Review: SSX Snowboarding Game a Must-Have

— -- One of the great things about video games is that it gives you afeel for doing things you would never do in a million years in reallife.

Aerial dogfights. Driving 200-mph race cars. Fighting to thedeath with slavering space aliens.

Or snowboarding.

You may find snowboarding the greatest thing going. Thecombination of being wet, cold and facing a six-hour crawl home infoot-deep snow with a broken ankle means you’ll catch mesnowboarding … well, you won’t catch me snowboarding.

But if I ever did go snowboarding, it would be because avideogame made it so attractive I just couldn’t resist.

That game would be SSX, now available for the PlayStation 2 fromElectronic Arts Canada for EA Sports.

Built for Power

SSX is one of the few games spawned for the PS2 which actuallytakes advantage of the new machine’s extra power and abilities.

That muscle gives the game a spectacular look and feel as itplunges you into a series of stomach-churning tracks with brilliantgraphics and solid control.

A snowboard game is only as good as its tricks, and SSX has amonster selection. Switches, lates and fakies (leading with youroff-foot) are as easy as pushing the right buttons. You can ridethe rails (slide along a rail, log or other obstacle), spin or flipin midair — and earn points in the process.

The game also gives you a number of modes in which to perform.Warmup teaches you how to pull off those spectacular tricks, whileFreeride lets you run one of two courses or get in some additionalpractice without any pressure.

Eventually, you’ll have to put your talent on the line in one ofthe competition modes like World Circuit, a full season of racingagainst the best on the planet. Or try a Single Event, whichincludes race and showoff selections. There’s also theobstacle-loaded Adventure mode and the Knockdown mode, where youwin if you flatten the most opponents.

There are seven venues to compete on, including a Hawaiianglacier and a snowbound city, with one bonus track available. Andof course, there’s a head-to-head mode which lets you competeagainst a friend.

Virtual Competition

If you have no friends, the game provides competition for you.Not only are the game’s cyber-boarders really good, but they cheat,kicking and pushing you out of the way as they zip past. You haveto catch a lot of air and keep away from the wipeouts if you haveany hope of victory.

Graphics get an A. They are beautiful, almost movie-like intheir realism, with such wonderful touches as haloes around lightsand deliciously detailed and animated characters.

Control gets another A. You can jump right in and shred almostfrom the moment the power goes on, and you can perfectly place yourboarder almost every time. Tricks are easy to pick up after a bitof practice.

Sound is a B+; I didn’t fall in love with the techie music, butthe voices and commentary are excellent and not as repetitive asother sports games on the market.

Give SSX an A. Even if your idea of exercise is running to therefrigerator during commercials, you are going to really like SSX.It’s lovely to look at and delightful to play, one of the fewmust-haves so far for the PS2.

SSX is rated E, for all ages.