Not a lot of people would have expected SSX to be what it was: the title that you had to have at the launch of the PlayStation 2. It was a simple, hip, and occasionally goofy snowboarding game that ended up being a big hit. Then in November of 2001, EA released SSX: Tricky, which took the goofy to the next level. It was another good game that did very well, so anyone who knows anything about games wasn't the least surprised when SSX 3 was recently announced.

While it was shown in video form on the E3 show floor, I was privy to a magical media room backstage, where I watched a play-through of the early version of the game.

The first thing that you notice is that SSX 3 is a lot sharper and hipper than Tricky was. The tracks and riders seem to be a bit more toned down, and there's less of an emphasis on fantastic displays of air. Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of crazy tricks and big air to be had, but the entire game felt edgier. Rather than touring the world and racing down some of the brightest, most colorful tracks around, I found that all of the action in SSX 3 takes place on just one mountain.

Scattered over the mountain are several different types of tracks, each of which is just a short board ride from your initial drop-off spot. There are tracks that will feel more familiar to fans of the previous games, but there are also some very long tracks, and many of them are more focused on exploration than veterans of the series are used to. Also, other riders may contact you on your PDA from time-to-time and challenge you to a race. And you will accept, because you are a man or woman of honor. During any race, you will earn money, and you can spend that money in a shop that will let you purchase new clothing, boards, and MP3s - or more accurately, new songs that you’ll hear during gameplay.

The Big Challenge mode is a unique addition to the game. Rather than just racing against a few of your wacky fellow boarders, you are presented with different challenges. Some, like riding a half pipe and having to break panes of glass suspended above it, proved to be a challenge even for some of the developers of the game. Others, such as one that was mentioned that challenged you to ride an entire course without getting more than ten seconds of air, change the entire dynamic of the game. Not to mention that last one sounds completely evil.

As if all the shiny newness that we've covered so far isn't enough to make your head spin, EA has also thrown in a Slope Style event, which is an entire event composed of enough jumps and grinds to ensure your head spins. The whole idea is to get an ebb and a flow to your tricks as you progress down the mountain, and there are more than enough different paths available to you to keep it fun.

Speaking of tricks, a ton of new ones are included here. Just like in Tricky, you’ll have Über Tricks, except that this time you can actually build them up, and deliver three different levels of Über Tricks, ranging from moderately insane to ludicrous. EA's bumped up the grinds too, adding Über Grinds as well as hand plants. More is always better.

You're intrigued by now, and that is good. Let me draw you in further by complimenting what I saw of SSX 3's graphics. The snow effects are something that words couldn't properly describe. Snow blows in the wind and sparkles realistically, and the entire game has a gleam to it that makes it one of the better-looking PS2 games so far, and it promises to look at least as good on the GameCube and Xbox. The sound, while early, was quite functional, and the soundtrack will feature artists such as N.E.R.D, Queens of the Stone Age, and The X-ecutioners, who perform a remix of "Higher Ground" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a song which I would expect will turn out to be the theme song of the game.

Key Features

• Realistic snow blows in the wind, sparkles, and reflects light
• Sexy Allegra, 12-year-old Griff, mountain man Nate, and Swedish Viggo join returning boarders Mac, Elise, Zoe, Moby, Psymon, and Kaori
• Big Challenge mode offers a new twist on SSX gameplay, introducing more strategy and patience
• Slope Style sends you down a route filled with jumps and grinds, encouraging you to take different paths
• More tricks, including Über Grinds, hand plants, and 3 levels of Über Tricks
• Deeper rewards system lets you buy new outfits, boards, music, and attributes
• More variety in gameplay: prefer half pipes to slope-style? Big air to race? Play through the game however you choose
• Soundtrack featuring artists like the X-ecutioners, Felix Da Housecat, Queens of the Stone Age, N.E.R.D., and many more
• Make the mountain yours: as you conquer more riders and routes, you'll be able to board wherever you like, and you can even rename the peaks

SSX 3 is carrying on a very popular bloodline, so you know that it will be making a lot of waves or drifts or something as the months go on. Stay tuned to The Next Level for all things SSX.

  
 

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