recognized my effort! It's often simpler not to rush the gate, as perfect timing to clear the field is rare. Instead, I tend to position myself behind the pack and use the narrow gap between the group and the left-side barriers. This approach also gives me a more comfortable entry into the first turn.
This time, however, I managed to start strong enough to simply pass through the field.
I usually try to take the first right turn off the shallow berm as a single to maintain momentum, then follow with another single. After a 90-degree right, I previously would have skipped the first jump, but this time I felt more pressure from the pack behind me, so I leaned into that turn and cleared the first jump, using its slope to my advantage.
The first lap was close to a crash in that rhythm section, as I hit the face of the second jump instead of the downslope of the first. Luckily, I avoided a crash and managed to land a solid double over the tabletop, keeping me in sync with the pack.
This rhythm section is best shown at the 1:25 mark, where I completed the course in one single. Then comes "Monster Alley," my favorite stretch of the track. Leaning forward on the straights and at the big right bend lets you gain time or catch up, passing AI if you exit cleanly. Doing so builds speed for the next phase.
With strong momentum from Monster Alley, you can execute a massive quad jump. At around 70 MPH, an uncontrolled exit from the alley is easy. That speed also lets you leap into a triple right after, which is ideal if you leave without contact from AI to build up speed.
The tricky part comes after Monster Alley: the turn splits into two parts. I used to take the outside half, but now I’ve learned to slow down to a speed where I can coast through the inside half, which is faster and often lets me pass AI.
One challenge with the inside line is that I rarely reach enough speed to clear the finish line bridge and gain a speed boost. But as long as I have sufficient pace or a lead, it works. From there, I rail the 180 right turn berm high to launch off with enough power for the second half of the whoop section. The whoops can lift you a bit, so you must time your lean to duck under the 90-degree right turn under the bridge without hitting the shoulder. This can happen if you leave the whoops with unexpected air.
Next is a flat that feels easy but tricky, leading to a 90-degree left turn into a big air triple, followed by another left and a medium jump back to the holeshot. It's manageable if you're leading, but when battling AI, it's tempting to jump the apex of the left turn into the big air triple—often a risky move. It's safer to use the shallow berm at the far right of that turn, which gives more time to run up for the big air triple. This jump is hard to get enough distance for when frustrated, but the berm provides stability and speed. This is crucial because on landing, you need to immediately lean left to take the next turn.
At the 2:33 mark, you can see another way to handle the rhythm section by skipping the first jump. It still requires a single through, but the key difference is whether you land on or off the tabletop. This method is probably safer, especially against AI.
Finishing with just a 1.2-second advantage, I likely would have been even better had I avoided the crash at the 20-second mark, hit the Tuff Blocks at 3:17 after trying to block Martin Davalos, and landed the apex post after the big air triple at 5:47.
My next challenge is the 250 West Career, which I plan to tackle in a separate thread. It should be tougher, and I won't aim for many wins. Still, I'll do my best to secure the championship through points.
Sorry to those who watched multiple replays and accidentally pressed F3+Enter instead of F3+H, which caused the game to skip over me.
250 East Las Vegas