#38 SSX Tricky - Snowboarding for the PS2

My first contact with SSX was two years ago, just after the Playstation 2 launch. It was Christmas time, and the entire family was staying with my sister and her boyfriend, Ross, in Tucson. Shamefully, I had forgotten to reserve one of the consoles, and because of a parts shortage and high demand, they were impossible to come by. Ross, being a hard-core geek, had camped out early and snagged one of the precious gaming machines. I was mighty jealous. I did my best to enjoy the season with my family, but my eyes were constantly drawn to the sleek, black piece of Japanese tech attached to my sister's TV. Like a good boy, I refrained from playing until most everyone was in bed. Once the lights were dimmed and all was quiet, I fired up SSX and it was all over. I stayed up all night slaloming down impossible ice and snow courses with the techno thump of the soundtrack bumping in my head.

The new game is just as addictive. The courses are vast and give racers lots of options. Shortcuts are plentyful. The opponants are wily, and give racers a run for their money. The neatest addition is the Tricky mode, not because it allows bigger tricks, but because it triggers a snippet of Run DMC's song It's Tricky. I have to be very careful with this game. During Christmas break I could afford to stay up untill dawn. During the work week it could kill me.