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Written by Ian Johnston
Byline: Snowboarding at its finest.
When the first SSX debuted alongside the PS2 in October of 2000 it was hailed as the finest snowboarding game ever made. Granted, it was the finest snowboarding game ever made, but it was also one of the only snowboarding games ever made. Nevertheless, it was an exceptional game in its own right and can be credited as being one of the key games that propelled the burgeoning alternative sports game genre to its current stature.
Fast forward three years and two games later and many of the same things are being said. SSX 3 is undoubtedly the best snowboarding game currently available, bar none. It improves on its two predecessors in a multitude of ways, firmly cementing the legacy of an already great franchise. The gameplay has been vastly improved, the graphics are better, the soundtrack is excellent, and the funfactor is huge.
Visuals:
Simply put, SSX 3 looks fantastic. The weather effects, which include avalanches and lighting among others, are all done really well. The courses themselves also look great, replete with trees, rails, tunnels, bridges, and buildings of all kinds. There are also extensive customizations for your rider, including different types of sunglasses, pants, hats, headbands, beanies, and boards. There is an element of product placement too as some of the boards feature prominent brands like 7-Up.
The riders themselves move extremely fluidly, making them seem very lifelike. The framerate is excellent as well, almost never dropping at all, regardless of how much on-screen action there is. Best of all are the trick animations. Your rider of choice will contort his or her body in ways you never thought possible, making for some really awe-inspiring maneuvers. There is some occasional clipping, which is annoying, but it's sparse, so it really isn't a significant issue.
Audio:
SSX 3's aural elements show the same attention to detail and thoroughness present throughout the game. One of the main things it has going for it is a very eclectic soundtrack. Artists like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chemical Brothers, N.E.R.D., and Fatboy Slim provide the music, all of which suit the game perfectly. Nevertheless, it would have been really nice to have custom soundtrack support.
The sound effects are also really well done, especially the character exclamations. Each character has so many different things to say that there is little chance you'll tire of their utterances. And what they say largely depends on what's happening on-screen. There's also a DJ that announces the different songs and an announcer that announces your current place periodically during a race.
Gameplay:
The core gameplay in SSX 3 is essentially the same as that of SSX and SSX Tricky, with a number of notable caveats. First and foremost, the signature Uber tricks that each rider can perform now have three different variations. In order to perform your Uber tricks your Adrenaline Meter has to be full, and performing regular tricks is what fills it up. You can use your Adrenaline Meter to boost or to perform Uber tricks, but if you don't use it you lose it after a while.
The key to successfully pulling off tricks and racking up big points depends almost entirely on good timing. If you find yourself in midair twisting and turning but fail to stop your trick in time you'll hit the ground with a thud and take a nasty tumble. Figuring out exactly when to stop performing tricks in order to land correctly takes a bit of practice, but once you get the timing down it's a breeze. Also, making good use of your Adrenaline Meter to boost so that you get more air can make a huge difference in your score, which in turn can make a big difference in how much cash you're awarded.
There are so many different tricks that you can do and subsequently chain together, so each player can be very creative and stylistic as far as their tricks are concerned. There are two primary modes in the game: Single Event and Conquer The Mountain. The Single Event mode is basically a practice mode. It's the best place to get the hang of the game and to try different tricks. You can either play the Race submode or the Freestyle submode in Single Event mode. Choose Race and you simply race a number of opponents. Choose Freestyle and it's just you and the mountain while you do as many tricks as you can.
Once you feel comfortable with the gameplay you can take on the Conquer The Mountain mode. By placing in the top three in any of Conquer The Mountain's submodes - which include Race, Freestyle, and Freeride - you earn cash that can be used to buy new accessories for your rider and or upgrade his or her attributes. The Race mode pits you against five other competitors in, appropriately enough, a race to the finish. In the Freestyle mode you have to score points by performing tricks and you have to beat other riders in one-on-one challenges. Last but not least, in Freeride mode you have to complete specific challenges and obtain certain items that are littered throughout each course.
Most of the characters in SSX 3 appeared in SSX and or SSX Tricky, except for four. Those four are Viggo, Griff, Allegra, and Nate. The others are Kaori, Mac, Elise, Psymon, Moby, and Zoe. Each of the ten characters all starts off with the same attributes, so whichever one you pick won't really make that big of a difference. One thing that would have made a big difference is Xbox Live support, but the multiplayer mode is fun enough without it.
Funfactor:
What's not to love? SSX 3 is a blast from the moment you start playing it until the moment you finish. The outlandish tricks, fantastically designed courses, and extensive rider customization options show a polish and depth that most sports games - mainstream or otherwise - can't begin to match. The gameplay is simple enough to learn yet difficult to master, and the myriad of modes are enough to keep anyone busy for quite a while. Add a friend and you've got one hell of a great multiplayer experience. This definitely isn't a game you'll blow through in a few hours, but it is a game you'll keep coming back to for a long time to come.
Overview:
EA Sports BIG has managed to do what a lot of developers routinely fail to do - release sequels that definitively improve upon their predecessors. SSX 3 takes the core gameplay that made SSX and SSX Tricky so acclaimed and revs it up a few notches, making what would have otherwise been a really good game into a really great game. The lack of custom soundtrack support is a little puzzling, as is the lack of Xbox Live support, but those two drawbacks don't significantly detract from the enjoyment you'll garner playing SSX 3. If you liked either or both of the two previous SSX games then you should purchase SSX 3 without hesitation. Those unfamiliar with the SSX series should also give SSX 3 a try at the very least; it may well be the most fun you have with a videogame this year.
| Visuals: | 4.5 |
| Audio: | 4.0 |
| Gameplay: | 4.0 |
| Funfactor: | 4.5 |
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| Overall: | 4.5 |
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