SSX

SSX from 2012 is a reboot of the popular arcade snowboarding series by EA Canada that returns to the wild, gravity-defying acrobatics typical of the original titles. Players ride down extremely stylized, fictional mountains around the world, chaining together cascades of tricks and competing in several game modes focused on speed, trick-scoring, or surviving dangerous tracks full of avalanches and chasms. The 'Tricky' combo system lets players chain effective jump and grab combinations for maximum score and demands precise landing timing so as not to lose the points they've built up by falling. The game distinguishes between several riding styles depending on the chosen character and gear, affecting both speed and the ease of performing tricks on individual slopes, so players gradually look for the combination that suits them best on a given track.

On PlayStation 3, the game was visually stunning thanks to its stylized, colorful rendering of the mountains and dramatic weather effects, such as snowstorms or avalanches chasing the player down the slope. Special attention deserves the mode set on extremely high mountains with oxygen deprivation, where the player's gear had to protect against both freezing and exhaustion, forcing them to choose a route that avoided unnecessary risk of falling into a crevasse. The electronic and rock music accompanying the races fit well with the adrenaline-fueled, almost exaggerated take on the whole game, typical of the series since its beginnings on PlayStation 2.

Reviews praised the return to a bolder, more arcade-like style after years of the series' hiatus and highlighted especially the visual side and the trick system. Some players criticized the aggressive microtransactions introduced into an otherwise full-fledged game, which slightly dampened the overall impression. Even so, SSX remains a beloved reminder of how much fun a purely arcade take on winter sports can be, and many fans still rank it among the best entries in the series.

Why play it: For fans of arcade winter sports who will appreciate the bold visual style and trick system after years of the series' hiatus, despite the aggressive microtransactions that slightly dampen an otherwise full-fledged experience.