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This thread has been linked to the game 'SSX Blur'.
SSX has always been an extreme sport favourite on a variety of consoles even competing with the likes of Mr. Hawk. And even after countless sequels the series continues strong. Now however Blur leads the run onto the Wii causing concern as to how exactly the controls transfer over to the remote and nunchuck. I can safely say they work better than I could have expected.
SSX is all about snowboarding (and now skiing if you wish) your way down huge mountains racing others or beating their trick scores. Simple. Blur delivers exactly what you’d expect along with a rewarding control scheme and a nice collection of reworked slopes from previous SSX titles.
The game has a unique look to it with an almost graffiti style about it full of bright colours and sharp geometric shapes. Pause screens are never dull looking, but rather a nice mishmash of triangles, squares and circles which make a pleasant change from simple scrolling menus. The characters themselves also seem cartoony in a way and overall it gives a nice laid back feel to the game that doesn’t take itself seriously.
While you can practice on the slopes with no goal in mind, the career mode sees you choosing one of around ten characters and participating in various events and tournaments increasing your stats as you go along. You’ll start off on one mountain but later unlock a further two as you progress. They act as hubs where you can access single events, tournaments or challenges which in turn gain you improved stats, new outfits and equipment. While there are no ridiculous “find ten monkeys” or “hit five bum” challenges similar to that of the Tony Hawk series, what is available here is just about varied enough to provide fun throughout.
Races are the most common event you’ll slide across and thanks to the superb sense of speed they are never boring. Trick based modes also offer a decent challenge and range from flipping and grabbing inside a half pipe, over a particular area of the mountain or just on a single ramp. However where the game falls flat on its face is in the slalom challenges. While carving the snow feels great, having to do so between poles that are so close together it’s unfair really isn’t. Missing poles causes time penalties and time penalties means failing. Overall it results in an experience that is extremely frustrating, lacking any speed and near impossible to finish which is a big problem as you’ll come across points where it needs to be done in order to progress. Challenges however try to break up the usual event type by making you leap through rings and tagging flags to keep things fresh.
Tournaments consist of a handful of race, trick or slalom events situated on certain areas over the three mountains. While there’s a fair amount available it can feel a little boring repeating events you’ve beaten already. Also the lack of instructions on what you need to do in order to progress further in the tournament isn’t too helpful.
The control system works very well and for the most part handles perfectly. Tilting the nunchuck turns your racer and initiates grabs, moving the remote performs flips and pressing A jumps. While it does take a while to get used to after being accustomed to a normal joypad it’s a really rewarding system that’s a lot of fun if overly simplistic when it comes to tricks and moves. There are also a few moments where your swinging movements might not register with the remote but these are few and far between. Otherwise it’s a great transition over to the Wii.
A notable feature in the game are the Uber moves that require you to draw shapes in the air after performing enough successful tricks. These range from hearts and loops to Z-shapes and other random lines. While they can be hard to nail, when you do you’re treated to a slow motion moment as you fly through the air hearing nothing but the wind beneath your board. Very rewarding.
The game looks good. While you will notice some fairly blocky areas here and there the snow and mountains look truly gorgeous full of cabins, swaying trees and underground caverns. Your character’s animation is swift and fluid and you’ll also notice a few nice touches like the heavy downpour of snow across the screen as you gather speed. Overall it isn’t amazing but it’s certainly nice.
While EA decided to take an alternate route to the usual licensed tracks of most other sports titles I have to say it pays off. Instead of the likes of recognisable rock bands they have provided a cool selection of original instrumental tunes that often feel nice and laid back matching the game’s style. In fact what is most impressive about the sound is that as you pull off more tricks, additional instrumental beats are added to an original steady rhythm. What you’re left with is a more complete track full of overbeats and extra sounds. There is also a DJ who adds his fair share of ridiculous remarks that are great fun but sadly only occur on the main hub.
The single player will take around ten hours to finish once but longer if you want to find everything. You are also given the choice to complete the game with every character but chances are you’re not likely to having played it once through already. Multiplayer is a bonus with two player races and trick modes done via split screen and also a hot seat mode where you compare scores one after another. Overall there is a fairly decent amount to keep you and your friends distracted for a while.
SSX Blur is definitely a step in the right direction for the Wii. It proves that games designed around the joypad can be redesigned and moved to Nintendo’s console creating an immersive and fun experience without eliminating too much in the process. While it’s not perfect and takes some getting used to, persevere and you’ll uncover a flawed yet rewarding sports title.
79%
SSX is all about snowboarding (and now skiing if you wish) your way down huge mountains racing others or beating their trick scores. Simple. Blur delivers exactly what you’d expect along with a rewarding control scheme and a nice collection of reworked slopes from previous SSX titles.
The game has a unique look to it with an almost graffiti style about it full of bright colours and sharp geometric shapes. Pause screens are never dull looking, but rather a nice mishmash of triangles, squares and circles which make a pleasant change from simple scrolling menus. The characters themselves also seem cartoony in a way and overall it gives a nice laid back feel to the game that doesn’t take itself seriously.
While you can practice on the slopes with no goal in mind, the career mode sees you choosing one of around ten characters and participating in various events and tournaments increasing your stats as you go along. You’ll start off on one mountain but later unlock a further two as you progress. They act as hubs where you can access single events, tournaments or challenges which in turn gain you improved stats, new outfits and equipment. While there are no ridiculous “find ten monkeys” or “hit five bum” challenges similar to that of the Tony Hawk series, what is available here is just about varied enough to provide fun throughout.
Races are the most common event you’ll slide across and thanks to the superb sense of speed they are never boring. Trick based modes also offer a decent challenge and range from flipping and grabbing inside a half pipe, over a particular area of the mountain or just on a single ramp. However where the game falls flat on its face is in the slalom challenges. While carving the snow feels great, having to do so between poles that are so close together it’s unfair really isn’t. Missing poles causes time penalties and time penalties means failing. Overall it results in an experience that is extremely frustrating, lacking any speed and near impossible to finish which is a big problem as you’ll come across points where it needs to be done in order to progress. Challenges however try to break up the usual event type by making you leap through rings and tagging flags to keep things fresh.
Tournaments consist of a handful of race, trick or slalom events situated on certain areas over the three mountains. While there’s a fair amount available it can feel a little boring repeating events you’ve beaten already. Also the lack of instructions on what you need to do in order to progress further in the tournament isn’t too helpful.
The control system works very well and for the most part handles perfectly. Tilting the nunchuck turns your racer and initiates grabs, moving the remote performs flips and pressing A jumps. While it does take a while to get used to after being accustomed to a normal joypad it’s a really rewarding system that’s a lot of fun if overly simplistic when it comes to tricks and moves. There are also a few moments where your swinging movements might not register with the remote but these are few and far between. Otherwise it’s a great transition over to the Wii.
A notable feature in the game are the Uber moves that require you to draw shapes in the air after performing enough successful tricks. These range from hearts and loops to Z-shapes and other random lines. While they can be hard to nail, when you do you’re treated to a slow motion moment as you fly through the air hearing nothing but the wind beneath your board. Very rewarding.
The game looks good. While you will notice some fairly blocky areas here and there the snow and mountains look truly gorgeous full of cabins, swaying trees and underground caverns. Your character’s animation is swift and fluid and you’ll also notice a few nice touches like the heavy downpour of snow across the screen as you gather speed. Overall it isn’t amazing but it’s certainly nice.
While EA decided to take an alternate route to the usual licensed tracks of most other sports titles I have to say it pays off. Instead of the likes of recognisable rock bands they have provided a cool selection of original instrumental tunes that often feel nice and laid back matching the game’s style. In fact what is most impressive about the sound is that as you pull off more tricks, additional instrumental beats are added to an original steady rhythm. What you’re left with is a more complete track full of overbeats and extra sounds. There is also a DJ who adds his fair share of ridiculous remarks that are great fun but sadly only occur on the main hub.
The single player will take around ten hours to finish once but longer if you want to find everything. You are also given the choice to complete the game with every character but chances are you’re not likely to having played it once through already. Multiplayer is a bonus with two player races and trick modes done via split screen and also a hot seat mode where you compare scores one after another. Overall there is a fairly decent amount to keep you and your friends distracted for a while.
SSX Blur is definitely a step in the right direction for the Wii. It proves that games designed around the joypad can be redesigned and moved to Nintendo’s console creating an immersive and fun experience without eliminating too much in the process. While it’s not perfect and takes some getting used to, persevere and you’ll uncover a flawed yet rewarding sports title.
79%
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SSX has always been an extreme sport favourite on a variety of consoles even competing with the likes of Mr. Hawk. And even after countless sequels the series continues strong. Now however Blur leads the run onto the Wii causing concern as to how exactly the controls transfer over to the remote and nunchuck. I can safely say they work better than I could have expected.
SSX is all about snowboarding (and now skiing if you wish) your way down huge mountains racing others or beating their trick scores. Simple. Blur delivers exactly what you’d expect along with a rewarding control scheme and a nice collection of reworked slopes from previous SSX titles.
The game has a unique look to it with an almost graffiti style about it full of bright colours and sharp geometric shapes. Pause screens are never dull looking, but rather a nice mishmash of triangles, squares and circles which make a pleasant change from simple scrolling menus. The characters themselves also seem cartoony in a way and overall it gives a nice laid back feel to the game that doesn’t take itself seriously.
While you can practice on the slopes with no goal in mind, the career mode sees you choosing one of around ten characters and participating in various events and tournaments increasing your stats as you go along. You’ll start off on one mountain but later unlock a further two as you progress. They act as hubs where you can access single events, tournaments or challenges which in turn gain you improved stats, new outfits and equipment. While there are no ridiculous “find ten monkeys” or “hit five bum” challenges similar to that of the Tony Hawk series, what is available here is just about varied enough to provide fun throughout.
Races are the most common event you’ll slide across and thanks to the superb sense of speed they are never boring. Trick based modes also offer a decent challenge and range from flipping and grabbing inside a half pipe, over a particular area of the mountain or just on a single ramp. However where the game falls flat on its face is in the slalom challenges. While carving the snow feels great, having to do so between poles that are so close together it’s unfair really isn’t. Missing poles causes time penalties and time penalties means failing. Overall it results in an experience that is extremely frustrating, lacking any speed and near impossible to finish which is a big problem as you’ll come across points where it needs to be done in order to progress. Challenges however try to break up the usual event type by making you leap through rings and tagging flags to keep things fresh.
Tournaments consist of a handful of race, trick or slalom events situated on certain areas over the three mountains. While there’s a fair amount available it can feel a little boring repeating events you’ve beaten already. Also the lack of instructions on what you need to do in order to progress further in the tournament isn’t too helpful.
The control system works very well and for the most part handles perfectly. Tilting the nunchuck turns your racer and initiates grabs, moving the remote performs flips and pressing A jumps. While it does take a while to get used to after being accustomed to a normal joypad it’s a really rewarding system that’s a lot of fun if overly simplistic when it comes to tricks and moves. There are also a few moments where your swinging movements might not register with the remote but these are few and far between. Otherwise it’s a great transition over to the Wii.
A notable feature in the game are the Uber moves that require you to draw shapes in the air after performing enough successful tricks. These range from hearts and loops to Z-shapes and other random lines. While they can be hard to nail, when you do you’re treated to a slow motion moment as you fly through the air hearing nothing but the wind beneath your board. Very rewarding.
The game looks good. While you will notice some fairly blocky areas here and there the snow and mountains look truly gorgeous full of cabins, swaying trees and underground caverns. Your character’s animation is swift and fluid and you’ll also notice a few nice touches like the heavy downpour of snow across the screen as you gather speed. Overall it isn’t amazing but it’s certainly nice.
While EA decided to take an alternate route to the usual licensed tracks of most other sports titles I have to say it pays off. Instead of the likes of recognisable rock bands they have provided a cool selection of original instrumental tunes that often feel nice and laid back matching the game’s style. In fact what is most impressive about the sound is that as you pull off more tricks, additional instrumental beats are added to an original steady rhythm. What you’re left with is a more complete track full of overbeats and extra sounds. There is also a DJ who adds his fair share of ridiculous remarks that are great fun but sadly only occur on the main hub.
The single player will take around ten hours to finish once but longer if you want to find everything. You are also given the choice to complete the game with every character but chances are you’re not likely to having played it once through already. Multiplayer is a bonus with two player races and trick modes done via split screen and also a hot seat mode where you compare scores one after another. Overall there is a fairly decent amount to keep you and your friends distracted for a while.
SSX Blur is definitely a step in the right direction for the Wii. It proves that games designed around the joypad can be redesigned and moved to Nintendo’s console creating an immersive and fun experience without eliminating too much in the process. While it’s not perfect and takes some getting used to, persevere and you’ll uncover a flawed yet rewarding sports title.
79%
SSX is all about snowboarding (and now skiing if you wish) your way down huge mountains racing others or beating their trick scores. Simple. Blur delivers exactly what you’d expect along with a rewarding control scheme and a nice collection of reworked slopes from previous SSX titles.
The game has a unique look to it with an almost graffiti style about it full of bright colours and sharp geometric shapes. Pause screens are never dull looking, but rather a nice mishmash of triangles, squares and circles which make a pleasant change from simple scrolling menus. The characters themselves also seem cartoony in a way and overall it gives a nice laid back feel to the game that doesn’t take itself seriously.
While you can practice on the slopes with no goal in mind, the career mode sees you choosing one of around ten characters and participating in various events and tournaments increasing your stats as you go along. You’ll start off on one mountain but later unlock a further two as you progress. They act as hubs where you can access single events, tournaments or challenges which in turn gain you improved stats, new outfits and equipment. While there are no ridiculous “find ten monkeys” or “hit five bum” challenges similar to that of the Tony Hawk series, what is available here is just about varied enough to provide fun throughout.
Races are the most common event you’ll slide across and thanks to the superb sense of speed they are never boring. Trick based modes also offer a decent challenge and range from flipping and grabbing inside a half pipe, over a particular area of the mountain or just on a single ramp. However where the game falls flat on its face is in the slalom challenges. While carving the snow feels great, having to do so between poles that are so close together it’s unfair really isn’t. Missing poles causes time penalties and time penalties means failing. Overall it results in an experience that is extremely frustrating, lacking any speed and near impossible to finish which is a big problem as you’ll come across points where it needs to be done in order to progress. Challenges however try to break up the usual event type by making you leap through rings and tagging flags to keep things fresh.
Tournaments consist of a handful of race, trick or slalom events situated on certain areas over the three mountains. While there’s a fair amount available it can feel a little boring repeating events you’ve beaten already. Also the lack of instructions on what you need to do in order to progress further in the tournament isn’t too helpful.
The control system works very well and for the most part handles perfectly. Tilting the nunchuck turns your racer and initiates grabs, moving the remote performs flips and pressing A jumps. While it does take a while to get used to after being accustomed to a normal joypad it’s a really rewarding system that’s a lot of fun if overly simplistic when it comes to tricks and moves. There are also a few moments where your swinging movements might not register with the remote but these are few and far between. Otherwise it’s a great transition over to the Wii.
A notable feature in the game are the Uber moves that require you to draw shapes in the air after performing enough successful tricks. These range from hearts and loops to Z-shapes and other random lines. While they can be hard to nail, when you do you’re treated to a slow motion moment as you fly through the air hearing nothing but the wind beneath your board. Very rewarding.
The game looks good. While you will notice some fairly blocky areas here and there the snow and mountains look truly gorgeous full of cabins, swaying trees and underground caverns. Your character’s animation is swift and fluid and you’ll also notice a few nice touches like the heavy downpour of snow across the screen as you gather speed. Overall it isn’t amazing but it’s certainly nice.
While EA decided to take an alternate route to the usual licensed tracks of most other sports titles I have to say it pays off. Instead of the likes of recognisable rock bands they have provided a cool selection of original instrumental tunes that often feel nice and laid back matching the game’s style. In fact what is most impressive about the sound is that as you pull off more tricks, additional instrumental beats are added to an original steady rhythm. What you’re left with is a more complete track full of overbeats and extra sounds. There is also a DJ who adds his fair share of ridiculous remarks that are great fun but sadly only occur on the main hub.
The single player will take around ten hours to finish once but longer if you want to find everything. You are also given the choice to complete the game with every character but chances are you’re not likely to having played it once through already. Multiplayer is a bonus with two player races and trick modes done via split screen and also a hot seat mode where you compare scores one after another. Overall there is a fairly decent amount to keep you and your friends distracted for a while.
SSX Blur is definitely a step in the right direction for the Wii. It proves that games designed around the joypad can be redesigned and moved to Nintendo’s console creating an immersive and fun experience without eliminating too much in the process. While it’s not perfect and takes some getting used to, persevere and you’ll uncover a flawed yet rewarding sports title.
79%