ESPN Winter X Games: Snowboarding 2002
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: ESPN - The Games Developer: Konami Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Sports
Graphics & Sound: In the world of snowboarding games, we have come to see many nice looking effects, and some not-so-nice ones. Fortunately, ESPN Winter X Games: Snowboarding 2002 appears at the top of the list in the graphics department. Everything from player models and trick obstacles to the snow itself is perfectly rendered. You won't lose any framerate either, keeping the game's smooth, fast pace continuous. Sound fx in Snowboarding 2002 are also pretty well done. There's not much that can be done in a snowboarding game other than the little sounds that arise from your rider smacking into things. Along with the usual sounds, the game boasts a stellar lineup of bands. The list includes the likes of Offspring, AFI, The Damned, Powerman 5000, Money Mark, Static-X, The Vandals, Oleander, Saliva, Halfcocked, 311, Stefan Granberg, and Jurassic 5.
Gameplay: ESPN/Konami has sparked new life into the snowboarding genre of games with their latest release. Of course you will be able to 'free-board' so to speak, as well as take on a friend in the Dual mode. But before you do, you may want to hit the slopes and learn some killer moves in the Tutorial mode of play. After getting your feet wet, you'll be able to also test your skilz at the X Games mode events. There are five different styles of events available including the Free Ride. The others are the Slopestyle, in which you must rise to the challenge of tricking off every rail, jump, and slope in an effort to attain the highest score possible. The Snowboarder X is essentially a race from top to bottom, where speed is the key to success. For the trickster in us all, the Superpipe offers a surefire way to get your fix. And finally, the Big Air event allows you to bust out some killer moves on the three hillside kickers spaced throughout the course. Sports games and career modes go together like peas and carrots, and ESPN Winter X Games: Snowboarding 2002 offers a great way to build and develop your riders in its Snowboarder mode. Basically, everything a snowboarder would and could do in the real world is available in this virtual world. To build up your boarder, you will be able to both hit the weight room and hit the slopes for a little practice. As you proceed through the game, you'll be able to enter competitions, trying to earn money to buy new products. All the while, you will also be 'watched' by filming crews, and somewhere down the road you'll be able to star in a film.
Difficulty: As you first dive into the game, X Games: Snowboarding 2002 is going to be a bit difficult to play (in Career mode, especially). The key to successful development of your boarder will be to hit the practice slopes and don't leave until you are comfortable with how you perform. As you make your way down the hill, you'll also be increasing your player's stats and abilities, which will help you a ton throughout competitions. And it will be through this increase in attributes that will help you eventually move from a 'C' player to an 'A' player.
Game Mechanics: Snowboarding 2002 has many, many features, making it one of the best games of its genre on the market today. The controller configuration and menu controls are set up as well as can be desired. The only problem I seemed to have (and maybe you won't) is that I had a very hard time landing my boarders while trying to perform certain tricks. But maybe this is because the physics system is the most realistic that I have seen in a game of this type. (Don't worry, it's not too realistic... so you'll still be able to bust some stellar moves anyway.) ESPN Winter X Games: Snowboarding 2002 is a kick-ass game with a great number of features. The Snowboarder (Career) mode is the best I've seen, so you'll surely get a lot of play from the game. Fans of the extreme sports style game will surely fall in love with this title.
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
ESPN International Winter Sports 2002 WWF Raw