4/10 ...... MyCriticReview - PS3
" Being a long time fan of the SSX franchise; this game is a big disappointment. With so many issues, from control bugs and sensitivity, to the speed of the game, to reducing the skill gap of the game. You rarely feel in control and the game becomes frustrating and boring very quickly. As there is no traditional multiplayer or splitscreen; there is not even any real social interaction between players anymore. "

0/10 .... MAD_JIHAD - PS3
This game is garbage. You can literally win a game by not touching the controller! You have to actually TRY to crash or fail. This game is a testament to the hand holding in modern console games. Go search Youtube for "SSX no controller" to see what I am talking about.

2/10 .... Mensrea - 360
If they cut any more corners, there would be nothing left. No splitscreen, no skiing?! WTF. Why would they just take a complete step back from previous installments. Whatever, I will just keep playing on tour. I hope the man who created this game burns in hell

4/10 .... campute - 360
No split screen .... unbelievable for a SSX game !! Multiplayer mode absolutely pathetic; no matchmaking ... I can't believe it ! .... I do not recommend it.

6/10 .... StylePile - 360
I've played all the games in the SSX series (minus the Wii version) and had high hopes for this game but and ultimately disappointed. If this was my first SSX game i would score it an 8 but here are my reasoning for my score: PROS: Core elements of the game are still there with crazy tricks and a great feeling of speed. The courses for the most part are interesting and beautiful. The online mode is good if that is the kind of competition you enjoy (more for the hardcore type of gamer). The music is good in my opinion and you can play your own playlist if you like. The controls are almost perfect except for the few gimmicky options when using classic controls. CONS: No hand-plants? No Big Air events? No Half-pipes? Useless rewind (wish you would just spawn back where you died). I guess the idea of the game being "Deadly Descents" is carried through almost all the courses because it is very easy to fall into chasms which pretty much means you need to start the course over in race events. This game is more about being technically perfect when riding than having fun doing insane tricks and getting high scores. Every character has the same moves except for one signature move. You can't purchase new moves either. Missing split-screen and no head-to-head multi-player is a big let down for me also. I'm not a hardcore gamer who wants to beat the world at everything. If that is the kid of gamer you then this game would probably be right up you alley. Many aspects of this game seem to be included to ramp up the difficulty but not the fun. I just wish they would have stuck closer to the original formula and added more courses, tricks, and upgrade options.

9/10 - jwillimanorris ...... 360
Edge magazine is just another one of those crappy reviewers who's biased and too harsh on game scores. They rate 85% lower than avg critics, explaining this stupidly low score for a game deserving no less than a 75 or 80 at absolute worst. Meanwhile they also rated games like "Monster Rancher 4", and "Indiana Jones the Emperors tomb" (which was so bad they said it had instant death glitches) HIGHER than SSX. Seriously? MONSTER RANCHER?? What a terrible reviewer.

junker Feb 28, 2012 10
I've been a fan of the SSX series since the first release of SSX on the PS2. Though I lost a little interest after SSX 3 seeing "On Tour" and "Blur" seemed a little ridiculous so I stuck with SSX 3 until I got burnt out and moved on. It had been years since I've played any of the previous SSX titles so I got online to check and see if any new titles were in the near future and sure enough, SSX was coming to 360 and PS3 and it looked amazing. I waited impatiently for the demo to release on XBL and honestly, the demo doesn't do the game justice. The new "Survive It" mode is intense. It has a new feel with new controls but for SSX veterans, you have the option to switch it to old school controls but it seems you don't twist and turn as fast as the default controls. It takes a couple races and trick sessions to get used to, but once you have it down you'll be carving down every mountain with ease. There is a lot more I could say, but I'm sure you've already heard. This game brings back good memories that I had with SSX but in a new and more intense way. You will enjoy this if you're an SSX fan so pick it up right now and get to shreddin'!!

EliteXPhoenix Feb 28, 2012 9
I've played every single SSX game to date, and every time after SSX 3 i have been severely let down, even 3 didn't have the flair that trick did. This game is an almost perfect marriage between Tricky and 3. The open world from 3 and the absolutely over the top tricks from tricky. Only one thing makes me lower the score from a perfect 10 and that the fact that its missing couch co-op. Playing SSX tricky the main thing me and my friends did was go to Pipe Dream and try for the biggest scores and biggest air. The only way this game could get any better is if they re-introduce that type of multi-player.

Pvtcinna Feb 29, 2012 10
Do not listen to these trolls with there negative reviews! the game itself does not require a online pass if purchased new it comes with a code. There is a TON of multiplayer in this game. yes some of the multiplayer is in the form of global events were many plays all compete but if you want to just play with your friends you simply make a friends only global event. BOOM! your playing with your friends on your own private drop. This SSX is everything i hoped for plus more. it is an exceptional game in every possible way. And for all those that are complaining about there being no Split Screen. the reason this is so is because of the massive scale of the drops a normal display would not allow both players to see enough of the terrain ahead to be able to enjoy the drop. you would be limited to what you could see making finding the best spots very difficult Finally if you have ever played SSX before and found any amount of joy in it this game is for YOU. - It does everything an SSX game should do. - It allows for insane tricks and races down the most unimaginably fun drops. -And with 153 different events, not including custom global events were you set the rules, there is enough content to keep you coming back to compete with rivals over and over again.

Zentriefugal Feb 28, 2012 10
A great symbiosis between fun and competition and a brisk blow in times of a realism plagued MW & BF gaming world. Fast, tricky and some new features which make it worth buying.

choster Feb 28, 2012 10
dont let other confuses you, THERE IS REAL TIME MULTIPLAYER, the only difference is that there is no lobbys, but they cant fix it with a patch. awesome game, awesome graphics, ton of content and replayebility, great soundtrack. this is the game of the year for me.

DTM3000 Feb 28, 2012 9
SSX is to put it simply a phenomenal game, one that I was greatly surprised by. After playing the demo, I was definitely convinced to buy this game and I am so glad I did, despite a few difficulty spikes this game is fun to play and watch the environment unfold in front of you. I am enjoying every single run that I have done thus far and the controls are so brilliantly mapped to where the game just feels 'right'. The animations are also phenomenal yielding some crazy ass tricks and some really cool atmospheric conditions. Overall I would recommend this game to anyone considering how fun it is to play not to mention watch and the implementation of rider net (aka autolog, battlelog etc) is really interesting as you can race 'ghost' versions of your friends times as well as race against them in real time. SSX is a phenomenal reboot for EA and I am hoping they continue this franchise.

omaxus Feb 28, 2012 10
Finaly we get it ! best ssx incarnation of all time !! didn't know why Edge gave it a 5 it sems they dont know what a Snowboard is used to be ! but anyway good job EA

Someguy47 Feb 28, 2012 10
The perfect SSX game. Waited for many years for this and was not dissapointed. The person who submitted a 4/10 review is simply idiotic. Saying the multiplayer is pathetic or whatever he said is rediculous. Rather than put out the same old outdated lobby system where you spend more time waiting then playing, they made the genius RiderNet system, which will keep groups of friends locked in competition for ages. If you have a decent group of friends this type of multiplayer will provide you with much more entertainment than 'traditional' multiplayer. Oh and yes there IS real time multiplayer, dont let others tell you otherwise. Its called Global Events. This game is easy to pick up and play, and feel like your awesome, but difficult to master. The Ridernet systen and brilliant online features will keep you playing for absoloutely ages. They listenes to the fans and did exactly what was asked. Ssx is back, and this is possibly the best one yet. Definately the best reboot I've ever played. 10/10

Revric Feb 29, 2012 10 I loved SSX 3 and I love this. This game is everything it needed to be. A more polished version of the old SSX games with more content. Definately not regretting thus purchase!

solsunforge Feb 29, 2012 9 I been a ssx fan for a long time now and I will first say this isnt ssx tricky as I hoped it would be but it is a lot better then ssx on tour or ssx 3. The tricks are even more insane then tricky which I actually didn't want because I thought they were just right back then. The different boards have varied stats and there are items you can buy with in game currency that will change your attributes which is all fine but the added extra items I dislike except the wingsuit which allows you to clear massive gaps(short bursts of flight) The amount of courses is very impressive and the added competitiveness of beating your friends ghost times or trick scores is very fun. All in all I would reccomend this for anyone who loves ssx,snowboarding or any type of arcade game where you can rack up points doing insane things. It seems a lot easier then ever before which will cater to casual players but with the sheer number of courses and all the fun that is offered here it isn't much of a detractor.Enjoy! xbox360 gamertag solsunforge. Look me up I need the competition.

Sniffychimp Feb 28, 2012 9 A fantastic evolution of the SSX franchise. The important feeling of speed, immense jumps, and ridiculous tricks are all here! A common complaint is a lack of traditional multiplayer, but I find the "Ridernet" multiplayer system to make up for it. While you cannot race a friend immediately next to you on the couch or participate in the matchmaking game types many are familiar with, you instead race your friend's and online opponents ghosts. The intense white-knuckle competition still exists, and it's awesome to know that your high score will be announced to your friends and other players you have crushed. I highly recommend picking SSX up today!

AmazinKazin Feb 29, 2012 9 One of the best action sports games I've played in a while. Brings back the memories for sure. I don't know why people are complaining about the controls, they're smooth and quick to get used to. All 3 different game modes are great and perfectly integrated with the "Rider Net" online. Good job EA.

Antezz Feb 29, 2012 10 Ive started playing SSX at the first game on my PS2. The SSX Journey have been very long, and good. I still play SSX 3 and im lovin' it. But when i bought this... The Social Competition with your friends will never end. Those who think different are losers.

jbar871 Feb 28, 2012 8 You get the feeling like after they scrapped the whole edgy SSX they lost touch with the charm the game should have. The music is sorta weak with a few exceptions and the characters feel kinda boring. Still though, the game is still SSX and it's still satisfying to land crazy tricks and go super fast.

SimRyd Feb 28, 2012 9 ......... PS3
Excellent game, great re-incarnation of SSX. Intense, crisp, graphically stunning and a great interface. Possibly the most fun I've had from any video game in the last 12 months. Welcome back SSX - thanks for providing an excellent escape from the FPS & RPG drone.

SacredGray Feb 28, 2012 9 ......... PS3
Honestly, the good reviews I've read of this game are accurate (GameSpot, Destructoid), whereas the negative ones (Game Informer, Joystiq) place entirely too much emphasis on the Survive It challenges. Both users and critics alike just seem to not like the fact that it's built to be harder than its predecessors. Do not mistake this game for an HD remake of the first SSX game on PS2. I played SSX, Tricky, and SSX3 extensively. I played the demo for this one and preordered it immediately afterward. I'm still having a blast. It's definitely harder than any of its predecessors, but that's about all. Why was Dark Souls' challenge such a good thing (it wasn't, it drove me crazy) and this game is being chastised for being harder than people assumed it would be?

pjlennon Mar 1, 2012 9 ......... PS3
I see idiots on here giving the game a zero because they can get down a hill without touching the controller. I take it most of these tools have never played a SSX game before and don't realize that getting down the hill is not the point of the game. On the levels where it is the point (survival) you'd quickly fail doing that nonsense.It's a definite improvement over the previous SSX games. The gameplay IS smooth if you know what you're doing, but I can see how people that lack dexterity in their hands could easily become frustrated at times. The game is by no means "too hard" at any point. It does lack a split-screen / offline-multiplayer option so if I were going to mark the game down for anything that would be it. Ridernet reminds me of the online challenges/aspects of a tiger woods game.

ThursdayLE Feb 28, 2012 10
I actually had a chance to play this game 4 days before it was released. After putting in a good 15-20 hours, This game is better than what I had expected. The game-play is extremely addicting and never seems to get old. The game is still not repetitive even after doing all the descents. The first time you get into Super Tricky mode and you hear run start singing it's EPIC! The variety of the different areas is very impressive. EA Canada really did go all out with the creativity in equipment needed for the different mountain ranges. The survival stages are a great new and intense addition to the series. Loading times seem almost non-existent at times, which may not be a big deal but I think it's great. Using RiderNet gives you the ability to compete in races online with ghosts is really cool because you don't have to be on the at the same time to play with a friend technically. The music is fresh and is really unique how it mixes the songs based on how you move and tricks you do, It also works with your own custom music. The few negatives I thought are that there's no option for 2 player split-screen, No lobbies or match-making for "Live" multiplayer races. Even with the multiplayer being a bit non-traditional, the new take on online is actually very convenient and I actually like it. Overall this is a game that should not be missed. If you are an ssx vet, you will feel like a kid again playing this game. This game and Twisted Metal IMO, bring back the fun in games and game play. Back when the industry thought more about game play than graphics. I highly recommend this game for anyone looking for a genuinely fun time.

phishhippy Feb 29, 2012 10
I haven't been this addicted to a game in a long time. I never thought a snowboarding game could be be better than Amped 3, but man am I glad to be wrong. I didn't care too much for the older ssx games; they just weren't polished enough on the control side of things and didn't have enough customization or replay value. SSX brings all that and so much more. The campaign mode has you traversing trick and race modes on your way to conquer 9 different "deadly descents" which each require you too wear and learn how to use pieces of equipment to survive. I wasn't sure about how I felt about them the first couple of trips down, but now competing to get the best scores or times against not only my friends list, but the whole world is amazing. It adds a new layer of depth to an already complex game. You level up your characters and earn credits through just about everything you do. A level 4 character with good level 4 equipment might score a 4million run and a level 10 character with the best equipment might score an 80million run, so the competition is exciting and rewarding. I prefer this set-up to finding lobbies and competing against a few strangers who might have better stats than you anytime. There are plenty of varieties to the courses and difficulty ranges from letting go of the controller to get down the mountain all the way up to wtf times 11. The music is good but uploading your own tracks doesn't hurt after continuous hours of play. This game has great environmental graphics and character movement is hypnotic to watch with glowing stuff flying all over the screen. Loading times are thankfully very brief and if you do mess up it's likely player fault thanks to excellent tight controls. I'm looking forward to my next session and I can't wait to see the dlc for this game. Pick it up you like snowboarding, tony hawk games, competition games, racing games, easy games, hard games, there's something here for almost everyone. I couldn't give this game more thumbs up if I were someone with alot of thumbs. that sounded better in my head. see you in the sky. oh yeh, geotags are cool too

JayTee Feb 28, 2012 9 Ah! SSX! I've been waiting for you ever since SSX 3! And yes, I realize that there were other SSX games which came out after #3 but I can't say they wowed me in any sort of way (especially 'Blur' which was a HUGE disappointment). Thankfully, the reboot is fun, fast, beautifully detailed, challenging, hard to put down and, most importantly, never dull. However, there are a few minor problems which, in my opinion, keep the game from earning a perfect 10: the pre-set soundtrack (by far the worst in the series), the randomization of the custom soundtrack (or LACK of randomization), and the bizarre omission of 2-player split-screen action. Let's start with the soundtrack: The tunes which came with the game are achingly bad... so terrible in fact that I had to mute the game on many occasions to avoid having my ears sullied with such boring mediocrity. Luckily enough there is a custom soundtrack option so shredding the mountain to your favorite tunes is a possibility (or mandatory if you're like me and can't stand the lack-luster pre-set songs). Still, there is a problem with this... the randomizer on the ps3 playlist sucks! I had a playlist of over 200 songs yet I keep hearing the same 20 or so over and over (I’m new to the ps3 world so I’m not sure if this is the game’s fault or the system’s fault). Also, a lack of a 2-player split-screen mode is perplexing although I can't complain too much since I only have one working controller at the moment. Despite a few miniscule problems, SSX is the snowboarding game the world has been pining for. 87/100

Xborn74 Feb 28, 2012 8 The game is the Next-Gen version of one of the most classic games in Snowboarding in other consoles of past generations: SSX (Snowboarding Supercross) has a story based on 3 characters of the franchise, who want to ellect the 9 best snowboarders in the world, and to do this, they create a competition in various mountains, in all continents (there are 27 mountains in 9 continents, including Antarctica). The game brings back new and classic characters of various incarnations of the game: this title in particular has one of its most widely spoken (by the developers at EA Canada) innovations, the use of satellite maps from NASA to recreate the mountains in the game, with a reworking of it's features, and the interaction with players around the world (both of them, that we have already seen in Stoked, by the way). The gameplay basics: your character is able to perform the most diverse maneuvers, with simple combinations of buttons/analog controls, which fills bars of "special" moves, that let you perform craziest tricks yet - and you earn credits in competitions, using them to buy various accessories that allow from changing the characters clothing, to improving their individual characteristics. The "special" bars are of two types: the first a bar, is the "Tricky", where usual special maneuvers are made, and the maximum special bar, where you can perform the "Uber Tricks", which are the signature manuvers of each character, and the most impressive.With the credits you earn, you can buy from new clothing or accessories for your character, to equipment (including boards, which improve the basic attributes: Speed, Boost and Tricks), protective equipment (against impact in the "survival" modes), and other Boost upgrades for the player stats, that can be in Slots. The controls are simple and intuitive: analog sticks are used to rotate (LS) and maneuver (RS), and these can also be made with the respective control buttons, according to their position.Through the gameplay, you gain XP and Credits that are used to buy upgrades and accessories, respectively. There are the traditional tracks, where the goal is to compete against other player for points, and races modes, both normal and a variant with obstacles - and you can play both in day or night (much worse for the race with obstacles, by the way).In addition to the traditional modes where you follow the "story" and challenges the game, the main menu is a little confusing, in the style of Stoked, where you can access some of challenges and of course the part online, not tested - this incarnation of the game also use helicopters (as in Stoked) and wingsuit, (driven by RB).The online part is in the form of Global Events, where you can access constants challenges against any user connected to the EA server, and can also see all other users while they are in the same region you running around.The graphics are good: the style is the same cartoon -look, but more detailed and elaborate: some pixelation can be seen in the general details of the textures and menus, but not the characters. Overall the detail is not as good as other titles, as Stoked (who has the best graphics, in my opinion): light effects, are good too, but not a hypnotic thing as in previous versions of the franchise.The character style is exaggerated - for those unfamiliar with the series, they resemble the characters of Saints Row.The environments in the game are full of structures for tricks and grinds, among cliffs, gullies, trees, rails and everything else to be expected in a Snowboard game, but the graphics highlights in the game are the speed "feeling", huge jumps and mad maneuvers, and in these points, he impresses much more than the other snowboarding games in the Xbox 360.As for the sound track, the game has a particular style of presentation, that is the same of recent EA games (as in Dirt 3, among others), and features songs from various groups, ranging from styles such as Hip-Hop, Drum and Bass and electronics (particularly the lack of Rock bothers me, but there is the option to use a set list of your Xbox360 musics, and to disable the songs you do not like).The voices of the characters and their interjections, are irritating some times, but nothing like in Shaun White (thanks God), but in general are well balanced and appropriate to the game.My opinion?Graphically speaking, this is not the best game of Snowboarding in Xbox360 (not spectacular, but very good), but the high point of all the franchise, still is the Gameplay, so, in that respect, he is the best Xbox360 snowboarding game, ARCADE style, leaving behind Amped 3 and Shaun White Snowboarding (the worst game of the genre in my opinion).I did not think this game is the best of the SSX series, but it is a good return of the SSX, in a incarnation with new features added, and above all fun (which is all that matters); I expected more out of it in the total, but I am well pleased. My score: 8.2 / 10.0

Anothinlefttosay Feb 28, 2012 10 ......... PS3
fter finishing the world tour aspect of the new SSX, I came onto here expecting to see nothing but positive reviews from nearly everyone. From personal experience; playing through every SSX game to date, I can honestly say this game has improved exponentially on it's predecessors. In terms of graphical value, features such as the deadly descents and the 9 different areas, (or 10 if you include Mt. Fuji,) this game in my opinion is the best snowboarding game ever made. The new RiderNet feature is as fun to play and compete in as it is innovative and original. The bugs are extremely slim compared to the vast success in this game, and anyone who reviews differently is either being nit picky or just plain stupid. Yes as mad_jihad said below you can get to the bottom of one of the initial, warm up runs without touching the controller, and yes that is babying the player. But the beginning levels are for beginners, and aren't the first few levels in every game supposed to baby the player? The average player should be able to play the game too, and not everyone is as much of an all star as my counterparts below. Nevertheless to put all of this to rest; I can assure you, the last few deadly descents in this game do anything but "baby" you. Don't judge a book by it's cover.

Rxbadass25 Feb 29, 2012 10 ......... PS3
Overall, I am VERY impressed with this game. Having been an avid fan of the SSX series in the past (not including Blur or On Tour and SSX 3 being my all time favorite) I was extremely excited to see this game coming down the pipe. I was a tiny bit skeptical about purchasing this game at first because they had included new mechanics to the gameplay (flight suit and what have you) but these new features flow extremely naturally into both online and offline play. The storyline is a tad weak, but the levels, characters, and gameplay more than make up for this shortcoming. If you go into playing this game expecting it to be EXACTLY like SSX 3, you're probably going to be disappointed, but if you go in just expecting what SSX usually has to offer (fast-pace gameplay, unique characters, awesome uber tricks, gorgeous levels) you're going to be a lot happier with the experience. Although there were some missing aspects to this game that I wish were included (i.e. some characters from previous games and DJ Atomika) there's really very little to complain about here. And I'm sure EA is going to create DLC for this game so that you can play as your favorite SSX veterans again (I may be wrong, but DLC is such a cash cow in games these days, it's entirely possible). The customizable track lists is one of the best features and the online play is phenomenal. If you have 60 bucks in your wallet and want a game that's going to keep you occupied for hours on end, do yourself a favor and go buy this game. DO EET NAAAAOOOWWW!!

TheThriller95 Feb 28, 2012 10 ......... PS3
Story/Career - This game is truly phenomenal when it comes to its story and career mode. It's Team SSX vs. Griff. Team SSX is a group of snowboarders competing against Griff, who is a rider that abandoned Team SSX after getting too **** In this mode you explore different mountains with over 150 drops around the world such as the Himalayas, The Rockies and more. This game is adrenaline pumping like playing a first person shooter. I am 16 and I've been playing SSX since 2001 in the PS2 days. SSX isn't just a snowboarding game. There's more to it than that. This is the best offline experience I ever had. I admit the boss battles can be a bit difficult, but besides that it truly impresses. I know the developers worked incredibly hard on this game. Also, characters from previous SSXs has returned. Score: 100/100 Graphics - This game uses Frostbite Engine 2, which is what Battlefield 3 uses for its graphics. These graphics look noticeably better than Battlefield when it comes to the graphics. Living in Georgia I don't see snow much and the snow in this game looks real. I don't understand why GameInformer was stomping the game for its graphics when it has some of the best graphics. Every environmental detail pops out to you. Score: 100/100 Gameplay - The gameplay on here is really smooth. The character you're playing would make remarks and so would the AI. The soundtrack is alright, but this game has dubstep and I'm not really a fan of that. Other genres include Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soft Rock, Hard Rock and some Pop music. If you don't like the soundtrack, you can play your own music with custom soundtracks. Tricks are easy to pull off and I use the new standard controls instead of the classic controls just because it feels smoother. There's this thing called "Tricky" that lets you perform nearly impossible tricks and it gives you a rush. I'm a little disappointed that this doesn't have a replay option so I could look at my event. The previous SSXs had this. It's a shame. Replay is a big feature left out to me, but I learned to deal with it. The game has a rewind feature, but when you use that rewind feature, a penalty is given. You lose points and the rewind just rewinds you and not your AI. It's kind of impressive actually. If they were able to add a rewind feature, they could have added a replay feature. Score: 100/100 Multiplayer - My favorite Multiplayer at the moment. Instead of actually having a race or trick event with like 7 other people to place in 1st, 2nd or 3rd, you compete in real-time with a number of others by jumping out of a helicopter. Example: I finish in a time of 1:42, that would put first on the standings as to where maybe a 2:40 would put be second or third in the standings. It's different and I like it. Your placing in events also compete with your friends standing. Some SSX fans might be upset that this SSX doesn't have Split-Screen. Its really no surprise coming from a EA published game. It doesn't bother me though. This is one of the more impressive Multiplayer experiences because it actually feels like you're competing around the world. I will be on this for a long time and I like dominating my friends. Score: 100/100 Playing Time - I will spend hundreds of hours on this game and the replay value is very high. If you don't want to buy the game, then think about renting the game. Score: 100/100 Overall rating: 98/100 (A+) Other notes: If you pre-ordered the game or reserved a limited edition copy, you get Eddie and his snowboard. Eddie last inducted into SSX Tricky to my knowledge. SSX for PS3 has Mt. Fuji as an exclusive. I have yet to try out this mountain.

Flandy Feb 29, 2012 9 ......... PS3
Alright, I feel as though I have to debunk the blatant lies in MAD_JIHAD's review, since random smear campaigns are the scourge of user based reviews. Can you make it down the first track without touching the controller? Yes. Can you "literally win a game?" No. Not a race, not a trick and not a survival track. Most tracks have pitfalls of sorts, or environmental dangers which if you do not avoid, you won't make it down the track, let alone win without touching the controller. This is also not even mentioning trick tracks which you need to actual chain tricks together to win, meaning again, the controller has to be used. With that out of the way, this game will bring back the nostalgic feelings if you were a fan of the previous games. It still has that arcade feel with the audio and video, as well as the ridiculous speed, tricks and locales. The game is clearly meant for the online mode. The single player can be completed in a solid night, but some events are literally a week or two long. This is a world ranking (barring region stats, which I'm no aware of) game. There are a dozens of tracks all with leaderboards to compete with and an ongoing leveling system for the characters and gearing system to work towards to constantly improve times, scores and distances. Also some genuinely difficult tracks, at least at lower character/gear levels, provides laughs and A LOT of replays. Overall, a great game, basically a HD remake of Tricky but with online stat tracking and more tracks. I give this a 9 because EVENTUALLY this may grow stale for some if they aren't into trying to stay on the leaderboard.

Being an SSX veteran I see why Standard controls might be more convenient for Newbies, but my SSX instincts will always go back to Classic controls. Classic controls are perfect. They are exactly as I remembered from the old SSX 3 times. And that's the problem. I did notice that flips and rotations are slower in the Classic settings as compared to Standard controls which should be a bummer for all veterans.

I think even considering that World Tour is one big tutorial, I still believe that the learning curve is a bit too steep and rough. A voiced tutorial here and there might have helped a lot. It is easy to learn the controls, but it is a lot more difficult to master the controls. I think anybody who believes that he/she can figure out SSX physics in 1 week better be prepared for some rage quits.

That being said I think they put a lot of thought into the physics engine which is by far the best of all SSX titles. It finally makes sense! Yes, you can race towards a steep hill and use it as a halfpipe, the game finally counts in momentum and carving feels better and better as you level up, and soft snow won't suddenly slow you down. The physics also show in new features such as the wingsuit controls or ice axes. Really, mastering SSX means to understand the laws of physics in this game.

The only thing that really sucks is the Grind button. The guy behind this deserves a good slapping. Grinding logs simply won't work. Take a heart and avoid them by any means, except that one log that leads to a 1 million credit snowflake.

For the first time in any SSX, you'll actually have the choice to stop your ubertrick making falling virtually impossible. First I had my doubts about this but now I don't want to go back to the days where you have to carefully calculate how much hangtime you had on the next jump and whether it was enough for an Uber, Super-Uber or Signature trick. This also means that you can easily score millions. Fortunately, EA introduced the Flow system which discourages people from grinding up a mountain and combo spamming. But on the bad side, they forgot to include the combo pie from SSX 3 leaving it up to you to figure out when your combo will bank or not. The whole thing feels pretty arbitrary and sometimes frustrating, too.

You have World Tour, Explore It and Global Events. World Tour is the Story mode which introduces you to the characters, mountain ranges, gears and events. It's relatively short but then again it's only the tip of the iceberg. Explore it is where all the stuff really is. 150 drops will keep you busy for weeks and provide a nice opportunity to level all of the characters up.

Online Multiplayer
Global Events is for those who have seen enough of Explore It and want to compete with the real guys and gals out there. It's an asynchronous multiplayer mode which allows you to compete against the best in your friends lists for 30,000 - 15,000,000 credits if you can afford it. I think it's a small bummer that EA did not provide lounges for real-time multiplayer events. But it's not that you will miss it too much. Asynchronous multiplayer allows you to compete with ghosts and people who happen to be on the same track at the same time and thus you can restart whenever you want. And you want to do that because many tracks are full of crevasses that will surprise you.
Overall I did not imagine Global Events to be like that. I had something like SSX 3 in mind where you would free-roam the mountains with hundreds of real-time players having the choice to jump into an event, simply keep free-roaming or visit a physical lodge on the mountain to change your gear and snowboard. I also miss the fact that you cannot write short PMs to friends to invite them to an event where you are currently competing.
I guess this multiplayer will do too. It's definitely not bad and the Google Earth-like globe makes picking one of the 150 drops less of a pain.

Explore It, RiderNet and Level Design
Explore It gives you the choice of 150 just like Global Events. Except that it is a bit more offline. You will still see how well you do compared to online friends though which keeps things interesting since you have the choice of what board and what kind of gear you want to use. RiderNet allows you to check how you do compared to your friends. It also keeps record of your badges.
But just like in SSX 3, I wish this RiderNet menu was embedded into the events so that you could check what badges you need to earn by simply pushing the "Start" button while being on the track. It would save people the hassle of quitting an event, then going to RiderNet to check the badges and then going back to the event.

Going back to the drops. They are challenging and you have a HUGE choice and each has a very unique level design that will keep you busy for weeks. It's hard to pick a favorite among them although I love to visit Patagonia for a speed kick, Rockies to chillax, and avoid Africa at night like fire. Unfortunately there are too many tracks that have way too many crevasses. I don't mind the bigger crevasses, but the small crevasses in the middle of a track or in a dark tunnel are just trolling. My hypothesis is that the level designers have played those tracks too much, got bored and added new challenges. That would also explain Zombies with Jetpacks in World Tour. That track will break your heart. Often I'm very happy when I'm on a track that has no crevasses, no mean trees placed to ruin your perfect line and no rocks that squeeze you to death.

Like many veterans I'm also somewhat disappointed that there is no city track (Merqury City, Metro City, Nintendo Village, call it whatever you want) in this SSX. Something DLC could fix though.

Phew, finally, my favorite topic. I don't know where to start. Hmm... how about the character models.
Faces and character models in general are beau.ti.ful. The love for detail is written all over them although some might consider them uglier than the characters in SSX Tricky and SSX 3, they are still alright.
Level design and textures are top notch while keeping the framerate at a smooth 30 fps. 60 fps would have been better though. For the first time, the mountains in the background are also 3D providing a beautiful panorama.
The lighting and shadowing is incredible. While EA always keeps quiet about the engine they used for SSX, they definitely used some high end lighting effects in the game. The atmosphere is absolutely believable from a dark snow storm in the Himalayas to the beautiful sunny weather of the Rockies, it's all in the game. All shadows are real time, crisp and soft. Radiosity and HDR rendering are adding to the already spectacular visuals making everything even more believable by allowing light to flow into the large caves and through the helicopter windows. Here and there you will see snow falling and snowflakes reflecting from the ground. The visuals have been highly polished from the stuff I have seen in the pre-alpha and I'm very very happy. This is by far the best looking SSX there is though I still wish there were overlapping shadows in the game because more than often I would hit a hill that was sitting in the shadow. From the distance it looks like flat ground until you hit it with your rider's face big time.

Regarding animations, trees and hair are moving in the wind, fog, snowstorms and big dark clouds are moving in all directions creating an convincing mountain atmosphere. Character animations in the helicopter and during the event are great, smooth and as natural as it gets. Making spins and flips has never looked better. But after the event, some of them will do gestures that are just.... weird and awkward. I would have loved to see some character interaction in form of dialogues like in SSX Tricky and SSX 3 instead.

There is not too much to say about the sound. As an SSX fan, I had very very high expectations and they have all been met. EA Sports remember every little thing about the sound in SSX. The monologues of the riders, the arcade sound effects from back in the day, the fast-paced D'n'B music. Sometimes when I listened to the music I felt like I was re-living a previous SSX title. New additions are the helicopter pilots who will comment on your progress and warn you from crevasses. If something about the sound bothers you, you will love the huge choices you have to customize the sound. For the first time you will also be able to add your own music by simply picking a playlist from your console hard drive. That requires that you have the mp3 versions of the songs though. If you like some of the in-game songs you can also choose to turn off certain songs. I wish there was the option to blend your custom music with in-game music though.