SSX Tricky Preview

The original SSX launched with the PlayStation 2 and caught nearly everyone off guard with its stylistic graphics, revolutionary control scheme, addictive trick system, and its flair for dramatics. As the most visually impressive PS2 launch game, SSX attracted players with its looks and then gripped them tightly with its surprisingly deep gameplay mechanics. Not content to rest on its laurels, EA Sports Big has been cooking up some drastic improvements for the sequel that will make it seem more like a new game altogether instead of an enhanced director's cut.

SSX for the PlayStation 2 featured an incredible amount of depth for an arcade sports title, and the series is taking an evolutionary step with SSX Tricky. The sequel is set one year after the original, and things have changed on the SSX circuit. The primary gameplay mode is still the world circuit, but the seven tracks that are returning for another go have been drastically tweaked so that there are more shortcuts, hidden lines, and big hits to launch off of. Old tracks such as Snowdream have been so drastically altered that it's nearly impossible to recognize them. Two completely new tracks have been added as well: Garibaldi in British Columbia, Canada, and the cliff face-filled Alaska course that EA Sports Big promises will be the most difficult SSX course yet. Six of the eight riders from last year's installment have returned, with Jurgen and Hiro sitting out due to injuries sustained during the off-season. The new riders include the saucy Spanish club girl Marisol, the backwoods redneck Luther, the afro-sporting Eddie, the Zen surfer Brodi, and Psymon the psycho. As in last year's game, attribute points and new boards are awarded for progressing through the world circuit.

The single-event mode lets you compete against other riders on the course of your choice. The practice mode includes an updated version of the trick tutorial that actually shows you each trick, so you don't have to figure them out on your own. The trick book is now broken into five chapters with 10 tricks in each one, making it much easier to sort through. When you land a new trick that will be added to your trick book, it's immediately recognizable, thanks to both auditory and visual cues. It will even prompt you as to the next trick to add to your repertoire. Last year's show-off mode was rarely played by most, but several changes have been implemented in SSX Tricky to remedy the situation. The biggest change is that each course will be altered to suit the mode, meaning there will be more obstacles, hits, and downslopes strategically scattered throughout the courses to facilitate going off. As if all these gameplay modes weren't enough, SSX Tricky will also include more than 45 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage. You can watch Mixmaster Mike cut it up on the wheels of steel, voice actors laying down the rider comments, and much more.

Addictive and deep gameplay is what made SSX such a stellar game, but EA Sports Big isn't afraid to experiment with new ideas. Increased rider interaction and a healthier story mode are the biggest additions to SSX Tricky, and if the specs are any indication, both should help make this sequel even more immersive than the original. Opposing riders now come with attitude attributes that determine whether they're friends, buddies, or rivals. Each rider has a tolerance meter that determines how he or she will treat you while riding down the hill. If you're constantly harassing another rider with a rival attribute, and his or her tolerance meter peaks, the rider will do one of three things: talk trash, follow you down the hill interrupting your lines, or outright attack you. Computer AI has also been tweaked so that making it down the mountain first requires more than just finding the best shortcuts. SSX's already impressive trick system has also been revamped.

To add even more incentive to busting tricks, EA Sports Big has added the option to perform ubertricks. Ubertricks can be performed once you've maxed out your adrenaline meter by performing other, secondary tricks. There are 12 different ubertricks that can be performed with four for each class of rider. If you land an ubertrick, you are awarded with one letter toward spelling the word tricky. If you stomp five ubertricks in one run, a loop of Run DMC's "It's Tricky" begins to play, alerting you that you're now capable of pulling off your character's special move. If you land the special move, you are awarded with maximum attributes for the remainder of the race. Another new addition is the big-air bonus, which is awarded every time you spend three seconds in the air.

Controlling your rider in the PlayStation 2 version of SSX Tricky is virtually the same as in last year's outing. Tricks are performed by pressing various combinations of the shoulder buttons, boost is controlled with the circle button, and jumping is executed with the X button. Attacking other riders is as easy as tapping the right analog stick, and pre-winding tricks for increased spin attributes is done via the directional pad. EA Sports Big stated that boarder control will be improved this year, but we were able to perceive no appreciable difference when we compared it to last year's game.

The PlayStation 2 version of SSX Tricky appears to be nearly complete, and despite a wealth of graphical upgrades, the jittery frame rates of the original have been completely ironed out. The smooth animation from last year's game has returned as well, as have all the slick effects that made it so eye-popping. Particle effects are used to show snow being kicked up by boards, volumetric fog is used to create blind landings during big jumps, and real-time shadows chase the riders down the slopes. The physics model is also worthy of mention. Even Eddie's afro reacts to each bump and jolt as he careens down the mountainside. Character models have been vastly improved and now feature facial animations that perfectly match their dialogue. Cinema sequences will also play a major role in developing the game's story. Rivals will spit verbal jabs at one another at the bottom of the hill, and each character will have 10 different cinemas to signify increased attributes. A wrap-around camera will also be implemented so you can get a better look at especially huge airs. Considering it's the farthest along in development, it's no surprise that the PlayStation 2 version of SSX Tricky is looking the most polished. EA stated that some of the special effects may have to be toned down, when compared to the Xbox and GameCube iterations, but you could never tell from watching the game in motion.

No extreme sports game would be complete without a blazing soundtrack, and SSX Tricky is no different. In addition to the game's signature track courtesy of Run DMC, Mixmaster Mike from the Beastie Boys, Aphrodite, The Plump DJs, and many more yet-unnamed artists will provide the tunes. Celebrity voice talent has been commissioned to supply the riders' vocal snippets, but EA is unwilling to supply names at this point in the game's development. It was also announced that the seminal industrial label, Nettwerk Records, will release an SSX Tricky soundtrack sometime around the game's release.

Not content to regurgitate the original SSX, EA Sports Big went back to the drawing board to make sure that SSX Tricky will have enough new features to please those who have already conquered the original, while perpetuating the addictive gameplay that made it a hit in the first place. PlayStation 2 owners who thirst for more challenge and a deeper trick system will appreciate the upgrades present in Tricky, and newcomers to the series will find that it's every bit as intuitive to play as EA Sports Big's other PlayStation 2 title, NBA Street. SSX Tricky is currently scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 this winter. We'll have more information when we receive a playable build.