SSX 3

EA's SSX 3 on the Xbox is pretty close to perfection. Stemming from the popular EA Sports snowboarding series, it's hard to convey in words just how much this game offers. Ranging from some of the largest environments I can remember to tight races, open-ended free-runs, and huge trick competitions, SSX 3 offers a mind-bogglingly massive challenge spanning three huge peaks on a single whopping mountain construct. With the new limitless combo system, freedom to do anything you want, and drop-dead gorgeous visuals, SSX 3 has it all and then some! Xbox owners get a slight graphical edge over their PS2 and GameCube counterparts, but gameplay is king at the end of the day.

The overall theory behind SSX 3 is one of freedom. The game is designed to allow you -- the player -- to tackle any and all of the challenges in whatever order you want. Taking all the components from the first two games, and adding in more new features, SSX 3 is more complete than most anything else out there. It's up there with the Tony Hawk series in terms of depth and replayability, but at the same time, you're not forced to follow any linear path in order to progress.

Kicking off the fun, you'll be able to choose from a single race, a two-player split-screen race, or the daunting Conquer the Mountain mode. While the two-player stuff offers up some cool fun in the snow for you and a friend, the real meat exists in the huge single-player quest mode. At first, only the smallest of the three icy peaks is unlocked. The other two are accessed via lift passes earned by completing a variety of tasks from racing, freestyling or freeride events. Fully beating one of these three modes will grant you a ride to the next, larger, more difficult peak.

When its time for you to choose a character from the roster of ten guys and girls offered up, each rider starts out with basic stats, basic tricks, and basic clothing. By earning cash -- prize money, collectables, etc. -- you'll be able to upgrade virtually every aspect of your character until they are maxed out with the coolest gear, tricks, and abilities.

The biggest departure from the norm in SSX 3 is that you can literally ride a peak from the top to the bottom in one huge run. In freeride mode, you'll be able to trigger mini challenges, race CPU rivals, collect hidden items, and generally explore the mountain at your own pace. It's an awesome experience to do a twelve minute run in one shot without having to wait a single second for the environments to load into memory. Lord only knows how EA Canada managed to pull this off so effectively. It sure didn't skimp on environmental detail, lighting, particle effects or framerate, that's for sure. SSX 3 feels so real that it's pretty scary at times.

If you tire of leisurely cruising around the slopes, you can quickly hit the main menu and warp yourself to any of the key points on your current peak. This keeps the game moving at a blistering pace, allowing you to enter a race, hit a super-pipe, or chill at the lodge all in a matter of moments. The action is never hindered by tedious backtracking. Some of the main events include speedy downhill racing sessions, ultra-hip half-pipes used in flashy trick runs, big air competitions, and slopestyle freestyle runs. Each peak is broken down into session points that further enhance the sensation of freedom on the slopes.