When it was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2001, the snowboarding title SSX was a perfect title to showcase the brand-new system's capabilities. The developers at EA Canada combined gorgeous visuals, responsive controls, and an addictive style of gameplay to create one of the finest alternative sports games ever. While the next game in the series, SSX Tricky, was a bit of a letdown for many fans (largely due to an overemphasis on the insane, gravity-defying tricks), the third title was pure gold. SSX 3 gave players more of everything they could possibly want: bigger mountains, faster racing action, and more opportunities to kiss the sky. Now, it's time to return to the slopes in SSX: On Tour, a game that takes the franchise in an exciting new direction.

The changes are evident from the moment you begin the game. It kicks off with an animated sequence that features everything from guitar-shredding unicorns to slope-shredding slackers, all set to Iron Maiden's classic "Run to the Hills". The visual style is stunningly simple, looking somewhat like the day-dreamy doodlings of a high school stoner who wants nothing more than to spend his days out on the slopes. It manages to leak into the main game quit a bit, too, as you'll notice outlandish designs painted on the snow and wild-looking icons scattered about the slopes.


Although the fresh coat of paint is a nice cosmetic addition, it's the major changes that were made to the core gameplay that really got us excited to bomb our way down the hillside. The most drastic alteration was made to the modes of transportation. Instead of being limited only to snowboards, you can now choose to take your chances on something a little more old school: skis. That's right, fellow skiers, EA is finally recognizing those of us who prefer to get our kicks on a pair of sticks. For the most part, the controls for both are the same, except for the fact that you can land and ride backwards while on your skis. This doesn't really affect your control or ability to pull of tricks at all, and you can quickly return to normal by flicking the right analog stick forward.

The right analog stick serves another purpose in SSX: On Tour, one that will be instantly familiar to anyone who's played EA's recent sports titles. Although you'll spend the majority of your time performing the spins and grabs that have been a mainstay of the series (all of the controls are the same as in previous iterations), you have the ability to pull off Monster Tricks when you've built up enough boost. All you need to do is push the right analog stick in a particular direction to perform the corresponding trick, generally one that involves you contorting and removing gear in midair. It's a lot like the so-called super tricks found in the earlier games, but a greater number of choices and a cool camera trick make it a bit more appealing.