SSX 3

SSX 3
Developer(s)	EA Canada, Exient Entertainment (Gizmondo)
Publisher(s)	EA Sports BIG
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Gizmondo
Release date(s)	NA October 20, 2003 PAL October 31, 2003 JP December 18, 2003 Game Boy Advance NA November 11, 2003 PAL November 21, 2003 Gizmondo PAL September 22, 2005 NA October 22, 2005
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	CERO: A ESRB: E OFLC: G PEGI: 7+

SSX 3 (Snowboard Super Cross 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. SSX 3 became the first game in the series to finally sell over one million copies on one platform, with the PlayStation 2 version selling 1.38 million units worldwide, and the GameCube and Xbox versions selling roughly about a million units worldwide. It is estimated that the GameBoy Advance version has sold around 800,000 units. It is also estimated that in total the game has sold around 5 million copies.

Gameplay

As in previous SSX titles, players choose one of several characters, participate in races or trick competitions, and earn rewards.

The most obvious change to the series is the location. In earlier games, individual tracks were located around the world. In SSX 3, the entire game takes place on one mountain, with three peaks and several individual runs. Runs are designated as "race", "slopestyle", "super pipe", "big air", or "backcountry" tracks, and are designed accordingly. The race tracks are connected; it is possible to board through these tracks from the top of the mountain to the bottom without stopping or reloading each track.

The reward system is also revamped and improved. Although some rewards are still tied to what medals the player gets, most rewards are bought using money earned in competition or when finding hidden collectibles. Outfits, stat improvements, "cheat characters" (character models) and game art are all available.

Graphically the game is improved over previous installments by featuring a new graphics engine which adds various visual improvements such as 'Mountain effects': special effects to the game's mountain, such as thunder. Furthermore, the game is based around a "freeroaming" architecture akin to the later installments of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series.

Other notable changes include the introduction of a second level of "über tricks"; the elimination of freestyle/BX/Alpine boards in favor of a single board type, and the elimination of statistical differences between characters, and the continuity in tracks linked together by "Stations." In general, the game emphasizes customization much more than in previous games; for example, different boards no longer have different effects on how they perform, allowing the player to choose between them based purely on aesthetics as opposed to taking the statistics into consideration, as was common previously.

There are four ways to "Conquer the Mountain" and advance to higher peaks:

One is to earn medals in racing events, eventually leading to a challenge by the master of that peak in a backcountry event, and then a full peak challenge, which covers that peak's backcountry all the way to the bottom of Peak 1. There are 5 official race courses in the game, not including the 6 rival challenge races.

Freestyle works similarly, given that there are more freestyle events than there are races. Also, the full peak challenges for Peaks 1 and 2 only cover their respective backcountries and slopestyles. There are 9 official freestyle courses in the game, not including the 6 rival challenge freestyles.

Freeride works in an entirely different way. The player can earn a certain percentage of the collectibles for the peak and also win a certain number of the peak's "Big Challenges" (special challenges that range from breaking glass panes in superpipes to punching targets in "The Throne"). The "typical" Big Challenge has the player score points in a race track or speed down a slopestyle track. Some of the BIG Challenges have three different steps - the higher step, the harder challenge. After completing a challenge who appeared as a green beam, it will eventually turn blue instead of white, showing that there is a harder version of that challenge. After you complete step two, the challenge will turn red, and will become much difficultier than the previous challenges. This could for example be: The first challenge has a goal to punch 5 punching bags. The second step of this challenge is punching 10, and the third and last step is punching 15.

Earnings is a set amount of money the player is supposed to earn while playing the game normally.

Characters

SSX 3 features 10 main characters, 6 of which are returning members of previous SSX games, and 4 of which are debut characters.

SSX Veterans

• Elise Riggs
• Kaori Nishidake
• Mackenzie "Mac" Fraser
• Moby Jones
• Psymon Stark
• Zoe Payne

Debut Characters

• Allegra Sauvagess
• Griff Simmons
• Nate Logan
• Viggo Rolig

Finishing various in-game tasks earns the player money, with which they can buy their character accessories. Each character features a number of shared accessories as well as unique items designed specifically for them. Purchasing accessories allows the player to create a distinct version of their character to distinguish them from others.

In addition to these characters, there are unlockable "cheat characters". While these hidden characters are entirely playable, most of them do not have unique animations, voice acting or equipable accessories. Cheat characters range from past characters from the SSX series such as Seeiah Owens and Marisol Diez Delgado, to bizarre fantasy snowboarders, such as a snowman or a beaver, and even Stretch from NBA Street.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for SSX 3 is an eclectic mix of songs from different genres, including house, trance, electronica, drum & bass, punk, modern rock, and hip-hop. Like previous releases, the build-up of songs played during gameplay is affected by the player's momentum in landing (or failing to land) big tricks, and taking harder mountain paths.

A compilation CD containing 13 of the songs from the game was also released, though it did not contain the game's title track.

The following is a list of songs featured in the game:

1. Swollen Members - "Deep End -Utah Saints Remix-"

2. Swollen Members - "All Night"

3. Andy Hunter - "Go"

4. Caesars - "Jerk It Out"

5. N.E.R.D. - "Rock Star (Jason Nevins Remix)"

6. X-ecutioners - "Like This"

7. Kinky - "Mas"

8. Ima Robot - "A is for Action"

9. Alpine Stars - "Snow Patrol"

10. Aphrodite - "Wobble"

11. Audio Bullys - "We Don't Care"

12. Dan the Automator Featuring Q-Bert - "Bear Witness III"

13. Felix Da Housecat - "Silver Screen Shower Scene (Static Revenger)"

14. Deepsky - "Ride"

15. Queens of the Stone Age - "No One Knows -U.N.K.L.E. Remix-"

16. Yellowcard - "Way Away"

17. Overseer - "Screw Up"

18. Fischerspooner - "Emerge (Junkie XL Remix)"

19. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Higher Ground -X-ecutioners Remix-"

20. Röyksopp - "Poor Leno -Silicon Soul Remix-"

21. The Black Eyed Peas - "Labor Day (It's A Holiday)"

22. Jane's Addiction - "Hypersonic"

23. MxPx - "Play It Loud"

24. Dilated Peoples - "Who's Who"

25. Basement Jaxx - "Do Your Thing (Jaxx Clubb mix)"

26. Chemical Brothers - "Leave Home"

27. Fatboy Slim - "Don't Let The Man Get You Down"

28. K-os - "Freeze"

29. The Faint - "Glass Danse -Paul Oakenfield Remix-"

30. Thrice - "Stare At The Sun"

31. Autopilot Off - "Clockworks"

32. Placebo - "The Bitter End"

33. Power Plant - "Avalanche"

34. John Morgan - "Buffet of Breaks"

35. Finger Eleven - "Good Times"

Reception

SSX 3 received universal acclaim upon its release. The PlayStation 2 version currently has a 93 at Metacritic and a 92.28% at Game Rankings. Gamespot gave it a 9.0 out of 10, stating that "SSX 3 delivers a rush like few racing games or action sports games have ever achieved." IGN gave the game a 9.5 out of 10, saying that "this is the best snowboarding game I have ever played." and "It's arcade-centric, trick heavy, and on the third peak, it's brutal, but in the end, nothing comes close to SSX 3."

References

• Smith, Shaun (2003). Prima's Official Strategy Guide: SSX 3. USA: Random House. 

External links

• SSX 3 at MobyGames