I have to admit to something that I would normally be ashamed to say. My opinion of EA in recent weeks has started to soar. They produce an innovative sequel to FIFA, clear efforts at improvement and changes are made to Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and SSX 3 is a very, very good game! It has taken bits from both its sequels, and other boarding games, and produced something rather inspiring.

Graphics:

The graphics are very good. The snow is powdery, and sprays up pleasingly when you turn sharply. There is plenty of action on screen, from flying birds, to crashing planes and of course you, and 5 other boarders battling it out. There is slow down at one small point on one track, but given the amount of action on screen more would be expected. Whilst playing it 2 players with a flat mate we were both keeping an eye out for slow down, but it was running well, with no loss of detail or speed. The game is packed with high quality cut scenes and videos. Many of these are in to hide the loading times, which works as a good distraction. The overall presentation of the game is top notch. The menus are clear, well laid out and nice looking, with navigation between them easy.

Sound:

Again this is an area where A LOT of effort has gone into. There is a radio show that runs throughout the game. It responds to where you are, and to how well your character has progressed through the game. There is also a huge list of 39 songs included in the game, including Queens of the Stone Age, Basement Jaxx and Placebo. The music genres chosen complement the style of the game well and add to the enjoyment.

The big downer in terms of sound is the infuriating, sub Sonic Adventure 2, standard voice actually. Not only are the voices annoying, but so is what they are saying. However, the dumb chatter isn't continual and you have to do something either very good, or bad to get a response. There are also ambient noises, which can be set to replace the radio. These are just windy noises, with the occasional bird, plane and crowd roar. They are atmospheric, but a tad boring compared to the radio.

Gameplay:

This is where the game shines. It is quite simply great fun. The game is set on a mountain, which is divided into 3 peaks of increasing difficulty. On every peak there are split into three sections, Race, Freestyle and Freeride. Progression from peak to peak is obtained by completing at least one section each peak. Race is what it suggests, a series of progressively harder races, culminating with a one-on-one challenge down the whole peak against a rival. This is very good stuff, especially the 25 minute plus ride down the entire mountain to complete Race on peak 3. Freestyle and Freeride are very similar. You explore the mountain, finding collectibles, challenges or events. This can be very good fun, especially when you master the tricks. Half pipe events are particularly good, with some eye watering stunts possible.

The difficulty level is very well judged, and no challenges seem out of place for where they are in terms of difficulty. In race mode there is an excellent feeling of speed, and you can almost feel the snow or ice beneath your board. One thing that I especially liked about this title was that, unlike 1080, performing tricks in race mode are actually beneficial to you. The more tricks you do the more 'adrenaline' you have in your boost bar. Fill it up to the top with some Uber Tricks, and you'll be flying down the mountain. This system promotes a fast, but stylish route down the mountain, and feels very rewarding.

The trick system takes a bit of getting used to, but is fine once you get used to it. To perform a spin in the air you have to charge it up on the d-pad before you jump. This means any last minute angle changes that need to be done cannot without jeopardising the trick. A notable omission from the game is a tutorial into the basics of tricks. You get 'text messages' on your M-Com (like the Q Watch in Goldeneye) giving you a rough idea, but a tutorial would have been useful. However, after an hour or two you figure it all out.

You also earn money as you progress through the game, which can be spent on all manner of things, from boards and trousers to ability points and cheat characters, including afro guy himself, Eddie.

Playability:

I cannot stress this enough. This is an excellent game. It is enjoyable and challenging to play, and is exactly what a sequel should be about: Genuine improvement over the original, emphasising what was liked, removing what wasn't and gaining new ideas.

Once you get used to the controls you can quite happily spend hours playing, even if you have other things to be doing (writing this article for example!). There is a very strong sense of achievement when you finish a 27 minute trek down the mountain and discover you have beaten your rival by several minutes, or when you complete a huge uber trick combo, or when you do all manner of things.

Controls:

A: charge jump.
D pad: twist in air.
B: perform uber trick (combined with L, R & Z) and boosts.
X: handplant.
L & R: perform a grab.
Y: reset jump

Lifespan:

With all the challenges, multiplayer and such like this game should be one that sticks around in your Cube for a while. It only takes a few hours to complete the race mode, but to do everything else it takes a lot longer. There are also Gold and Platinum awards to win.

Final say:

With this game out 1080 2, and its apparent development troubles should cease to be a problem. It is a standout member of the genre, with 1080, and should stay that way for a while to come.