SSX On Tour – PSP – Review

Killing some time in the lodge after
a good days ride just got a bit more enjoyable with SSX on Tour for the PSP. It
would be almost cliché to say that there really hasn’t been any “killer apps”
for the PSP since release. Fortunately for us handheld fans, EA has given us a
glimmer of light at the end of our dark tunnel. SSX on Tour is pretty much
exactly what it claims to be, an extreme snowboarding/skiing title that should
be a treat to play for any PSP owner. Developed at EA’s Montreal Studios and
published by Electronic Arts, SSX on Tour does what EA is best known for, taking
an already killer franchise and finding ways of improving upon successful game
design.

SSX on
Tour throws you on the slopes with a few different types of gameplay ranging
from big air competitions, slope racing, and one-on-one shredding. In the On
Tour mode you will compete these different events in order to unlock better gear
that will improve your character. In addition, you will also slowly move up the
ranks in the tour, with the ultimate goal of being the undisputed king of the
mountain. Collectibles are found in each track to unlock bonus content as well,
and with multiplayer ad-hoc features as well there is plenty to SSX on Tour that
should keep you occupied.

For those
of you whom have yet to play an SSX title the gameplay is easy to learn and
controls are quite well implemented for the PSP. Your goal is simple, shred down
the mountain and perform a variety of killer tricks to awe and amaze the crowds
and shun your competition. As you complete these tricks you have a boost meter
that, once filled, allows you to bust out the really wicked tricks in your
arsenal. How wicked you ask? Let’s just say that I have never seen anyone pull
off their board in mid-flight and whip it around their heads and live to tell
the tale, at least not in this world. EA has also been
kind and allowed for two different control configurations. One is a bit more
advanced but I personally found it to be much more intuitive than the generic
scheme that has you taking your hands off your analog stick to use the d-pad to
prep for your killer jumps.

With a
well-ironed set of controls SSX on Tour brings superb visuals to the PSP as
well. The Montreal team did a spectacular job in using the power of the PSP to
really impart a sense of speed and frantic excitement for the gamer. The
graphics aren’t as good as the PS2, but they are definitely nothing to be
ashamed of. If there was anything to knock SSX on Tour for it would definitely
not be the graphics.

Serving
as icing on an already impressive title is the soundtrack. With quite a few
other EA games of the past, soundtracks have always been my one gripe (*cough*
Fight Night *cough*). Luckily you won’t find a half-hearted eight-song
soundtrack here. SSX on Tour happily has songs spanning a wide variety of
different genres and artists. One second you’ll be shredding to “Dial M for
Monkey” and the next minute you’ll be banging your head to Iron Maiden’s “Run to
the Hills.” As another move to “1-up” the competition, SSX on Tour has a really
cool mode called Pocket Trax which serves as a simple music player that lets you
listen to any of the game’s songs on demand. Can we say spiffy?

For
better or for worse SSX on Tour is a tad on the difficult side. Sometimes this
difficulty is intended – as is the case with a few levels that no matter how
hard I mash my buttons I just can’t seem to win. There are a few, shall we say,
“special bugs” that also can add to the difficulty. I am talking about a few
different instances where the camera just does a terrible job tracking your
character. The end result is that there are some completely blind corners and
caves that will have you smashing your head into time and time again.

It is
safe to say that if you’re really looking for a great new PSP title to add to
the collection, SSX on Tour fits the bill perfectly. With quick gameplay you can
be sure to fit a game in fast – perfect for a short bus ride or while waiting in
line for a bite to eat. With great visuals and bullet-proof gameplay (minus the
minor camera issue), SSX on Tour isn’t anything completely original but it is
fun all the same.

Review Scoring Details for SSX on Tour

Gameplay: 8.3
Generally the same sort of gameplay from the rest of the SSX titles with a
few new bells and whistles. All things considered, this is definitely a step in
the right direction for the franchise. In addition, load times are rather short
with some fun visuals to keep you occupied.

Graphics: 8.9
Stunning graphics (especially for a handheld version) really impart a sense
of speed and frantic gameplay as you shred your way down the mountain.

Sound: 8.5
Flawless soundtrack with a wide array of musical genres to enjoy. Don’t
expect this soundtrack to get annoying at all. Kudos to EA on this one.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Make no bones about it, this game is definitely a tad on the difficult side.
Don’t expect to master this game in a few days, or even a few weeks.

Concept: 8.0
SSX on Tour shares the same general gameplay concepts of its prior brethren.
I must admit that the new art and style direction is definitely quite a bit
cooler and more in touch with the games theme.

Multiplayer: 7.9
With ad-hoc wireless multiplayer enabled you can get a chance to show up your
buddy in a multitude of different game types. As with many PSP titles I really
do wish such a fun game had the option of infrastructure multiplayer, but as the
saying goes, “you can’t win them all.”

Overall: 8.5
SSX on Tour lacks that complete originality that would classify it as an “A
class” title. With so few games for the PSP on shelves right now though you
would be wise to pick this one up and give it a try. If you’ve played any of the
SSX games of the past you should know what to expect going in, and you should
(for the most part) not be disappointed.