SSX Tricky

Electronic Arts

    SSX Tricky is a very original game.  The object is to down an ice-covered mountain at speeds up to 73 MPH while performing special tricks to get speed boosts.  You also crash trough buildings, race on top of buildings, go flying in the air, hit light posts, knockdown your opponent, etc..  SSX Tricky is an extremely fun game to play.  It really captures all the excitement of SSX racing and adds a whole lot more to it.  You will have a great time trying to perform tricks while you are in the air.  There are over 30 tricks you can perform. 

     The graphics on SSX are just above average.  The characters are well rendered and their movements are a sight for sore eyes.  Facial expressions, cut scenes, interaction between characters and everything else are pretty well done.  The character animations are pretty smooth and detailed.  Although sometimes the characters just go straight trough each other or right trough some structures on the game.  The Intro movie is does not have good quality but it is fun to watch because it looks like a music video.  The frame rate seems to decrease in some parts of the game though. 

     SSX Tricky shines on its sound effects.  The character voices fit their personalities perfectly.  One thing that makes this game fun to play is that the characters insult each other as you race down the mountain.  Your character will let out an insult as you get close to your opponents.  It is hilarious!!  Not only that but each character seems to do this in their different language.  There is English, Japanese, French and Spanish spoken.  I don’t know about the other characters language though.  The soundtrack is pretty cool.  It is that song “Its Tricky” by Run DMC.  The sound gets more intense as you perform more tricks and fill up your boost bar.  It really makes the game more exciting.  The locut 

    The control is average.  It takes time to get used to these controls and you can’t edit them.  You can control your character with the D-pad or the Analog stick.  The directional pad is also used to rotate your character in the air.  You press the A button and your character gets ready for a jump if you let it go your character jumps.  The B button gives you a speed boost or does tricks if you are in the air.  The R, L,B and Z buttons do trick with your board depending on which combination you use.  The C analog stick is used to knock down your opponent.  You can knock him down in all directions depending on where he or she is.  

     The gameplay is the better things about this game.  You will be ecstatic as you jump off a incline and go flying high in the air you can rotate your character in all directions, make them grab their board in different ways and listen to them scream in excitement while the sound gets more intense.  There are twelve very original characters you can use and ten huge tracks each with shortcuts. You also get many modes of playing championship, practice, showoff (where you win by performing your best trick), time attack (beat the clock) and the 2 player mode.  You also have to keep track of your friends and enemies, the more you knockdown an opponent the more aggressive towards you they will turn.  You can see this by an exclamation point on top of them or by a status bar at the beginning and end of the game.  The characters also pick on each other at the beginning and end of the race in a computer-generated movie.  The menu selection is also cool, it is done in 3D and makes it fun to make your character and course choices.  You get new boards, outfits and characters the more championships you win.  You also have to build your characters skills.  By winning championships you get skill points to add to each of the following skills edging, stability, tricks and speed.  You get total of six skill points on each match, the amount depends on whether you get a gold, silver or bronze medal.  You can replay it if you don’t get the gold medal at first. And finally there is the Uber trick, a trick you can when your speed boost meter reaches its max.  It is a thrill to perform this trick. 

    Overall SSX Tricky is a great game.  I really enjoy playing it.  The first day I had it I played it all day.  I would recommend you to buy it even if you don't like snowboarding races.  It is fast paced racer that stands out from the rest.  Definitely addictive and entertaining.  It is now selling for $39.99 on most stores but I bet you can find it cheaper on Ebay.  

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