SSX On Tour

Since just about every trail is unlocked from the beginning, you won't get to feel the satisfaction of making your way to a new mountain (one of the best parts of "SSX 3") and exploring it for the first time. Still, there's no denying that this is yet another stellar entry one of the most consistently excellent series around today.

Those who are looking for more Tony Hawk style challenges which are entirely based on skill, might not dig the On Tour vibe with it's easier than pie trickstylings, but those who know that it's all about getting to the bottom first and looking awesome while doing it will really get into this one.

Not a huge departure from previous SSX games, SSX on Tour is still the best extreme snowboarding game available.

Each event is well laid out and the voices, shortcuts and special snapshot opportunities will have fans saying wow.

It might not bring earth shattering extras to the table but this time SSX on Tour has managed to fix everything we hated about the series in the first place and has ultimately matured enough to be an essential purchase this time around.

Skiing is a blast even though it's not significantly different from boarding, and the rock star approach is a perfect fit. There's no question that this game is worth your money, but keep in mind that most of new content has more to do with presentation than gameplay.

Sure, it's not the second coming of extreme sports games, and some people might even be a bit disappointed, but if you've never played an SSX game before, this is definitely a great starting point.

The game hits its stride late, but when it does, it hits it big. There's a lot of fun here for the patient gamer.

Despite the lack of an online mode, this brand new style works out extremely well for the series and should bring the game a lot more fans.

Despite the lack of multiplayer options, there are plenty of things to do in the single-player tour mode, and its steady progression in difficulty is wholly satisfying.

This is an incredibly slick package, and not just on the surface, either. On Tour tightens up a lot of the underlying course designs and gameplay mechanics, and it quickens the pace without betraying the fundamentals of SSX.

Whether or not players enjoy the new look and feel the title took, it went for it all the way, and succeeded in mixing classic SSX gameplay with a new style. I applaud this direction.

This is one wild game which can be enjoyed by all levels of gamers. Although I haven't always been a huge fan of the series this is the one which will bring you over to the dark side.

Despite the step-down in charm, the game underneath it all is splendid.

Almost like you're careening down the hills of San Francisco's city streets in a car with its power steering out of commission.

Offers enough newness for a purchase, but fans that have been there from the beginning might begin to wonder when the series will take that next step in evolution.

Still, even with the new levels, simpler event progression, and slightly upgraded graphics, this feels too much like my last SSX winter getaway. Next season, I want to go somewhere new and exciting.

SSX is missing a couple of key elements that would have put it on the same level as "Amped"; namely online gameplay. But the trade-off is a very good control system that you have to get used to.

For every good aspect of the game there seems to be a bad one, and when you balance that out across the board (or ski), it just adds up to a game that tries to evolve a winning formula but falls prey to its own ambition.

Even when the game begins to repeat itself, it never ceases to be fun. The initial wonderment may wear off slightly, but the engine is so solid and the gameplay mechanic is so enjoyable that SSX On Tour never drops below stellar status. [Dec 2005, p.102]

You'll definitely enjoy the On Tour mode for a good while, but don't expect to love the entire game like you might have loved the previous titles in the series; it feels more like an odd but amusing experiment for the series that won't be back for the next iteration, which will most likely return to the roots that the series was most successful with.

Hurtling down the tundra and concocting ridiculously large combo strings remain irresistible qualities, but the torturous design of the game makes you want to take the next flight off of this mountain. [Nov 2005, p.140]

It's like a bunny-sloper stuck in five feet of powder. [Dec 2005, p.118]

The grinding is good, the tricks are easy enough for a shlub to pull off, and Electronic Arts does a fine job of fleshing everything out with a series of animated pencil line drawings that jackhammer home the game's exceedingly cool style. [Nov p.93]

It's a great game in the same way its predecessor -- "SSX 3" -- was a great game. It is not, however, a great game in the same way "SSX Tricky" was before that -- that is to say, it won't go on to be one of the greats.

The issue here perhaps that the SSX franchise was not yet ready for another sequel, and EA's attempt to further cash in on their past success has resulted in a game that is inferior to its predecessors.

SSX On Tour is not for the feint hearted as there are plenty of challenges that range from very easy to extremely tough.

SSX On Tour uses some neat gimmicks that definitely keep you coming back for more, but also has plenty of speed and ease of use to keep you interested.

Although the new rock and roll theme is fantastic, there isn't really anything else that is new from the previous games.

SSX: On Tour does a great job with the Tour Mode and Monster Tricks system, but it just comes down to not enough being offered.

The gameplay is just as good as you remember it to be and the engine still hauls a great deal of ass, but considering it's had two years to stew, this tour feels a little too much like the last one.

It would have been nice if staying on a slippery metal pole without falling off was rewarded via points like in the Tony Hawk games but I guess you can't have everything. Enjoy the delights of this delicious winter warmer now.

It's technically excellent, and really only suffers in comparison to its strong legacy. [*Note: original score posted by Operation Sports as 3/5 = 60. Current score on their redesigned site is inaccurate.]