Being female and, unlike most males, able to multitask I found the control system easy to use. Whilst my fella can only just about jump in time to get any height and then maybe turn occasionally just to land flat on his face. No offence, gentlemen!

Snide, friendly or just competitive remarks accompany you down the slopes from the other characters depending on how friendly they are with you, if you haven’t yet knocked them down with a swift punch to the nose. The game features famous voices like David Arquette, Macy Gray, Oliver Platt and Lucy Liu who is the voice for Elise, a Canadian babe with more front than most and I am not just talking about her attitude. Many more renowned actors contribute to the personalities of the characters, which are progressed so well that you will grow to love some but hate others, enough to make you want to forget winning and just try and knock them over as many times as possible, even if it means waiting at the bottom of a hill with your fists at the ready.

Each character will respond differently towards you depending on how you treat them on your way down the slopes. Beware not to make too many enemies as you will end up playing a high velocity downhill boxing match rather than a extravaganza. There is also a two player option in the single event, which could mean that the punching doesn’t just happen in the game, especially when you accidentally (“on purpose”) knock-down the person you are competing with, just to fill up your adrenaline meter and go faster.

The game gets more demanding, leaving behind any chance of boredom, as the slopes get harder to complete. The tricks get harder to perform and the outfits get tighter! Which, I am pleased to see, doesn’t just include the females…. Though I think ‘Luthor’ definitely needs to go a little bit baggier. If you catch my drift.

This game, as far as I am concerned, has only one fault…the inability to correct yourself if a trick you are performing goes awry. It could sometimes mean losing at the last minute, much to the players annoyance, whereas if you could correct yourself you could still be in with a chance to win.

Regardless of it’s arcade roots, SSX Tricky offers many hours of immensely competitive gameplay. Well worth a look.

88%

By Louise Cookson