| When the PlayStation title Tony Hawk's
Pro Skater hit the gaming scene, it looked like it would
spell doom for the snowboarding genre that had
successfully carved its way into mainstream gaming.
Simply put, Pro Skater enabled gamers more movement
within big, free-roaming environments, and more varied
tricks that were a lot flashier and a lot easier to pull
off than those in most of the "me too"
snowboarding titles we've seen in recent years. With SSX,
EA delivers the most spectacular snowboarding game since
1080 Snowboarding on the Nintendo 64. Featuring
incredibly fast gameplay, extremely tight controls, a
varied cast of characters, and an outrageously huge
trick selection, SSX is here to put the "Big"
in snowboarding games once again.
Shots: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SSX includes seven venues (plus one bonus track), in
such locales as Japan and the United States. The game
also sports eight flashy riders (four available to
start) and two modes of gameplay, World Circuit and
Single Event. World Circuit is where you begin to make a
name for yourself as you compete in a season's worth of
competitions against the most insane cast of
snowboarding freaks you've ever seen. Within World
Circuit mode, you find three events to participate in:
Race, Showoff, and Warmup. By obtaining gold medals in
Race and Showoff, you will be able to unlock additional
riders.
The Race event pits you against five other boarders
in a dash to the finish line, where you have to place in
the top three in each of the two qualifying rounds to
advance to the final round. If you finish in the top
three in the final round, you unlock the next course and
new boards, and receive experience points to bump up
your rider's attributes. Showoff is like Race in that
you blaze down the same hills, except here you have to
finish with 10,000; 50,000; or 100,000 points to earn a
medal. Then you are rewarded with more boards and riders
(if you haven't unlocked them already).
As you would expect, SSX is loaded with tricks. Each
rider comes with a book containing 50 of the most
outrageous tricks out there, including the basic Tail
Grab and 540, as well as flashier moves like the 720
Canadian Bacon. By peeking in your rider's book, you can
see how each trick is performed and then try 'em on the
course. In fact, you need to do just that. Every time
you successfully perform a set number of tricks from
your book, you unlock additional outfits. Be warned,
however, that this is not an easy task. While there are
a handful of basic tricks that are easy to perform,
there are far more difficult stunts that will take you
quite a while to master.
Single Event mode places you in the bindings for a
one-shot battle to the finish line. In addition to the
Race, Showoff, and Warmup events, you can also
participate in a Freeride event that enables you to cut
up the snow by yourself and learn the lay of the land,
finding all the best shortcuts and prime spots to grab
wicked air. The downside to Single Event is that you are
only able to race on tracks you've unlocked in World
Circuit, and you can't unlock any additional courses,
characters, or boards.
SSX definitely delivers the best snowboarding gameplay
any console has seen, but the level of challenge in
World Circuit mode increases immensely once you hit the
final round. This is a perfectly natural progression, of
course, considering that EA Sports doesn't want you
blowing through the game in a day. However, it can prove
quite frustrating, especially when you place in the
first two rounds with ease and then get overcome in a
hurry in the last race. In fact, you almost have to race
flawlessly if you expect to place first. SSX is such a
solid game, though, that you'll be willing to sacrifice
days on end carving it up on its beautiful slopes.
And when we say beautiful, we mean it. SSX features
the most detailed slopes ever seen in a console
snowboarding game--each pops off the screen in an
awesome array of colors. You'll also notice exploding
fireworks and other trippy effects swirling around your
boarder after he or she pulls off a huge trick or snags
a power-up. And the best part is that you can fully
board through any part of the terrain: there are no
hidden barriers to keep you from going into no-man's
land. The level of detail on the riders is incredible as
well; they sport extremely detailed outfits and fluidly
bust the most awesome snowboarding moves. Furthermore,
the frame rate is fast and very rarely drops off. There
are cases where the game slows down while your boarder
goes sailing through the air, but it's hardly a reason
for concern. You'll also notice that most of the foliage
is 2D and that there are some cases of clipping along
the course, but this certainly does nothing to ruin the
fun.
The control in SSX is not only tight but also
extremely sensitive, so you'll definitely need lots of
time on the hill before becoming a true champ. However,
in a relatively short time, you'll have no problem at
all mastering the basics, such as cutting a corner or
gently gliding around a turn. What takes the most
practice is accurately setting up for a jump and
successfully pulling off SSX's more difficult tricks.
But, in the end, you will find that the time you spend
playing the game will definitely be worth your while.
SSX has excellent sound effects, including the hushed
swishing sound as your board carves the snow, taunts
from the other boarders, and in-game commentary from an
announcer who constantly spews out adulation and insult.
You'll also be treated to some wacky effects as your
boarder takes a nasty spill or glides over a power-up.
If you are searching for a truly exceptional
first-generation PlayStation 2 title that offers fast
action, excellent gameplay, and splendid visual
pageantry, you had better buy yourself a copy of SSX the
minute you pick up your PS2. Not only is it an
impressive extreme sports title, but it is one of the
more addictive and entertaining games we've seen in some
time. It's one of those titles that keeps you up nights,
occupies your days, and makes you call in
"sick" to work or school.
By Brett Rector
From
Gamecenter
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