14 DAY TRIAL // What we know:
SSX is a brand new installment in Electronic Arts’ long running snowboarding simulator series, finally bringing the franchise to current generation platforms.
While the game was originally presented more than a year ago as SSX: Deadly Descents, alongside a gritty trailer, EA quickly realized that fans wanted to once again go through a more lighthearted experience, where they could pull off all sorts of crazy tricks.
As such, slowly but surely, EA started deploying more and more videos and trailers through which it showed that the SSX everybody knows and loves is still very much present in the new game.
The new game once again puts a heavy emphasis on tricks, this time adding a series of real life locations from all around the world. Players also have more choices in terms of how they approach their descents, with fewer invisible walls and more opportunities to experiment.
There are still plenty of dangers that players need to take into account, however, as the game throws at them things like avalanches, ice, rocks, trees, or even gravity itself, when dealing with massive cliffs.
Last but not least, the new SSX is also going to feature extensive multiplayer capabilities, with players competing on online leaderboards as well as in Global Events, where they need to complete certain tracks and try to beat others to the finish.
Why it matters: The new SSX marks a return of a classic franchise and we’re pretty sure there are plenty of fans out there eager to see how EA will evoke the same great feelings they had with SSX: Tricky or other iconic titles from the series.
What’s more, while the skateboarding genre is pretty much dead (although Activision is now working on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD), this snowboarding game should provide a great experience for adrenaline junkies that, for one reason or another, can’t or won’t practice their favorite activities in real life.
Look forward to the new SSX on February 28, in North America, and March 2, in Europe, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.