ESPN Winter X-Games Snowboarding (PlayStation 2)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 6.4 (3.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Ryan Donald
• Reviewed on: 11/10/2000
• Updated on: 05/17/2006
• Released on: 10/24/2000
• Originally published on GameSpot: ESPN Winter X-Games Snowboarding (PlayStation 2) Review

Konami's ESPN X-Games Snowboarding is closer to being a snowboarding simulation than any other game before. Fans of the sport will undoubtedly notice and appreciate all of the little extras, like the lounge in the lodge, ski lifts, and helicopter drops, which all add up to make the game completely realistic. Those who may be looking for another SSX will certainly be disappointed by X-Games' sim-styled approach, but those who are looking for a true-to-life snowboarding experience will be overjoyed.

The major difference between X-Games and SSX is that X-Games is based on reality. The game has real boarders, boards, goggles, pants, jackets, sponsors, music, physics, tricks, and just about anything else you can think of. In fact, you even have to earn a living in the game by making snowboarding runs while being filmed for snowboarding movies. When you're making the runs, you can play as one of or against 15 real-life boarders, including top names in the sport like Todd Richards, Jamie Lynn, Shannon Dunn, and Tina Basich. You can also make your own custom snowboarder and take him or her through a career, or you can just cut straight to the chase and tackle X-Game competitions like big air, slope style, and super pipe. The game also includes a no-frills mode where you can just simply board down an open mountain and do whatever you desire - no race, no points, no rules. The freedom and diversity of the modes included in the game easily make X-Games the most expansive and involving snowboarding game ever.

Controlling the action is easy since the game has a straightforward and fairly basic control setup. However, getting good to the point of being able to consistently land tricks and jumps is another story. The game's realistic physics make it hard to learn how to play, since you're consistently fighting your board's amazingly natural tendency to slip out from underneath your feet. Learning not to fall is, of course, extremely important, since your career depends on it. Every time you fall when you're boarding on film, your pay gets reduced.

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