SSX on Tour
Encyclopedia
SSX on Tour is a skiing and snowboarding game, the fourth title in the SSX
series of video games for the GameCube
, PlayStation 2
, PSP
and Xbox
. The game was developed under the working title SSX 4. It was released in North America on October 11, 2005, In the PAL region on October 21, 2005 and in Japan on November 17, 2005. The PSP version was released in the PAL region on October 28, 2005. Unlike its predecessor SSX 3
, On Tour isn't currently compatible with the Xbox 360
. In 2007, a sequel titled SSX Blur
was released.
The GameCube version contains Mario
, Luigi
, and Princess Peach
as playable characters. This was part of a deal Nintendo had with EA Sports to have Nintendo's intellectual properties appear in EA franchises.
The PSP version also differs greatly from the main console versions, with limited customization to custom-characters. It also has omitted the use of bonuses on the special "Monster Tricks".
Sales for the game have been kept a secret, just like the previous installments, but the PSP version sold about 200,000 units. The game has probably sold about 2.5 million copies.
, with similar controls and the overall aims of events remaining the same - snowboard down a mountain while gaining points for various tricks that can be performed. After each trick, a player's "boost bar" builds up, and once full enables a player to perform special moves - known as "Monster Tricks" now, previously known as "Über tricks".
Despite the similarities, numerous changes were made to the structure of races and events themselves. Players can now create their own characters, selecting his/her symbol, makeup, height, clothes and hair, in addition to whether they are a snowboarder or a skier (skiing being a new feature in the game). Once created, their 'boarder can compete in official competitions (known as "Events"), or unofficial challenges known as "Shreds". Each completed event or challenge gains their character "Hype", raising their profile and moving them up the SSX charts, with the ultimate goal of reaching number one.
With the focus now on custom-created characters, the original SSX cast is moved into the background slightly, appearing in various Shreds against the player, and available to play as when not on the Tour itself. In addition to seven returning SSX veterans (Elise, Mac, Kaori, Zoe, Psymon, Nate and Allegra), three new characters make an appearance: Tyson, Sid and Skye.
Unlike its predecessor, SSX3, no online play was included on any of the versions of SSX On Tour. The main focus was on improving the single-player storyline mode, implementing the character-creation system, the selection of new tracks, and the addition of skiing as well as snowboarding.
This style was continued to an extent on the actual races themselves, with the graphics smoothed down from SSX3, helping to improve frame rates and to keep the overall feel of the game as fresh as possible. New effects were also added, such as a blurring effect when racers reach a certain speed, similar to the effect used in Burnout 3: Takedown
, another game released by Electronic Arts
.
One of the most notable features of every game in the SSX series has been the soundtracks used, usually featuring prominently in the games. Like SSX Tricky
and SSX3, SSX on Tour features a licensed soundtrack, including rap, punk, rock and alternative music styles. The prominence of punk and rock is a departure from the more techno-heavy soundtracks of previous games in the series.
The soundtrack is integrated with the game rather than used as a background to it. Tracks used on the menu screens play only as instrumental versions of the ones used during races. In addition, when performing "Monster Tricks" during an event, the music will fade away, to be replaced with the sound of the wind whistling by as the player cuts through the air. Upon hitting the ground again, the music cuts back in, enhancing the sensations of the game.
The main song used in the intro is Iron Maiden
's Run to the Hills
.
Full soundtrack here : http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2005/9/12-20
gave it 8.7 out of 10, noting that the game's style was "unlike anything the series has seen before", and that it "expertly balances the fresh and the familiar", and "creates an engrossing experience that will have fans falling for SSX all over again". In addition, Metacritic
's review system has produced a rating of 81 out of 100 for the game, based on a large number of critic's reviews.
X-Play gave it a 3 out of 5.
Nominations
SSX (series)
SSX is a series of snowboarding and skiing videogames published by EA Sports BIG. It is an arcade-style racing game with larger-than-life courses, characters, and tricks...
series of video games for the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
. The game was developed under the working title SSX 4. It was released in North America on October 11, 2005, In the PAL region on October 21, 2005 and in Japan on November 17, 2005. The PSP version was released in the PAL region on October 28, 2005. Unlike its predecessor SSX 3
SSX 3
SSX 3 is a snowboarding extreme racing game published by Electronic Arts and developed by EA Sports BIG, which was released in late 2003. It is the third installment in the SSX series, and is THX approved. Like the previous installments, the game was critically acclaimed...
, On Tour isn't currently compatible with the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. In 2007, a sequel titled SSX Blur
SSX Blur
SSX Blur is a skiing and snowboarding video game, for up to 4 Players, published by EA Sports BIG and developed by EA Montreal for the Wii video game console. It is the 5th installment of the SSX snowboarding video games series. The game was released in the United States on February 27, 2007...
was released.
The GameCube version contains Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
, Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
, and Princess Peach
Princess Peach
is a character in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. She is the Princess of the fictitious Mushroom Kingdom, and often plays the damsel in distress role within the adventure series. In 2007, Princess Peach landed on Forbes magazine's Wealthiest Fictional People list, with a fortune upwards of...
as playable characters. This was part of a deal Nintendo had with EA Sports to have Nintendo's intellectual properties appear in EA franchises.
The PSP version also differs greatly from the main console versions, with limited customization to custom-characters. It also has omitted the use of bonuses on the special "Monster Tricks".
Sales for the game have been kept a secret, just like the previous installments, but the PSP version sold about 200,000 units. The game has probably sold about 2.5 million copies.
Gameplay
The gameplay in SSX on Tour is similar to that in SSX 3SSX 3
SSX 3 is a snowboarding extreme racing game published by Electronic Arts and developed by EA Sports BIG, which was released in late 2003. It is the third installment in the SSX series, and is THX approved. Like the previous installments, the game was critically acclaimed...
, with similar controls and the overall aims of events remaining the same - snowboard down a mountain while gaining points for various tricks that can be performed. After each trick, a player's "boost bar" builds up, and once full enables a player to perform special moves - known as "Monster Tricks" now, previously known as "Über tricks".
Despite the similarities, numerous changes were made to the structure of races and events themselves. Players can now create their own characters, selecting his/her symbol, makeup, height, clothes and hair, in addition to whether they are a snowboarder or a skier (skiing being a new feature in the game). Once created, their 'boarder can compete in official competitions (known as "Events"), or unofficial challenges known as "Shreds". Each completed event or challenge gains their character "Hype", raising their profile and moving them up the SSX charts, with the ultimate goal of reaching number one.
With the focus now on custom-created characters, the original SSX cast is moved into the background slightly, appearing in various Shreds against the player, and available to play as when not on the Tour itself. In addition to seven returning SSX veterans (Elise, Mac, Kaori, Zoe, Psymon, Nate and Allegra), three new characters make an appearance: Tyson, Sid and Skye.
Unlike its predecessor, SSX3, no online play was included on any of the versions of SSX On Tour. The main focus was on improving the single-player storyline mode, implementing the character-creation system, the selection of new tracks, and the addition of skiing as well as snowboarding.
Style
This game is presented in the style of a sketch-book, a new direction for the SSX series. The cover artwork as well as the in-game menus are all shown in sketch formats, simplistic images often on a lined background. The special in game collectibles, displayed simply as snowflakes in previous SSX games, have been replaced with sketchlike doodles known as "skulvis", continuing the theme.This style was continued to an extent on the actual races themselves, with the graphics smoothed down from SSX3, helping to improve frame rates and to keep the overall feel of the game as fresh as possible. New effects were also added, such as a blurring effect when racers reach a certain speed, similar to the effect used in Burnout 3: Takedown
Burnout 3: Takedown
Burnout 3: Takedown is the third game in the Burnout series of video games. Released on September 7, 2004, developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts , the game drew critical acclaim and a large fanbase.A GameCube version was planned but was scrapped during development...
, another game released by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
.
Soundtrack
One of the most notable features of every game in the SSX series has been the soundtracks used, usually featuring prominently in the games. Like SSX Tricky
SSX Tricky
A soundtrack was released in 2002. It features the following songs:#"It's Tricky " - Run-D.M.C.#"Smartbomb " - BT#"Finished Symphony" - Hybrid#"King of the Beats" - Aphrodite#"Board Burner" - Mix Master Mike...
and SSX3, SSX on Tour features a licensed soundtrack, including rap, punk, rock and alternative music styles. The prominence of punk and rock is a departure from the more techno-heavy soundtracks of previous games in the series.
The soundtrack is integrated with the game rather than used as a background to it. Tracks used on the menu screens play only as instrumental versions of the ones used during races. In addition, when performing "Monster Tricks" during an event, the music will fade away, to be replaced with the sound of the wind whistling by as the player cuts through the air. Upon hitting the ground again, the music cuts back in, enhancing the sensations of the game.
The main song used in the intro is Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's Run to the Hills
Run to the Hills
"Run to the Hills" was Iron Maiden's sixth single and the first single from their 1982 album The Number of the Beast. The lyrics clearly discuss the violence visited upon Native Americans in the Nineteenth Century. Several lines appear to address the Sioux Wars, a conflict between the Lakota...
.
Full soundtrack here : http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2005/9/12-20
Reception
SSX on Tour received positive reviews from critics on the whole.. GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave it 8.7 out of 10, noting that the game's style was "unlike anything the series has seen before", and that it "expertly balances the fresh and the familiar", and "creates an engrossing experience that will have fans falling for SSX all over again". In addition, Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
's review system has produced a rating of 81 out of 100 for the game, based on a large number of critic's reviews.
X-Play gave it a 3 out of 5.
Awards and nominations
Awards- Alternative Sports Game at IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
- Best Use of Sound in a Game at DEM X AWARDS 2005
- D.I.C.E's Best Sports Game of the Year Academy of Interactive Arts & SciencesAcademy of Interactive Arts & SciencesThe Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences , founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization that promotes computer and video game entertainment with the annual D.I.C.E. Summit event, where its Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony has been held annually since 1998...
(AIAS) 2006
Nominations
- Best Mobile Game of the Year CAEAA 2006
- Best Individual Sports Game at Spike Video Game Awards 2005
- Best Sports/Extreme Sports title at 1UP.com1UP.com1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....