SSX 3The Basics:
Platform: Xbox, PS2, GameCube
Developer: EA Sports BIG
Price: $40-$50
ESRB rating: E (Everyone)
Summary: Snowboard down a mountain
while dealing with avalanches and blizzards as you try to
win races and prizes. As you get more skilled, you enter
more difficult races and trick competitions.
Note: Although infrequent and bloodless,
players are able to punch and hit each other if they get
close, giving them an advantage during races. The only other
concern would be the lack of safety presented throughout
the game, as players are typically shown without any safety
equipment.
Further Breakdown:
Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Best for ages: 8+
Playability: Excellent
Graphics: Excellent
Entertainment value: High
Educational value: Minimal
Reading Level: 5+.
KidScore
Rating
Ages 3-7: Yellow
Ages 8-12: Green
Ages 13-17: Green
Violence Amount: Yellow
Fear: Green
Illegal/harmful: Green
Language: Green
Nudity: Green
Sex: Green
Review:
Conquer the mountain. Easier said then done, especially
when the mountain makes Mount Everest look like a bunny
slope. But, isn't this one of the purposes of video games:
to sit in the comfort of your own home, while on the screen
you are dodging avalanches, and rocketing off the edges
of a cliffs at 80 miles per hour? SSX3 isn't realistic
snowboarding, but it sure is a lot of fun.
The premise of the game isn't too difficult:
pick a character and proceed to tackle a variety of challenges
on the mountain. Three peaks provide three different levels
of difficulty, with the top peak culminating in blizzard-like
conditions, collapsing snow bridges, avalanches, and skilled
opponents. As you get better you learn how to link tricks
to form combinations for massive points, and as you win
races, or beat opponents with better tricks you earn money.
Money can be used to build up your characters attributes-how
fast they are, their balance, etc; or, it can be used to
buy outfits, trading cards, and other trinkets. The outfits
and trinkets are really only for eye-candy, but add a fun
element for the fashion-conscious, and for the collector
in all of us.
SSX3 is primarily fun entertainment;
however, there is one thing to look out for. Although infrequent
and bloodless, players are able to punch and hit each other
if they get close. This is particularly important during
races, since if you can knock an opponent off of their feet
they fall and lose precious time. This principle doesn't
exactly teach children to play fair. It is questionable
why EA sports even decided to include this option, since
it really isn't even used that often.
Perhaps the only other concern would be the
lack of safety presented throughout the game. Despite performing
impossible tricks, and taking equally impossible tumbles,
the characters do not typically wear any safety equipment.
Although most players will see the fictitious nature of
the game, it might be recommended that parents address the
dangerous side of the sport with their children.
SSX 3 is a wild ride and is a lot fun.
Despite a few concerns, the game is appropriate for most
age groups and provides great entertainment.
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Jeremy
Gieske has been an avid game player since the
days of the Apple II+ and Karateka. Recently,
however, his interests have developed beyond simply
playing the games, but also trying to understand
the historical, social and cultural impacts of
video games. He recently acquired his Masters
degree with distinction from the University of
Salford in Manchester, England, where he conducted
research on videogames. Jeremy has a background
in design and marketing, and has worked with several
Internet and publishing companies. Recently, he
has written articles for DIGA-the Digital Game
Archive and has worked with the Computerspiele
museum in Berlin, Germany.
