Monster Energy Supercross 3 Video Walkthrough on Realistic (250 West)

[Frag Maniac]

Like my other walkthroughs of this game, I will be posting these 2 rounds at a time, with whatever AI head starts I can manage. These first 2 rounds are Anaheim 1 and Glendale, and would have been posted 5 days ago if not for a problem with YouTube not processing them to 1440p. As it turned out though, in the process I've since tried more bitrate and a sharper resize filter, so these actually look better.

Anaheim 1

On rare occasion this game has a 3rd weather condition you race in, wet track, but not raining. That was the conditions of this race. It's about as slippery as the rain races though, just with a bit better visibility. The AI are good in some spots on this track, but rather slow on the non stop double jumps rhythm section, so I gave them a 10 sec head start. It starts with a sharp bend left, rising to the holeshot line, then a fast, low triple off a small jump. Then immediately into a 90 right berm, then a small jump double into a triple off a med jump. In wet conditions on a 250 I usually land on the top of the 3rd jump, but it helps avoid overshooting the immediate 90 right thereafter over the bridge jump. I found if I let off gas at the bottom of the bridge jump it gave me just enough momentum to land on it's downslope, which helps pass AI and set up for a short whoop section after a short straight.

You then go into a big air triple off a big jump, and it is crucial here to temper speed near the end of the whoops so they don't kick you up, which can keep you from getting enough of a flat run up to make this jump. Again, in these conditions, I usually landed on top of the 3rd jump in this triple. It's then into a shallow 180 left berm, and through a rhythm section of spaced med jumps you double all the way through. This is a great place to pass AI where you have room to. At the end of this section is a 90 left under the bridge, then immediately into another 90 left to a big air double off a big jump. It can be tricky to keep up enough momentum here to make the big air double, so I usually went deep into the berm leading into it. Landing this big air double well though helps maintain enough speed for another big air double that comes right after it.

You then have a 90 right berm, into a rhythm section that is a bit tougher than the 1st. In fact I used to struggle to hit this section well, until I started using the weight back technique while taking off and landing jumps. I found it's best to go deep in the berm of this right turn, as it puts you onto the left side of the track, because the first jump on this section is a bit bigger on the left side. It makes it easier to hit a double off this jump, then another double off the face of a tabletop, then a double off a small jump onto an on/off on a tabletop, exiting it over a small jump, then one more small jump into a high, steep 180 right berm. This takes you into a fast whoop section, then into a high, steep near 180 left berm, then onto a long flat straight that diagonally crosses the start chute. You then have a high, steep near 180 right berm, into a big air double off the big finish line jump. It then goes into the same low triple after the holeshot, which is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.

Spoiler

The highlight for me was catching lead rider Jimmy Decotis at the 5:26 mark of the 2 Laps to Go lap, only to have him pass me right back, then finally passing him for good at the 6:16 mark of the Final Lap just before the bridge jump. At the final time check I had a just under 4.6 sec lead.

Glendale

The usual dry conditions were present here, which allows much better traction and speed. This track also has a couple rhythm sections that can be hard to hit consistently, and the AI ride it aggressively, with one usually getting out well ahead of the others, so I gave them just a 5 sec head start here. It starts with a sharp bend left, into a small jump double, which if hit right can allow for a triple/triple/triple combo. With my new weight back on jump landings and take offs technique, I was able to hit this combo more consistently. There's then one last jump then a 90 left skimming off a jump after it, and onto two short flats connected by a high, steep 180 left berm, with a small jump double after it. It's then into the 2nd rhythm section, after a 90 right. Taking the turn on the inside sets you up for a small jump double, into an on/off on the 2nd tabletop after jumping off the face of the1st. Taking the turn on the outside puts you onto the bigger left side of the 1st jump, straight into an on/off/on/off combo using both tabletops. Either method works well, it's just a matter of which one avoids AI the best.

You then drop off the 2nd tabletop over a small jump, and into a big air triple off a big jump. then over a small jump immediately into a high, steep 180 right berm. There's another small jump after this berm, then a long, flat straight into a semi sharp, shallow left berm, into a long rhythm section. I usually take the lower, left side of the first jump, using it to double over another small jump, setting me up for a triple/triple/triple combo on med jumps. I call this section Carnage Alley, as AI can land on your head unexpectedly. You then take a high, steep 180 left berm, into a long whoop section. These whoops have a very short flat section near the end, then a couple bigger jumps at the end, so you have to be careful not to go screaming fast into those bigger jumps and overshoot the high, steep 180 right berm thereafter.

If I coast this berm to be careful to line up straight after it, I can easily do a weight back takeoff to make the triple after it off a med jump just before the big air double off the big finish line jump. You then have a few spaced med jumps before a 90 left, where it's crucial to temper speed to get a good line in this left as it takes you into a big air triple. A good line on this turn is all the more important with AI present, and because after the big air triple is a 90 left into a few more spaced med jumps, back to the holeshot line, and the need to set up well for the 1st rhythm section again. The technique for this rhythm section is the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.

Spoiler

I had a reset at the 1:38 mark on the 2nd lap for accidentally cutting the track after landing with my rear wheel atop the final jump of the1st rhythm section, which amplified my turn angle. Several riders I had just passed, passed me right back. I also had a rider land on my head at the 2:16 mark at the end of the 3rd rhythm section, which turned me sideways. I then got slightly out of line to the left at the 4:23 mark, hitting the Tuff Blocks as I landed the 1st big air triple. By then I was getting tired of being passed back, so I immediately found a fast line in the berm thereafter, and got my position right back. The highlight for me was at the 6:28 mark of the final lap, when I finally caught and passed lead rider Shane McElrath. At the final time check I had a just over 2.1 sec lead.

 

[Frag Maniac]

These next 2 rounds are the Triple Crown at Anaheim 2, and Oakland.

Anaheim 2

Since the AI ride fairly competent and aggressive here, and there's little time to catch them in these 3 min Triple Crown races, I gave them a 7 sec head start. It starts with a sharp left bend, across the holeshot line, then into a short section with a few mirco bumps, then into a sharp right bend with a shallow berm, into a whoop section. You then take a 180 right off another shallow berm, then hop off a small jump to a tabletop on/off. You then hop from the tabletop to a very sharp shallow left berm, then using another small jump to a tabletop on/off. It's important to hit this tabletop at it's front end in order to get a good enough on/off to avoid catching your rear tire badly and crashing on the small jump you hop off to after crossing a gap. Along with good momentum, it's good to use the left side of this tabletop in order to make the semi big air double thereafter without swinging wide off track, or getting reset for an inside cut, as the track bend's right at the 2nd jump of the semi big air double.

So needless to say, you're landing the semi big air double angling right, and it's imperative to hit the downslope of the 2nd jump to get enough speed for the big air triple off a big jump right after. After landing the big air triple, there's a 90 right with a shallow berm that I don't usually use. Instead I brake for a tight turn at the apex, where the first small jump of the rhythm section it sends you into, is higher on the right side. This makes it relatively easy to double off of, which in turn sets you up for another double onto a tabletop on/off. The 2nd double if landed well, can allow for a triple after it if weighting back off of it. I used to use the downslope of the 2nd tabletop prior to the 3rd jump of the triple to set up for another on/off double onto a tabletop, but even if you botch the triple, you can still salvage momentum with an on/off on the final tabletop instead of a double/double combo after, which is worth the risk.

After the rhythm section is a 180 right off a high, steep berm, into a med jump to an on/off on a tabletop, then over a small jump, then using the face of a tabletop to set up a double/double/double combo to finish this section. You then have a 180 left off a high, steep berm, into a fast whoop section. At the end of the whoops is a big air double off the big finish line jump, then a 90 right across the wide flat start chute, then a semi big air jump off a med jump over a big jump, immediately into a high, steep 180 right berm, then over a big jump, dropping onto a small jump it steps down to. Though there's a berm off the 90 right after the big air triple, I don't generally use it. I also gauge my speed for the semi big air double by letting off gas at the white chute edge line, doing the same at the base of the big jump after the berm.

You then turn 90 left onto the start chute, to a flat, sharp left bend on deep sand, then back to the holeshot line. I like to let off gas just before this sharp bend, coasting halfway into the turn, to avoid bogging down with acceleration in the turn, then gas out of it leaning left.

Spoiler

At the final time check I averaged just over 1.3 sec lead. The highlights for me were passing lead rider Colt Nichols at the start of the final lap in race 1. Passing 2nd rider Shane McElrath at 1:12 Time Remaining in the 2nd race, while narrowly avoiding a crash landing on top of him on the big air triple, only to have lead rider Jimmy Decotis crash in the rhythm section right after. And in race 3, passing lead rider Adam Cianciarulo with 1:03 Time Remaining.

Oakland

As I've said before, this is a wild track, with some fun fast sections, and crazy big, but hard to pull off jumps. I was SO hoping the weight back technique I've been using would help me nail the very finicky launch point for the tough triple the track has, and it might have, if not for this one being in pouring rain. I was still able to allow the AI a 12 sec head start though. It starts with a dogleg left at the holeshot line, into 4 spaced small jumps you can double/double over. Then you have a semi shallow 180 right berm into the first rhythm section. In the muck, I found it was key to rail this berm high, then accelerate out of it at the halfway point to get up enough speed just to make the otherwise easy on/off onto a higher tabletop from a small jump. This sets up a double/double/double/double combo and allows you to go into the dogleg right thereafter with enough speed to clear the big air double thereafter off the big finish line jump.

It's good to land the big air double on the left, as the track then takes a dogleg right into a long fast straight after a small jump. At the end of the straight is a med jump that sends you up two tiers to a tabeltop. You now have two small jumps you need to brake on to prepare for a 90ish right that takes you into the toughest rhythm section. It starts by dropping to a lower section off a small jump that sends you into a med jump. It is then crucial to either perfectly hit the downslope of a very small jump, accelerating off of it weight back to make that aforementioned finicky triple, or hopefully let off gas enough in time if you think you can't make it, to salvage a double/double out of this sticky mess. This is definitely where things can get ugly quick.

After this nasty rhythm section is a high, steep 180 right berm, which is imperative to rail, then gas out of halfway through, in order to make a triple to the downslope of yet another small jump, to launch you into a big air triple. This section is easier to nail than the last due to the berm allowing for better speed into it, and the launch point of the big air triple being a small vs very small jump. You then go into a high, steep 180 left berm, and into two fast whoop sections connected by a high, steep 180 right berm. Then there's a 90ish high, steep left berm, over a small jump, onto a flat straight, then over a big jump that steps down to a small jump. I generally let off gas just before the base of this big jump, to hit the downslope of the small jump it steps down to, then accelerate leaning into the dogleg left after it, as it's deep sand here that can otherwise bog you down. You then hop a small jump, cross the bend part of the start chute, right back to the holeshot line. The section after is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.

Spoiler

At the final time check I had a just over .75 sec lead. The highlight for me was at the :20 Time Remaining mark, passing lead rider Chris Blose, after battling back and forth with him and Garrett Marchbanks a bit.

 

[Frag Maniac]

Here's rounds 5 and 6, San Diego and Atlanta.

San Diego

This was in pouring rain, but with practice there are places where you can do better than the AI, despite them being hard to get past at times when things are congested. Thus I gave them a 10 sec head start. It starts with a tight left bend, then over a few spaced small jumps. If you carry good speed through here, after singling the first one (which is the holeshot line), you can double the next two, which helps to maintain momentum while leaned left and double onto a tabletop on/off after a 90 left. The aforementioned momentum sustained also helps clear a small jump after the tabletop, and helps you rail the 180 right berm thereafter. This in turn helps you double/double to clear the next short rhythm section.

You then have a longer rhythm section, which starts with another double/double combo over small to med jumps, then a triple off a semi big jump, then a single off a med jump, while angling into a near 90 right. This next section can be doubled over smallish jumps into a big air triple off a big jump, but half the time I failed to land on the downslope of the double and came short of landing the triple. I can only attest this to being used to riding it in the dry, which makes this triple much easier to land. This section finishes with a high, steep 180 right berm. You then have two whoop sections with fairly large, spaced whoops, connected by a high, steep 180 left berm, then into a big air double off the big finish line jump.

You then have a high, steep near 180 right berm, into a med jump, then onto a flat straight. The flat continues as a hairpin right into a half circle left bend, then back over the holeshot line. This first section is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.

Spoiler

The highlight for me was passing lead rider Adam Cianciarulo at the 4:21 mark with just under 40 sec Time Remaining to take the lead. I had a pretty bad final lap time, but still managed a just over 3.2 sec lead at the final time check.

Atlanta

This was dry, and the AI are very good here, so I gave them just a 5 sec head start. It starts with a sharp left bend, over the holeshot line, then into a double over small jumps that sets up a triple/triple/double combo. You then have a high, semi steep 180 left berm into a double/double/big air triple combo, the section finishing with a hairpin right onto the start chute. You then go into a sweeping, near flat left bend, into a a rhythm section. I take this section full gas, usually using the first med jump to bounce jump off the face of the 4th semi big jump, finishing the section with a triple off of it. If I'm slowed by AI or a slip in the sweeping bend, I'll just triple/triple it. Either way is pretty fast, the first is just easier if you have the speed.

You then have a high, steep 180 left berm onto a whoop section. This whoop section is relatively fast, as long as you carry good speed into it by railing the berm. You then have a high, steep 180 right berm, into a double off a small jump to an on/off on a tabletop, a hop over another small jump, then a big air double off the big finish line jump. This takes you under a bridge jump, then a 90 right and half circle right in a flat deep sand section, then over the bridge jump merging onto the start chute at it's left bend just before the holeshot line. The first section is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.

Spoiler

This was quite a battle. Despite taking the lead with near 2 min Time Remaining, I didn't secure it until 30 Sec Time Remaining, as Shane McElrath and I were duking it out. So passing McElrath for the last time was the highlight and a huge sigh of relief. At the final time check I had a just over 1 sec lead.

 

[Frag Maniac]

I thought I'd start off this time showing you one of the optional training races offered in between the main career races. This one is at Compound 6. These Compound tracks typically have features which have to be taken carefully. If not it is very easy to bog down on rhythm sections, or overshoot the track and crash. This is due to things like steep jump faces, tall whoops at the end of whoop sections, and these tracks being generally narrower overall.

Compound 6

OK, back to the career. This is rounds 7 and 8, Seattle, and the Triple Crown at Houston. All these races had moments of sloppiness on my part, mainly unintentional contact with Tuff Blocks. In the Seattle race it was just a slight error early on in the race. In the Houston races, it was mainly due to trying to go flat out and pass 21 riders in little more than 3 laps.

Seattle

This is a fairly fast track, with two long straits, however the long whoop section and the short section just after it the AI aren't so fast on. They also tend to crash now and then on the rhythm section at the end of the 2nd straight. Thus I gave them a 10 sec head start. It starts with a tight left bend, then over the holeshot line, then a small jump double and a hop over a single small jump into a semi flat near 90 right I take at the apex. You're then into the first rhythm section, which is a double/double/triple combo. You then rail a semi steep 180 right berm, into a double off a small jump over a med jump, then off a small jump to an on/off on a tabletop. This section finishes with a hop over a small jump into a high, steep 180 left berm. Right after this berm is a big air triple off a big jump, then a big near flat half circle right, into a big air double off the big finish line jump.

You then have a flat strait with a couple small bumps at the start, into a high, steep 180 left berm. This takes you into a long strait that starts out flat and has jumps at the end, which I do a double/double/triple combo on. This section finishes with a hop over a small jump, then into a high, steep 180 right berm. It is very important to maintain momentum on this berm, then accelerate out of it, as there's a very long whoop section after, with whoops that can send you in the air a bit if you don't take them with good speed. At the end of the whoops is a flat with a small bump before a 90 right. It's important here to let off gas and coast over that bump, leaning hard right just after it to set up well for a double/double combo over med jumps in this short rhythm section, then stay leaned right coming out of it for a dogleg right onto a flat strait.

At the end of this flat strait the track takes a less angled dogleg right back onto the first rhythm section. On subsequent laps the speed is faster, so I focus on just bounce jumping with weight back a couple times, then finishing with a triple.

Spoiler

The highlight for me was finally catching and passing lead rider Shane McElrath near the end of the final lap. Granted he crashed just before my passing him, but by the looks of his speed in that rhythm section, I'd have passed him anyway had he not crashed. At the final time check I had a just over .5 sec lead on Michael Mosiman, whom was at that point 2nd place instead of McElrath.

Houston

This track is fairly fast and easy to race, plus there are many places where it's not too hard to outdo the AI, so despite them being short 3 min races with little time to catch up, I gave the AI a 12 sec head start. It starts with an atypical fast dogleg left across the holeshot line into the first rhythm section. Normally I double off the first small jump into a bounce jump off the face of the 3rd med jump into a triple/triple combo. That bounce jump sends you high and takes a bit of time, but once in a while I catch the first jump with just enough speed to skip off the top of the 3rd jump, which allows a more flat, direct jump trajectory. This time though, I managed the skip jump at the start of the first and third races. At any rate, the 2nd triple ends this rhythm section, and takes you into a high, steep 180 left berm, onto a long, fast whoop section. Near the end of the whoop section is a very short flat section, finishing with a double over 2 small jumps. With adequate speed through these whoops, this double can be coasted into.

You then have a high, steep 180 right berm, into a rhythm section which starts with a small jump double, then a small jump to on/offs on 3 consecutive tabletops, then 2 skips off 2 last small jumps. This takes you into a high, steep 180 left berm, into a rhythm section where you have a double/triple/double/double combo, the 2nd double being an on/off on a tabletop. It's best to temper speed a bit and stay to the right of the track leaning right when you get to the tabletop, in order to set up well for the 90 right just after, which takes you on flat ground under the narrow bridge tunnel, then immediately into another 90 right. This can get ugly if not taken well, but it's also a great chance to pass AI if you do. You then double over a couple small jumps, then into a short whoop section. You then have a shallow, 180 right berm, into a big air triple off the big finish line jump.

I usually scrub this big air triple, then let off gas just before the bridge jump right after it, to land on it's downslope. The track then angles slightly left on a med length flat, that starts to bend tightly left into a med jump. It's wise to let off gas a bit before this jump and lean left to avoid landing the jump off track, as just after it is a very short section with a few small jumps, where you need to focus on leaning left and taking the dogleg left just after at it's apex. This takes you back over the holeshot line. On subsequent laps this first rhythm section is taken relatively the same due to same speed, however I found that aforementioned faster skip jump is easier at the start, possibly due to the features you have to deal with prior on subsequent laps.

Spoiler

The first 2 races literally came down to the wire. They were both so close I didn't actually have the lead at the final time check. having to catch and pass the lead rider between there and the finish line. So the highlight for me was pulling off those 2 wins by the skin of my teeth. At the final time checks, I was .266 sec behind in the first race, .040 sec behind in the second race, and had just over a 1 sec lead in the third.

 

[Frag Maniac]

These are the final two rounds of the 250 West career, Denver, and the finale at Las Vegas.

Denver

This track can be tough to race, as it's rhythm sections have fairly steep jump faces, the AI ride it pretty well, and it can be hard to pass them as you need just the right line to keep up good speed through the turns. Thus I gave them just a 7 sec head start. It starts with a sharp left bend across the holeshot line, then I take the first rhythm section as a double/double/double/double/single combo on it's small to med jumps. It then goes into a high, steep 180 right berm into the next rhythm section I take as a double/double to on/off on a tabletop/double/double/double/single combo. I take that final single jump leaning right to setup for a loose 90 right bend that can be taken pretty fast.

This next section is a big air triple off a big jump that can be landed well with the aforementioned speed around that loose 90 right bend. This in turn sets up another loose 90 right bend, which I again lean right for. In this next section I skip jump over a double, then bounce jump over the next double, then take yet another big air triple. This triple is a bit harder to land well, as you launch off a med jump, and the double's before it slow you down a bit. I usually landed atop the 3rd jump vs on it's downslope. Next you rail a high, steep 180 right berm, then into a fast whoop section that has two bigger spaced jumps at the end.

Next you take a high, steep near 180 left berm diagonally across a section of the start chute, then into a near 180 right I take at the apex vs going deep into the berm. You then have a short big air double off the big finish line jump. There's a 180 left after you land the big air double, which I again take at it's apex. This takes you back across the holeshot line, and due to much slower speed entering this section on subsequent laps, I take it in reverse order of the first lap, starting with a single, then doubling the rest of the way through.

Spoiler

The highlight for me was at the 4:22 mark with 39 sec remaining, I caught and passed lead rider Garrett Marchbanks just before the holeshot line, then managed to fend him off as he wildly flew across the track and nearly landed on top of me. At the final time check I had a lead of just over 1.6 sec.

Las Vegas

I was glad to see so many dry tracks this career, as the 250 East career finished very wet. Las Vegas was no exception, so it was balls to the wall speed reaching 70 MPH on Monster Alley. Since the AI crash a fair bit on this track on the jumps at the end of Monster Alley, and the berm after the finish line, I gave them a 10 sec head start. It starts with a dogleg left across the holeshot line, into a moderately sloped 180 right berm. I rail this berm to set up for a double/double/double combo, the 2nd one being an on/off onto a tabletop. This goes into a semi loose 90 right, to the track's only long rhythm section. I start this section by using the first small jump to skip across the top of the 2nd small jump, then hop over the next small jump, which sets up a double/double/double/double/double/single combo, the 2nd and 4th doubles being on/offs on tabletops.

You then have two long. fast, flat straits, connected by a gradual right bend and a short strait with a med jump in the middle of it, which is Monster Alley. At the end of the 2nd flat strait, is a series of spaced out smallish jumps. I just make sure I'm centered on track going into these jumps, try to avoid hitting any AI, and weight back when landing. This takes you into a split 180 right with two shallow berms. I usually take the inside track and coast rail it. If my momentum carries me into the outside track, I use it's bigger circumference to accelerate out of the turn. Right after is a big air double off a large med jump, onto a big bridge jump. It helps to land on it's downslope to carry speed into the whoops, but it's not necessary unless trying to get past AI. These whoops are split into two med length sections connected by a high, steep 180 right berm.

You then hit a flat section that turns 90 right under the bridge jump, across the start chute, then a 90 left, then over a big air triple off a big jump, then a 90 left, then over a med jump, back across the start chute, then across the holeshot line. On subsequent laps this first section is taken the same due to same speed.

Spoiler

The highlight for me was at the 4:15 mark with 45 sec remaining, catching and passing # 1 & 2 riders Justin Cooper and Dylan Ferrandis, whom are teammates and had also simultaneously crashed at that point. Then managing to recover from a crash landing on the big air triple, and retake the lead from Michael Mosiman (who passed me after the crash) by handling the long rhythm section better than he did. At the final time check I had a just over 3.4 sec lead.