Snowboarding

UPC: 093992071004

Platform: PlayStation

Publisher: A1 Games

Developer: Atelier Double

Category: Sports

Style(s): Snowboarding

Synopsis: Agetec's Snowboarding consists of racing downhill and performing death-defying stunts. For speed fans, the Race Mode allows players to race against the clock or two computer-controlled opponents. For those more interested in catching big air, Snowboarding's Trick Mode requires gamers to perform numerous maneuvers to gain more time to complete courses. In both modes, gamers can choose from one of three different boarder characters as they ride through the game's 27 different courses. Additionally, each of these courses can be tackled by two players at once in a horizontally divided split-screen. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Package Contents: Registration Card

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

Agetec really should spend more than a sentence describing each part of the game. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Probably the best apsect of the title, the game's graphics are not laughable. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Like many recreational sports, the first time someone tries to snowboard, the experience is usually quite awkward. First-timers generally go through a lot of falling, getting up, and falling some more. Eventually, with a little practice and patience, the early frustrations of snowboarding can transform into an exhilarating experience. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Agetec's representation of snowboarding for the PlayStation Simply titled Snowboarding, the game is consistently awkward, frustrating and downright terrible. For gamers familiar with snowboarding titles like 1080 Snowboarding and SSX, Agetec's Snowboarding is an absolute nightmare. Unlike these snow dreams, Snowboarding's control scheme is trash. Supposedly, after pressing the X button upon hitting jumps, gamers can do a slew of tricks using different buttons and directional moves. In the end however, gamers will usually do nothing more than tail grabs (which are activated by pressing the X button again after hitting jumps). This is because the game's controls are not very responsive or simply do not work at all. A perfect example of how awful the game's controls can be is evident from the triangle button's function. Apparently, by pressing triangle button, players will be able to speed up to perform better tricks. In actuality, the speed button does not seem to work. Whether you tap it or hold it to go faster (no one knows what you are really supposed to do because the game's manual fails to explain the game adequately), nothing really happens. The only way gamers actually seem to gain speed is by simply going down steeper slopes. Problems like these make progression in the game (which apparently has 27 levels available in both race and trick modes) nearly impossible, as gamers are required perform tricks to get more time on the clock. This setup is tedious and ultimately not fun because there is little gamers can do to control their speed or tricks, and as a result players will, more often than not, run out of time. Adding to the problems of Snowboarding is the lack of effort Agetec put into testing the game. Many times players will actually go <i>through</i> hills without having any problem. Maybe this is because the snowboarders in the game are indestructible. Gamers could allow an infant to hold the controller and chances are their player would not crash once in a three minute run. And if players actually pull off one of the game's harder tricks (by pure luck), 99.9 percent of the time the player will land it, whether he is two hundred feet or two feet off the ground. There are many more complaints one could make about Agetec's poor excuse for a snowboarding title, but honestly, there is no point in bringing them all up -- there are simply too many flaws in this game. The bottom line is that gamers should only play this game if they want a reason to break their PlayStation controller. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Despite 27 levels in the game, the replay value comes only from the satisfaction of watching it fry in the microwave. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Absolutely nothing will grab you in the game's sound department ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

Running into trees while snowboarding in real life never sounded better. Terrible, terrible controls. ~ Matt Grandstaff, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.