The PS2 kickstart...
From the opening bell of the Playstation 2 release; the dogma of bad games plagued the first of the next-gen systems. Electronic Arts produced the original SSX and saved the PS2 from an inevitable early death. Sure this is arguable, but I purchased all opening released games; and only SSX stood as truly cutting edge.
With brilliant graphics, amazing gameplay and hardcore fun; SSX proved itself worthy and as a token of its success gets its well-deserved sequel. While it's not really a sequel, but more like SSX v. 1.02.
For those not familiar with the series here is a brief run-down. Glued to the current "extreme" type sports; SSX is a high-intensity snowboarding game with anti-sim written all over it. Those few looking for a real-life snowboarding game; keep on truckin'. This is a balls-to-the-wall, high-speed, eye-popping arcade port.
During each competition (either showoff or race) you are awarded with medals. By earning medals you unlock a variety of venues; from new riders, boards and outfits to new courses. In addition to "un-locking" these features, you are given points which you can distribute to your character to increase attributes. The attributes range from speed and handling to tricks and stability.
Producing mind-numbing tricks is pseudo-easy. Hold down the jump button (big green), and let got at the top of a peak to send you soaring skyward. Once in the air, use your d-pad to flip and spin your way to big points. Add in some grabs by using the shoulder buttons and other experimental combinations you will be snagging those medals left and right.
-start hint-
The really earn big points, and serious vertical try the following. "Pre-charge" your jump prior to letting go of the jump button. Do this by holding your d-pad in any direction. When you let go of the jump button, your trickster will spin, roll or twist like a madman; giving you gyro-matic goodness!
-end hint-
A year later...
Winning a bid from EA Big, GameCube fans rejoiced when hearing that SSX Tricky originally created for the PS2, would be ported to the GC. Highly anticipated, my expectations were high. I put a number of hours into the PS2 version, and was anxious to see how my GC ranked up against the Sony juggernaut.
Adding six riders and eliminating two of the original, we get a total of 12 competitors this season. With celebrity voices to boot, the characters are highly enjoyable and even more personable than before. Most of the tracks from the previous year are here, but they have been revamped and extended if you can believe that. Two other courses were added, and each level is amazingly long.
Tricky mimics the first in the series and mirrors gameplay. As the saying goes; "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That parable my father told me at a young age fits well, and I have no complaints. EA did throw a few bones at us giving us some new goodies, but kept the premise simple and identical to the original.
Super-uber-duper
The biggest addition to Tricky is the new "uber" trick variations. The standard "power" meter on the right of your screen increases as you produce neat-o tricks. Once the bar is filled, the catchy "Tricky" song will play... you know... "IT'S TRICKY.. UH HUH.. ITS TRICKY" You have 20-seconds to complete a uber trick in addition to your regular move.
These uber tricks are incredibly wacky, but surprisingly not stupid. I was afraid that what the crazy jump did for Crazy Taxi 2 would do the same in this case. An ultra-easy, super-cheesy move would ruin the complexity and fun of the originals.
Uber tricks can be performed mid-air by pressing the red-button and a shoulder button. Different combinations, of course, produce different uber moves. These can range from simply spinning the board underneath your feat, to lying down on the board spinning like a propeller. I still feel like a kid a Christmas when I hear that familiar Tricky tune blare as I await the next jump to propel me into uber-heaven! Talk about points, you can easily rack up 100k point moves during these times.
So, I have to give props to Electronic Arts for giving us something new, without taking away the fun the original produced. The uber-moves are a superb addition to the game, and if you loved the first; you will totally dig this extra.
The knife in the chest...
When comparing Tricky side-by-side with the GC and PS2, the PS2 wins hands down. It if obvious that this is a port from the PS2 to the GC and not the other way around. What made the original SSX vastly successful, was the wonderful control that paralleled the timeless PS controller. There is no doubt that EA designed SSX for the PS controller and not the GC controller. Is it unplayable? By no means. Does it detract from the game though? Hell yeah.
Again, I realize that this was ported from the PS2 to the GC, and expected some slight draws. With the four-shoulder buttons incorporated on the PS, I was wondering how they were going to pull it off with the GC. With only two-shoulder button on the GC controller, pulling off old-school moves took some adjustment.
Now, giving credit where credit is due; the transition from one to another was as good as could be expected. After a few hours of play, I was back in business and pulled off some insane aerial tactics. While, it is a bit more difficult pulling off variable moves, the game still rocks hard.
The twisting of the knife...
Ok, I can understand how things could get a bit twisted when it came down to control. But what I couldn't understand was why the PS2 version looked so much prettier. The GC version seemed somewhat jagged compared to the smoothness of the PS2. Not only were the character models affected, but also the framerates seemed noticeably lower in the GC's rendition.
I'm not saying it is horrible. I'm not even saying it's not brilliant. What I am saying is that the PS2 version is noticeably better. I think EA rushed this one a bit, by trying to get it in for the holiday season. By no means did they utilize the gaming engine to near its capacity.
Aside from a bit of lower FPS, the GC did produce some stunning effects that weren't included in the PS2. Some of the fog effects were jaw dropping. Lighting effects were shockingly not as good as the PS2. Still, I get giddy at times as Mac flies threw the fog. Amazing.
Like Matt Stover's' field goal... It's GOOD!
As objectionable as can be, Tricky is a good game. Heck, it's a great game! Sure I was a bit disappointed in the porting from PS2 to the GC, and sure I wanted the GC to "wow" the industry; but overall this is an amazingly fun game.
For those who have the Ark of the Covenant in consoles this is a nice addition to your gaming library. It is a solid release, and even though it could have been better, still is a blast to play. Even if you played the laser off your DVD ROM on the PS2, you will still get hours of enjoyment out of Tricky.
Prior to the porting of Tricky a great deal of effort went into it making sure it didn't ruin the playability aspects of the original. From celebrity voices to big-name musical artists SSX Tricky has it all. But, if given the choice of the PS2 or GC version; I would easily pick the PS2.
