SSX

Overview

SSX, the sixth game in the series, revolves around a team of globe trekking thrill seekers looking to be the first to conquer the world's tallest and most dangerous mountain ranges on their trusty snowboards with a competing superstar hot on their heels. After several years of the SSX circuit being dormant, Zoe Payne successfully convinces many of the snowboarding vets to return in order to challenge themselves on the world's deadliest descents. She has also recruited a few fresh faces to join them in this world tour.

Gameplay

The game features a "Google Earth inspired menu system" which allows the player to spin 360 degrees in order to select which range they would like to visit. Once the range has been selected, that camera zooms in allowing the player to select a specific mountain, then one of over 150 specific drop points or challenges.

The main events of SSX are broken up into three categories.

Trick It

In Trick It mode, players must try to rack up the highest score by pulling off and combining a variety of tricks and Uber Tricks to win. As the player performs these tricks, a new feature in the form of terrain deformation will be utilized. Certain tricks once landed will send shockwaves throughout the mountain allowing you to get bigger air and chain together even more ridiculous tricks. SSX features "Tricky Mode," which is when the player fills the boost bar and all their normal tricks become Uber Tricks.

Race It

In Race it mode, players must face off against the ghosts of other riders to try and beat the best time to come in first at the finish. Tricks must be used carefully in Race It because while they do give boost allowing the players to go faster, players generally travel faster on the ground than in the air. Unlike previous entries in the series, players now start at separate drop points to stop the chaotic rush of the gates where players would knock each other over and bump into one another.

Survive It

Known as Deadly Descents and the former namesake of the game, this mode can be likened to a boss battle as it takes place at the very peak of a mountain once the player has completed all other sessions in a region. Players are forced to try and survive different environmental hazards and as they carve their way down to the bottom. This is where the gear that players have access to in the game, such as snow hooks and wingsuits, become necessary in order to survive the ride to the bottom. Different locales pose different challenges for the team and promises to test the player with their unique characteristics.

• Darkness ( Africa) - Riding inside Kilimanjaro with only a flashlight and your boosts to see your line. This descent makes use of the flashlight.
• Cold ( Antarctica) - Stay in the sunlight to avoid freezing to death. This descent makes use of the thermal pack to keep the player warm which recharges in the sunlight.
• Gravity ( Patagonia) - Riders rely strongly on their wing-suit to assist them in making it from peak to peak. This descent makes use of the wing suit.
• Ice ( Siberia) - Riders make their way down an icy mountain without much traction. This descent makes use of the ice picks to turn sharply.
• Rocks ( The Alps) - Avoid rocky terrain on your way down the mountain. This descent makes use of the armor.
• Snow ( Alaska) - Ride down the mountain while surviving falling avalanches while the camera is viewing a top-down angle of the player. This descent makes use of the armor.
• Thin Air ( Himalayas) - The riders must get down the mountain before your air runs out. This descent makes use of the oxygen pack to prevent the player from blacking out.
• Trees ( Rockies) - Avoid a number of large trees on your way to the bottom of the hill. This descent makes use of the armor.
• White Out ( New Zealand) - Survive a white out blizzard. This descent makes use of the pulse goggles.

Online

The online component of SSX was said to have been an important concern from the beginning. It utilizes a reworked version of Need for Speed's AutoLog feature that will encourage friendly competition. At Gamescom 2011 solid information came out about the online which promised a great experience with "No Lobbies." Primary features of the online modes include:

Explore

Roam the peaks and visit every point on the mountain to participate in one of the three main events. Each time a record time or a score on one of the Race It, Trick It or Survive It modes, a ghost of the run is automatically uploaded for everyone to compete against. By setting new high scores, money and experience is earned which can be used to access better gear, which the allows the player to then set better times and scores. Money is also earned if another player attempts to beat one of the recorded ghosts and fails.

Global Events

These are ongoing competitions set at specific points in the world. In this mode, players compete against opponents in a set amount of time to set the best time or score. Each event lasts for anywhere as short as a few runs or as long as a week giving players multiple runs to try and set the best score. Global Events can feature up to 100,000 riders at once. Players can set up their own custom events to compete with their friends.

RiderNet

SSX's version of AutoLog, which is a social network that actively encourages players to beat their friends' best times and scores. It also has feature that lets the player "Like" their favorite drops, which will then allow RiderNet to recommend drops based on the players likes. There will also be a mobile version of RiderNet that lets players check out their scores and wall on the go.

Controls

There are two control schemes available in SSX. A classic control scheme maps the grabs to the face buttons on the controller. Finally a " Skate" control scheme maps all the grabs to the right analog stick and allows for very fast chain of complex strings if mastered. Both modes map spins to the left analog stick.

Characters

Many of the SSX veterans have returned for this global tour of death defying challenges, but a few new faces have entered the fray as well. All of the characters in the game have alternate outfits that can be brought with in-game currency. Speaking about the design of the characters, the team have said that they aim to try and keep the over the top cartoon look, while dressing them in appropriate gear for intense snowboarding weather. Also returning to the slopes is everyone's favorite commentator and highlight man, DJ Atomika, where he appears as a narrator for the feud between Team SSX and Griff in the main campaign.

Returning Riders

• Eddie Wachowski (DLC)
• Elise Riggs
• Griff Simmons
• Kaori Nishidake
• Mackenzie "Mac" Fraser
• Moby Jones
• Psymon Stark
• Zoe Payne

New Riders

• Alex Moreau
• Tane Mumea
• Ty Thorsen
• Travis Rice (DLC/Only real pro-snowboarder ever to be playable)

Locations

EA Canada has developed a method of "geotagging" real world locations to quickly create playable environments. Of course, those rendered locations are then modified to create a true SSX experience. The game features ten regional locales. Each region has multiple mountains, and upon each mountain are many different drop points and/or events.

• Africa
• Alaska
• The Alps
• Antarctica
• The Himalayas
• Mount Fuji (NA PS3 Exclusive, EU PS3 & 360 Limited Edition)
• New Zealand
• Patagonia
• The Rockies
• Siberia

Music

During a Q&A session at E3 2011, Todd Batty stated that music is very important to the SSX franchise and that the soundtrack is one of the most painful and debated topics among the team. He also said that the music team has done a fantastic job in stepping up the musical cues and the effects; when a player goes over a high jump, the music will fade out as hr soars through the air, and the music will be brought to an end seamlessly when the finish line is crossed. During Gamescom 2011, it was confirmed that Run DMC's "It's Tricky" will be on the soundtrack as remixed by Pretty Lights.

Full Soundtrack:

36 of the tracks are licensed tracks, while 10 tracks are composed exclusively for the Deadly Descents mode. 3 new tracks were added in the "Mt. Eddie" DLC on May 1st.

Announcement

The long-awaited sequel to the SSX franchise was officially announced with a teaser trailer during the 2010 SpikeTV Video Game Awards. This was when SSX still had the subtitle Deadly Descents, which is now the name given to the "Survive It" mode.

The trailer also featured a brief homage to a star of all five previous SSX games, Elise Riggs, who appears as pin-up art adorning the side of the protagonist's helicopter.

Xbox 360 Game Installation

When installed on an Xbox 360 console, SSX requires 3.7 GB of HDD space.