SSX On Tour

 Xbox
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 35
  3. Negative: 1 out of 35
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  1. Ferrago
    70
    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.
  2. Operation Sports
    60
    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.]

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Best Xbox Game of 2005
86
#86 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2005

User Reviews

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User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 1 out of 15
  1. SebbyPlaysMusic
    Mar 25, 2021
    6
    Going off of memory, I gave this an 8. But replaying it, I had to drop it, as the major faults start to really add up towards later in theGoing off of memory, I gave this an 8. But replaying it, I had to drop it, as the major faults start to really add up towards later in the game to the point of just being infuriatingly frustrating, honestly.

    BIGGEST PROBLEMS:
    - Rail detection (for grinding) is RIDICULOUSLY inconsistent on the X Box version. There's a race where you start by grinding a short log in front of the start gate, and my character bonked off of it more than once; That clearly has nothing to do with my skill level (like I can't tell the difference). I noticed this issue between the PS2 and Gamecube versions of Tricky; Some specific rails on PS2 would connect half as often as the same rails on the Gamecube version. This plays worse than the PS2 version of Tricky.
    - Bonk detection: Sometimes, flying into a tree at the right angle will make you bounce off of it.
    Sometimes, bonking it head-on at 5mph makes you start flopping like a fish out of water for seconds on end. I've had countless "are you freaking kidding me!?" moments.
    - While adding random riders to the mountain's environment increases immersion in a way, it REALLY messes up some challenges, particularly ones involving collecting markers along a specific route within a time limit.
    - Ramp gravity: Sometimes the shape of a wall will draw you into it. This can be a useful dynamic in a lot of games like Tony Hawk, and is often useful here, but is implemented in a way that draws you away from a route you would otherwise make it to.
    - The format of these levels means if you want to get everything, or mess up towards the end of a race because of bad hit detection, you have to restart at the top of the 2+ minute portion, or 8+ minute race late game. Very time consuming and repetitive.
    - The format of having one giant mountain worked out amazingly in SSX3; Here, it also works out quite well. However, most challenges make you travel through at least two areas of the mountain, making the second half of a lot of races feel like they're dragging on by the time you've memorized every route. Some of the transitional portions feel more like filler.
    - The further you get into the increasing difficulty (that keeps you from selecting easier unfinished challenges, for some reason), the longer the races get. So if you need to restart... that's another 7 minutes spent because of one mistake that might not have actually been your fault. By late game, you can basically only take one path, maybe two to win races; It kind of ruins the point of having so many paths in a level if you can't use most of them to win anymore.
    - The revert-to-track button is still as broken as in any other SSX game.
    - Every time you do a special trick, slow-motion activates and the camera spins around the character; This can be cool at first for helping you spot new areas, but I really wish they let you turn it off.

    That all said, there are still MAJOR POSITIVES:
    - The mountain is mostly really well done. There are quite a lot of routes to explore! One of my favorite reasons to play an SSX game (or any game, in general). Top-to-bottom runs take maybe 20-25 minutes, which is similar to SSX3. Entire sections more consistently split and come back together, as opposed to needing to take a specific route down the mountain in SSX3. The environments feel more naturally fitting, with heavier forestation (can be a negative to gameplay, positive to visual immersion), a heavier emphasis on slope shapes, and more believable buildings in populated areas.
    - Control scheme is largely similar to SSX3, which was the most effective in the series, with handplants and manuals available for combos. Handplants can help you reach rails, though it is very impractical for races and slope-styles as it basically brings you to a dead stop.
    - The art direction does actually add an interesting touch compared to the other titles.
    - Higher level of customizability means there's a lot more to do in a single run of the game.

    Overall, a decent game. Worth looking into for the level design. But definitely very, VERY frustrating for a completionist like myself. If anything, this is the perfect example of a game that has an enticing lay-out that just isn't handled right, making it that much more frustrating to want to play. If a game keeps making me want to play it just so it can piss me off... I don't really consider that fun. But it's fun in short bursts.    … Full Review »
  2. evolution98
    Aug 8, 2017
    8
    A disappointing follow-up to already a perfect game which came before it.

    The graphics are good but not as great as SSX 3 in terms of    A disappointing follow-up to already a perfect game which came before it.

    The graphics are good but not as great as SSX 3 in terms of environment and weather effects. The soundtrack is the weakest of the series. I do like some songs from the game's soundtrack such as "Banquet", "Run To The Hills" and "Apply Some Pressure" but it's not as amazing as SSX's 3 soundtrack. The sound effects aren't as awesome sounding as SSX 3 either. The controls are good. The gameplay is decent and more diverse than SSX3 but doesn't have the wow factor and pizzazz that SSX3 gave us. I did like the multiple championship events and the ranking system however.

    I will give credit for the BIG improvement on customization. It does have a lot of replay value in terms of unlocking classic and new characters in the game, areas, clothes and pictures from performing stunts.

    It's good but didn't live up to the hype and SSX 3. It's sad that the game flopped. Try it out anyway.    … Full Review »
  3. ReneeC.
    Jun 11, 2006
    1
    A SLIGHT improvement at best from the last installment. It still suffers from way too unrealistic point of view.
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