Coming next month, developer Turborilla and Racer X Online will be bringing the popular Mac and PC title Mad Skills Motocross to iOS. This arcade-style motocross game has the soul of Excitebike at the core of its gameplay, but practically everything else has been updated for a more modern feel. There is no shortage of motocross or dirt bike games in the App Store, but after spending a good deal of time playing the desktop demo of Mad Skills Motocross, I'm definitely excited about the potential of the game on iOS.

There aren't too many specific details about the iOS version at the moment, but it will at least include the 50+ tracks from the desktop version's career mode as well as friend challenges through OpenFeint. Also, adding a unique twist to the typical gameplay of these kinds of games is the use of special power-ups for your bike, like a pogo stick-type jump that propels your bike straight up in the air to clear obstacles while driving.�One of the biggest draws in Mad Skills Motocross though is the track editor that lets you make your own courses. It isn't known if the iOS version will have a track editor, and if it does whether or not there will be some sort of sharing functionality, but the prospect sure is enticing.

You can watch this short video of a beta version of the game running on iOS (note the UI graphics have changed for the final release), but for the full effect check out this trailer for the desktop version of Mad Skills Motocross:

The iOS version of Mad Skills Motocross is scheduled to launch on January 10^th. The Racer X website clearly shows the game running on both an iPhone and iPad, but currently we don't know if this means it will be universal or if there are two separate versions planned. We'll be looking to get our hands on the game, as well as a lot more details, in the next week or so. Until then you can check out the upcoming thread in our forums, and you can download the demo version of Mad Skills Motocross for your desktop here and give the game a try for yourself.