Anime Forum Games Links Movies Music Profiles Survivor TV Shows The original SSX was the second Playstation 2 game I played and I was quickly addicted to it. I snatched up the sequel, SSX Tricky and was addicted to that as well and found it to be even better than the original. Picking up SSX 3 would seem like a no brainer but I ended up just renting it and I'm glad. Since this is a sports game, I wasn't expected a story but Tricky did have a rival system that spiced up the game and it's missing in this one. It's a shame too, because it added a lot ot the game play. The graphics are nice and shiny and all around look great. Some character look a bit questionable but the mountain is just amazing looking. Sadly some minor hiccups occur when a lot of things are going on at once but nothing too bad. The control seems to be a mixed bag. Now, during the normal game I had no problems with the control. Pretty basic stuff all around, but online play was a different story. Most online users don't use their own characters so you're stuck with a level 8 character whose stats are all 8. Might sound good but they control SO different from what you may be use to and it just makes it too awkward. The one thing EA Big did get right is the music. They got artists like the Basement Jaxx, and Finger Eleven. ALong with some other artists. ALl sound good and you can buy songs to create custom soundracks if that is your thing. Missing are the cool celebrity voices and now some of the returning characters just sound too different. The sound effects are good. No reall complaints in that area. The main part of any game is the game play and it stays pretty true to the first two games. The Uber tricks return but spiced up a bit with Uber Grinds and a new meter as well. The new metter takes a lot more work to build up but with the way the levels are, it's easy to build them up still. One thing that will disappoint fans is the fact that the boarders don't have their own special moves, a little diappointing actually. Instead of different tracks, we're given one huge mountain. Three peaks with a bunch of different areas to start at. Some are 3 minutes long while others are up to 13 minutes long and the final race is roughly a half hour long! The game also features a ton of stuff to unlock. Characters, clothes, music and other stuff. It's actually mind numbing at times. You can win money by finding hidden items or winning races and you use that money to buy the hidden stuff or you unlock the hidden stuff by getting first places. Another missing aspect of Tricky is the way the different boards effected stuff, this is no longer the case. SSX 3 also features online play which I did get to try out. Played roughly 30 games and only finished 9, I quit one due to people calling my cell phone and me finding it rude to keep it paused for too long. The lobby is poorly done and the fact that so many people quit in the middle of a game because they are losing is just sad, and for the record I was right behind the guy when I quit and could have easily caught up and beat him. The ranking is done okay I guess but newbies have little chance of catching up to people who have already played almost 1000 games. There wasn't a lot of other players either, maybe 20 at most in the room. The game also supports the mic but I couldn't get mine to work and the same went for many other users. Oh and only two people can compete in a race but you can add some AI players in as well. The game also has normal multiplayer and just as in online play, you can do any of the modes. Replay value isn't even close to being up there with the first two. I got bored after a few hours of play while I logged in months of play with Tricky, I never bought SSX so I didn't log in much there since it was a one day rental. The online play is a nice bonus but it needs some refining. Overall I was very disappointed with SSX 3. It's not bad by any means but it in no way lives up to the first two. Fans and newbies a like can pick it up and play but from what I've been seeing the people who played Tricky to death are not enjoying this one that much. Control: 8 Game play: 8 Graphics: 9 Replay Value: 6 Sound: 7 Story: 1 Final Score: 77/100 Reviewed by: Americanpieflute Review written on November 15 2003