SSX
Reviewed by: MIKE (6-3-03)

I got PS2 for Christmas from my uncle in 2000. It was pretty sweet. My brother had sold our Dreamcast to buy a PS2 and since we got it for Christmas, he went out and bought a TV. Anyway, along with the PS2 we got SSX. I've played pretty much all the snowboarding games out there - 1080º, ESPN X Games ProBoarder, Amped, and the other ones - but none compare to SSX.

SSX has got it all. It mixes a hip-hop soundtrack with an 8 chracter line up of very diverse boarders, an RPG style upgrade for your character, advanced boards for the higher your rank, Tony Hawk type big air and tricks, and massively crazy courses with a classic flair. You can't stear wrong with SSX (it blows SSX Tricky out of the water, or snow I should say).

GRAPHICS

The graphics are really good, from the characters faces to the texture of the snow. There is a bit of cartoonism in the chracters' look, but I like it like that. And the games is supposed to be insane, inhumane, and supernatural, so why would you want work wasted on the characters' faces? The courses look great. The backgrounds are full and not stupid in the slightest bit. Like most games, the trees are like paper, but it's all good. Not to mention, it's PS2 and all the graphics rock the house. I give the graphics of SSX a...

9/10

SOUND

Soundtrack: The soundtrack for SSX rocks. It's one of those games that you wish you could buy the CD for. When I was in my phase where I'd play the game non stop (that ended after I beat the game with every character, hence leaving me with nothing to do but glow with my pride that no one cares about) I'g go around singing the songs. They've got Rahzel, man. He rocks!

8.5/10

Sound Effects: The sound effects are pretty killer. Like when you punch someone (yes, you can punch people), the noise is right on. And the boarders trash talk a lot as well, which is a lot of fun to listen to (it's fun when your guy does it, but I always try to punch other people when they do).

8/10

CONTROLS

I found the controls to be really simple. If you go into 1 player and click "Warm Up," everything you need to know is taught to you. I picked it up in about a half hour. The only problem I have with the controls is that once you hold down (X) (jump) you can't steer. So let's say you're no lined up, you have to let go, jump into the air, and start over, costing you speed and jump power (and pissing me off). Otherwise, the controls are great. Grabbing is pretty simple and making combos is easy. Spin and flippy things (as in the Nutcracker 1260) are easy to handle as too.

9/10

CHALLENGE

Do to my experience in the game, I no longer find any aspect challenging. However, I used to really stink at racing (as in "Race Mode"). I was insane in "Show Off" but some race courses gave me trouble. It was the other way around for my brother. He was a great racer but not so good a show off (my personality pretty much fits my gameplay). Anyway, we were the perfect team. And as he lost interest, I did more and more races and am now all around insanely amazing.

9/10

FUN

SSX is loads of fun. It's one of those games that takes a long time to bore you (unless you stink at it, therefore I laugh at you). I can always put it in and play a few "Show Off" races when I'm bored. And once you're a master of it like me, you get such a great satisfaction out of showing off your skills (I wnet to my friends house and beat the game with Mac in about an hour, ie. I won everything without trying again). I love the game. Too bad SSX Tricky is a pile of junk.

10/10

OVERALL

10/10

TIPS FROM MIKE

• Start out using Mac. He's not only the best, but he's the most fun and he's a beast and he wipes the floor with every other character!
• If you get frustrated, do a "Warm Up" and show yourself how much you rock.
• Mix up your tricks so you get more points and it doesn't get old.
• Yes, Pipe Dream rules, Tokyo Megaplex rocks, and the Hawaiin one is beast, but you'll never have as much fun as you do on Snow Dream.