SSX
In hindsight, what's so amazing about the first SSX is that, while other PS2 launch titles were struggling to make their release slot, EA's baby stayed effortlessly ahead of the pack and still found time to jam in layers of content that many gamers won't ever have seen. Everyone remembers how well the prewind system worked, how crispy and solid and right the snow feels - but did you ever find the fabled UFO shortcut in Merqury City? How about doing the entire Elysium Alps cliff run in one go, or nailing all of the underground rail grinds in Mesablanca? What about the secret switch in Pipedream? It's telling that the gigantic pinball table of Tokyo Megaplex - the level everyone cooed over in the weeks leading up to release - was probably the game's weakest section, simply because it shoves its tricks in your face rather than letting you chance across them. We loved the racing so much that it took us almost a week to discover Showoff mode - and that was like finding an entirely new game. Oh, and did you know that there's a cheat that lets you ditch the board and run down the mountain? This game is why we can never stay angry at EA for too long.
Best character: Little Kaori - the bubblegum-cute Japanese girl with the helicopter-quick spins defines SSX's sense of fun.
Best course: Elysium Alps - the sense of risk in a two-player cliff hurtle can't be matched.
Best character: Little Kaori - the bubblegum-cute Japanese girl with the helicopter-quick spins defines SSX's sense of fun.
Best course: Elysium Alps - the sense of risk in a two-player cliff hurtle can't be matched.
