SSX Blur

SSX Blur is a spin-off of the SSX snowboarding series that EA built specifically for Wii, making full use of the console's motion controls. Instead of just pressing buttons, the player actually tilts and swings the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to pull off tricks in the air, dodge obstacles on the course, and control landings – the controls themselves become part of the fun, just as much as the courses and their shortcuts. The SSX series was always about exaggeration and speed, and Blur keeps pace with its predecessors in that regard.

The game keeps the series' arcade approach – insane speeds, over-the-top stunts, and colorful, fantastical courses far removed from realistic snowboarding – but completely reworks how the player handles the character. Simulating body weight through the Nunchuk's gyroscope and swinging the Wii Remote during jumps gives the feeling that the player is truly steering the rider's body, not just pushing a character along a predetermined path. This approach stayed exclusive to Wii; SSX Blur never came out on other consoles, because without motion controls the whole concept would lose its point and the game would shrink down to an ordinary arcade title stripped of its main draw. Even the course selection and soundtrack were tailored to give the player's physical movements as much room as possible.

Compared to older SSX entries on PS2 or Xbox, the pace is somewhat slower, since the game has to wait for the player to complete each gesture, but it compensates with a much stronger sense of physical participation in the tricks. The controller also handles fine balancing during landings, so a mistimed hand movement shows up on screen immediately – something older button-based controls could never convey at all. The choice of courses and the soundtrack were tailored to this slower, motion-based pace, so the game differs from the rest of the series in atmosphere, not just in its control scheme.

Why play it: Ideal for Wii owners who want arcade snowboarding controlled by body movement rather than buttons – this is the only version of SSX that offers this at all.