Top of the Mountain | SSX Review

I had no interest in playing a snowboarding game of any kind growing up. Then came 2003 and the release of SSX 3 on the PlayStation 2. I think I played that game most when I had that console. The game went on Tour next and then Blurred the Wii in 2007, only to vanish after that. But it’s back to entertain a whole new generation of gamers.

The first thing you’re going to notice about SSX is that it’s pretty easy to control. There are two types of control schemes, one involving the right stick to pull off tricks and the other is more classic which requires you to use buttons to do the moves. It won’t take you long to learn how to control your boarder. Each boarder has specialties that they excel in. Some are faster than others while some may have a speed boast  advantage. Most of the crew are familiar faces like Elise and Zoe but there are a few new additions such as Ty, Alex and Tane that are welcome additions. The most talking is done by the pilot of the helicopter that drops you off at each mountain, but each character has signature sayings when landing a big trick or crashing on their head that can get annoying and very repetitive at times.

The game sounds and looks fantastic. The soundtrack is composed of a mix of popular and obscure artists that keep the adrenaline pumping. But if you’re not content with that you can add your own soundtrack. The mountains look sublime. EA Canada borrowed data from NASA in order to get the geography of each mountain just right and the level design is great. Only problem is that when you’ve been shredding on the same mountains over and over again (PS3 owners get Mt. Fuji), you’ll want a new change of scenery. There are no invisible walls here so if you jump off a mountain and over a cliff, you’re done. But not quite. SSX introduces a rewinding system in which if you screw up you can rewind your previous mistakes and do it over. There is a time penalty, as the other boarders don’t go back or experience down time, and your points decrease. This game also introduces special items like a flying squirrel suit that helps you glide safely to the next jump, as well as ice picks that provide help when making sharp turns. Some boarders have slight advantages when using certain items over others. Certain items are required for certain courses and they range from the awesome (the aforementioned gliding suit) to the pretty crap (solar panels that let you see the outline of the course). The variety of the items are a welcome addition to the series. Speaking of variety, there are tons of outfits you can buy for your rider, some are just cosmetic but there are expensive ones that enhance stats. The same go for the boards (there are even limited N7 Mass Effect boards available now) and for the special items.

There are three main modes in SSX. The World Tour mode is basically a story mode in which SSX mainstay Griff decides that he wants to go out on his own and make tons of money by beating the SSX team on the world’s most challenging mountains. Or something. The story is weak and the characters are all introduced via race down the mountain and then a corny comic strip telling us why they’re on team SSX. You have to out trick and out race Griff in order to be king (or queen) of that particular mountain. The highlight of this mode comes at the end of each mountain and it’s called the Deadly Descent. It’s the snowboarding equivalent of a boss battle and they range from boarding away from an avalanche to boarding in a cave with a headlamp on. These “battles” are intense, frustrating and fun to go through. You can complete the World Tour mode in 5 or 6 hours and it’s basically one long tutorial that introduces you to all the courses in the game. The second is a called Explore Mode in which you take a rider and go through an entire mountain conquering challenges. It should keep you busy for quite some time if you want to do them all.

The last mode is where you’ll spend most of your time. The SSX version of multiplayer is called Global Events. It’s not direct multiplayer which means you don’t have to wait in lobbies or look for solid connections. You set a time or a score on a mountain and players all around try to beat your ghost’s time or score. There’s only a limited amount of time until a challenge is closed and currency is awarded. I found myself being obsessive when it came to beating my friend’s scores on the mountain. There is an online pass and you don’t need it to enjoy the Global Events but you can’t collect any awards you may have won by placing at the top. You can also place Geotags for other players to find that will also keep you busy while trying to win an event.

SSX has been welcomed back with open arms and it deserves to be. The Deadly Descents are fantastic the first time but can get frustrating after that and the World Tour is just one long tutorial mode with unlockable characters. The game needs DLC mountains and course in order for it to extend its longevity but the gameplay and overall fun you’ll have during the Global Events should keep you coming back.