AbstractHop on your snowboard and see if you can compete with the world's elite. This remix of the ever-popular SSX has the same thrills as the original, with a few new elements added in for extra excitement. New characters have been filtered in, and rivalries between existing personalities have become more of a factor. Try your hand at Practice, World Circuit, and Show Off modes pulling off awesome tricks and building up serious speed. SSX TRICKY is packed with bonuses, shortcuts, and other goodies.
ESRB rating
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Comic Mischief, Mild Language, Mild Violence |
Full descriptionFalling somewhere between an update and a sequel, SSX Tricky takes elements from the first game and expands them, creating a remix with enough new content to call itself a stand-alone title. The game takes the fundamentals of snowboarding and throws in a dash of motocross and fighting to create an over-the-top experience that skirts the line between simulation and arcade. The interface is very similar to the previous game in the series, as players can choose to either Race or Show Off, going for medals that increase your rider's attributes, which range from speed to tricks to edging.
SSX Tricky offers two new courses and brings back all the originals, such as Aloha Ice Jam and Tokyo Megaplex. Each of the returning levels has been changed, some more than others, and a few are completely unrecognizable. In addition to the new level setup, the Show Off venues have had numerous pipes added in an attempt to make their feel significantly different from their Race counterparts.
Six of the original characters have returned, along with six new characters, and the game features a host of celebrity voices, from Lucy Liu to Oliver Platt. In addition to a revamped trick book system, the boost system has been upgraded to include super moves. Also new to SSX Tricky is an Aggression Meter that keeps track of how much you shove people when racing. Push too much, and you'll make enemies who will gun for you when on the slopes.
Editorial reviewSource:
AmazonWhen Sony released the PlayStation2 last year, there were only a few standout games. One of them,
SSX, brought snowboarding to people who didn't even like snowboarding. Now, only a year later, PS2 fans get a new reason to stay indoors during the cold winter months.
SSX Tricky is the game, and it more than lives up to the moniker.
Tricky removes two characters from the previous game and adds five new ones. It adds two new race locations to the already beefed-up World Circuit (Garibaldi and Alaska). The developers also added features to the older tracks, effectively making them new again. Tricky improves the graphics a bit and refines the controls. The game even tweaks the basic gameplay by letting you upgrade your boarder's stats in races, but also forcing you to attempt and master the showoff mode. And EA improved the challenge by evening out the learning curve. SSX tended to be a cakewalk until the later races in each set, but this time your rivals get more intense and aggressive depending upon the lap you're taking.
As in the first game, personality is everything. This is true not only in terms of voice acting, but also in how you treat opponents. The game has a few basic attitudes. If you block and attack characters too much, they'll remember and actively seek you out. If you help one or two of them, they'll become your allies, warning you of danger or fending off attackers.
In many ways, SSX Tricky is only an upgrade of the previous game. Admittedly, the additions don't look like enough to justify buying the game all over again. But the changes are deep enough to change quite a bit, and they'll delight even fans who are tired of, or who mastered, the first game. Maybe that's the most impressive über-trick of them all. --Bob Andrews
Pros:
- Refined controls and new tricks
- Excellent computer intelligence and challenge
Cons: - The graphics are only slightly improved
Ten courses (including two all-new runs) sport huge jumps and some scary drops
Discover short-cuts and find power-ups with 12 available characters
Make friends or enemies as you race for first
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