When the PlayStation 2 was released, the system needed a really killer game to launch with it. One of the best games that came out when the system was launched several years ago was a little game entitled SSX. This game hit gamers out of nowhere, sure there was other snowboarding games on other systems, but this game was over the top and just what the system needed to sell units. Since that time there has been a couple of sequels that have added more tricks and tried to up the ante in every aspect. EA has released another sequel entitled SSX On Tour and it is another game that you will want to own if you love snowboarding games.

Players will notice a difference the first time they boot up the game. The overall presentation of the game is mixed with an animated sketchbook with rock-and-roll flare kicked in there as well. Throughout the loading screens players will see animated icons that are silly but bring a nice new life to the game. Which brings me to this point: this game is all about a sense of style and the developers did a very good job at this.

SSX On Tour adds quite a few additions to the game. The first one that players will notice is that you can choose to be a snowboarder or snow skier, which is a nice and welcomed change. The general gameplay is almost identical to snowboarding, yet it has a whole new set of tricks and trick animations. Even though the game controls pretty much identically between the two different forms of going down the mountain, snow skiing still feels different and you will have to adjust how you play it slightly. This is still a really fun addition to the series that players will appreciate.

Another new addition in this game is the ability to create your own character and not just be one of the ones that came with the game. This allows players to truly create their own sense of style in this game and make it feel more real to them. While the character creation choices are not as in-depth as other games, there are still plenty of options to choose from that will allow you create your ideal character. Later on as you win different events players will be able to purchase items for their characters to further give them a sense of individuality.

The two real modes of this game are quick play and On Tour. The quick play mode will allow players to get right into the game, without messing with any of the stats of their campaign-mode characters. This mode is really useful in getting used to all of the controls of the game. Players will be able to partake in races, trick scoring competitions, as well as various other modes. One of my favorite modes to play with is the free ride mode. This allows players to just go down the entire mountain basking in the game's beauty and listening to the awesome music that the game provides.

The real meat of this game is in the campaign mode that the developers have entitled On Tour. In this game mode players will create their own character then go through many different challenges trying to win to get more money to upgrade their characters and obtain more hype, which allows players to advance in the world rankings. To obtain money all players have to do win the competitions; hype is gained by knocking down other skiers and your opponents as well as performing awesome tricks. Some of the more interesting modes are avoiding the ski patrol and seeing how many tourists you can knock down. These modes really help balance out the game and make it less repetitive.

The game flow of this mode is really free roaming as many players have become accustomed to games that have been released lately. When players first load this mode they will see icons on different parts of the mountain, which each represent a different challenge. What I really like is the wide variety of different challenges that players can participate in this game. First there is the usual racing and trick performing challenges, but this game throws in some really innovative challenges.

If you have played any of the other games in the series you will know exactly what to expect. You will still be able to perform a wide variety of tricks, but this game really conveys the sense that you are going down a mountain as this game has a better sense of speed. Unlike the other games in the series, instead of doing “Uber Tricks” players will now be performing “Monster Tricks” which are done in the same way. Players must first get their boost meter full by performing smaller tricks, and when that is done players just hit the right analog stick to see some of the most outlandish tricks they have ever seen.

SSX On Tour is a great looking game. Everything is just packed with more detail than in the previous games. The mountains teem with alternate routes, more trees, and skiers who are not in the races. The effects that this game has are really nice, which includes falling snow that makes players believe that they are really on a mountain. The characters are still packed with tons of details and their animations are really nice to look at. Having a rock solid framerate is what I really liked about this game because a game of this nature really demands it and the developers pulled it off nicely.

One thing that players will notice is the music that the developers choose for this game the minute that they boot up. This game features some really good licensed music, especially some of the classic rock from artists as Def Leopard and Iron Maiden. There can be nothing better then snowboarding down a mountain jamming out to these bands, which really fit the entire visual theme the game has going on. The game contains the normal sound effects and voices that players have grown accustomed to over the past few years. Nothing is amiss with this category and players will enjoy it.

This game offers multiplayer in the form of a two-player split screen. While this is fine and good, what I want to know is where is the online multiplayer? This game screams for players to compete online to see who is the best snowboarder/skier on the mountain, yet all we are left with is cutting the screen in half and racing with a buddy. The options for the multiplayer mode are not that bad, players can do the typical races, trick scoring competitions, and other various challenges that will keep you entertained for some time.

SSX On Tour is rated T for Teen.

Gameplay: 8.9
If you have played any of the other games in the series you will know what to expect here, especially in the controls department. This game still controls like a dream, especially on the PlayStation 2 controller.

Graphics: 8.9
SSX On Tour is a really good looking game. The mountains are packed with more detail than ever and everything is silky smooth with a nice rock-solid framerate.

Sound: 8.8
The music in this game was really good. What was surprising to hear some classic rock music featured that really fits well with the game’s atmosphere.

Difficulty: Medium
If you have played any of the other games in the series you will know what to expect here, especially in the controls department.

Concept: 8.7
I really have liked playing the SSX series throughout the years as they continue to offer new things. This year the addition of choosing between snowboarding and snow skiing is really nice. Also this year, the mountain is not “closed off” so when you are racing around you will bump into other skiers trying to enjoy a good time while on the course.

Multiplayer: 8.2
Just like in all of the previous games, SSX On Tour has a nice split-screen multiplayer mode. What I want to know is where the online gaming mode is; this game practically screams for it.

Overall: 8.9
SSX On Tour is one of the best SSX games that has come out yet. The fact that the mountain is alive and teeming with other skiers makes this game that much better because it has a feeling of more realism in comparison to the other games in the series. If you like snowboarding games or a fan of SSX series then I suggest that you go pick up a copy of this game.