Family Ski and Snowboard is Namco's follow up to their underrated Family Ski game (with no snowboarding). The new game adds a fresh off-piste mountain experience as well as the ability to switch between the aforementioned snowboard and skis at will.

If you didn't play the original you will be thinking this is another shovelware title to rope in unsuspecting gamers. The cutesy look and feel combined with the market savvy nature of this balance board related release make it seem like a big cash in. However, this couldn't be further from the truth.

Even in the first ten minutes you are aware that there is much more to the game. Namco's skiing know how (they developed the arcade favourite Alpine Racer back in the day) has been applied here in spades. First and foremost this is seen in the ambitious recreation of full ski-resort and off-piste mountains.

The resort area a variety of runs which can be tackled at will or more systematically via the challenge mode. These include favourites from the first game, although now joined by more ambitious and playful runs that include slopes, slides and multiple jumps.

The wide open mountain offers a much more authentic ski experience. Spaces that are unmarked and much larger than the resort enable players to pick their own path through the powder. This takes the game in much more of an exploration and adventure direction.

More impressive still is that four players can jump into the open world together and work their way through the various challenges and targets through a split screen view. Achievements and times are kept track of for each player and at times this even edges towards a Burnout-style experience, where you battle to keep the fastest time on a particular street - although here it is sadly not leveraged nearly so well.

Control wise, the game functions with or without the Wii Fit balance board. Players control their skier with the Wiimote and Nunchuck in each hand - much like they would a pair of ski poles. Thrash them down together to push yourself along, bring them into your side to tuck for extra speed and of course tilt to steer.

One player in a group can play using the balance board. This not only gives a degree of extra realism but also simplifies the sometimes fiddly Wiimote steering. This has obviously been enhanced since the last version. Now, in addition to steering left and right, you can also control your speed and implement jumps and landings with the relevant pressure on the board. It's a shame the Wii only supports one board connected at a time as four player balance board would be a strong prospect indeed.

In addition to the free ski and camping modes there is a event. Here you can work your way through a variety of speed and style challenges against computer controlled players. These take you through the basic downhill races onto more complex slaloms and even into trick based half-pipe challenges. One of the best aspects for me were the replays though. These manage to perfectly recreate that Grandstand Ski Sunday feel with a great camera and suitably fast paced music.

Perhaps the least used aspect of the game for me is the various articles of clothing and equipment you could win and customise your skier with. This dress-up feature can be based on a Mii or specific in-game avatar, but on the whole this was a little at odds with the desire to simply hit the slopes and have some fun.

Family Ski and Snowboard is still a game looking for an audience. Although perceived to be more 'kiddie' than the likes of Shaun White's Snowboarding it actually offers a much more in-depth experience. At times this edges more towards an adventure game with skiing elements rather than the other way around - testament to the sheer volume and openness of the game.

The genius of Family Ski and Snowboard (and why it should outshine similar games) is that it walks the line of appealing to both young and old (novice and expert) alike. The controls are intuitive enough to be a low barrier to entry, and the game itself can be played at its own pace.

Whether you want to plough through the fetch quests, trim seconds on your downhill time, or simply take a jaunt down some powdery slopes there is plenty here for everyone to enjoy.

85%

By Paul Govan