Piste players
In anticipation of Ski Dubai opening later this month, James Fryer picks out the latest and greatest winter sports games.
SSX On Tour
PS2 | XBOX | GameCube | PSP
More than just a one-hit winter wonder, all things snowy have been brought smack up-to-date with this latest in the SSX series, now offering both snowboarding and, for the first time, twin-tip skiing action. Many of you will already be familiar with the fast-paced fun and frolics offered in the first three releases from EA Games, and On Tour builds on a game that’s proven its worth in the world of console gaming. PC gamers can only watch in envy as their joypad-clad counterparts customise their look for the slopes, create their own mountain and then prove themselves against fellow snow-lovers – and all to the beat of music by rock legends Iron Maiden.
Since 2003, EA has clearly been busy refining the course designs and gameplay; On Tour is slicker and smoother, resembling a rock-obsessed teenager’s sketchbook and reflecting the in-game character’s dual roles as both uber-extreme sports heroes and high altitude rock stars. The designers have taken a step above the rest with an impressive soundtrack, with Iron Maiden joined by metallers Motorhead, Dio, Def Leppard and The Scorpions. Newer tunes come from the likes of Bloc Party and Queens Of The Stone Age.
Tour mode dominates the game, whereby you compete in over 100 class-based challenges, from collecting items located around the track to flexing your newly learned skills as you grind rails, pull off flips or hand-plant at specific locations down the mountain. Race, trick and slope-style tracks will test your button bashing abilities and the 12 new tracks featured in the game can be explored day or night. Monster tricks are another new addition, further combining the trick element of Tony Hawk’s with a faster paced arcade-style thrill as you earn ‘boost’ by chaining together a death-defying array of stunts.
Although PSP players lose a few features offered on the console versions of the game, the ability to wirelessly play four player, as well as the on-the-go Pocket Traxx music feature, more than makes up for any loss of ability to customize characters. GameCube owners also get a treat with in-game appearances by Nintendo characters Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach.
If an SSX title hasn’t yet made it into your collection, this one is definitely worth considering.
Horace Goes Skiing
ZX Spectrum / Commodore 64
For true uber-geeks out there, this early 1980s Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum classic will no doubt bring fond memories avalanching back. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this legendary skiing game, you’ll probably also be unfamiliar with the main character – Horace – a Pac-Man lookalike blob. The gist is that Horace fancies a bit of slalom action, but before he can reach the slopes he has to pick up a pair of skis from across the road. And – something everyone can relate to – Horace faces a fast-paced choc-a-block thoroughfare not dissimilar to Sheikh Zayed Road. You start the game with $40 but ambulance fees will cost you $10 each time you become road-kill. Make sure you have enough dosh left over to hire your skis – they’ll set you back another $10. And if you can’t fork out for the bill, you can rack up some more cash playing chicken with the traffic. Once Horace does actually make it to the slopes, you can look forward to some seriously retro graphics as you manoeuvre Horace through the flags. Crash too many times and it’s back to square one. Poor old Horace. Perhaps he should have just jumped in a cab.
Alpine Racer
Arcade | PS2
Nowadays it’s all about ridiculous dance routines to the rhythm of luminous arrows that whizz down the scree but back in the good old days of 1995 Namco released the classic arcade machine, Alpine Racer. Complete with old-school stereo sound, would-be skiers jumped on the pretend skis and gripped the mock poles before wiggling their way down the piste, passing through as many checkpoints as possible before the money ran out. Featuring a staggering three whole tracks, Alpine racer was probably more fun to watch your dad playing than to have a go yourself. But nonetheless, with only a couple of thousand of these beauties produced, finding an original machine which hasn’t been subject to a bit of Johnny Five disassembling is a bit of a rarity. Although it went on to be copied and made its way onto the PS2, the arcade version was where Pac-Man made a cameo in a Santa Claus outfit on one of the course’s billboards, and is how the game should be remembered.
Ski Resort Tycoon 2
PC
Time to put your money where your mouth is. Take on the role of Ski Dubai’s top dog, Phil Taylor, and create your very own ski resort. This member of the well-known Tycoon series generated less attention than its Rollercoaster, Zoo and Railroad counterparts, but follows the same tried and tested formula. Your task is already a damn sight easier than creating a ski slope in the middle of the desert, as you start by choosing from one of several ice-capped mountains, but you’ll still have to prove you’re king of the hill by turning it into a thriving money mountain. Once you start reaping in the cash you can set to work on upgrading every aspect of the resort. No detail has been overlooked as you’ll need to invest in power for your lifts, accommodation for your guests and decent chair lifts to pull punters back up the slopes.
We think PT himself could even get a few pointers from this golden oldie: virtual slope skiers can enjoy the slopes around the clock with night skiing – and we’re still looking for a ‘naked skier’ game patch! Something else we suspect Dubai’s slope is lacking is its very own Bigfoot – chop down trees to make more slope space in the game and you could well find yourself with an uncontrollable beast on the rampage. Maybe Ski Dubai will have it’s very own Bigfoot? Email any picture sightings to editor-wo@motivate.ae.
Ski or Die
NES
Produced back in 1990, this member of our skiing and snowboarding round-up gave retro gamers five games for the price of one. After braving Rodney, the guy who runs the ski hut, and his terrible one-liners, players chose to try their luck in one of the uniquely different games: Snowball Blast involved waves of children attacking you with snowballs – you return the fire and try to stop the invasion of nippers from covering you in snow. In Downhill Blitz you picked your way down the mountain whilst trying to avoid falling to an untimely death. Innertube Trash continued the downhill theme only this time your means of transport was a giant rubber intertube – the fun comes as you try to push an opponent into sharp objects and pop his tube. You could repair your own tube by picking up patches. Genius. Acro Aerials involved jumping off a ramp and performing tricks, and Snowboard Halfpipe tested your skills as you raced down a half-pipe flexing your skills. Oh, and you needed to avoid the various creatures in the way, of course. Sound like fun? It was, at least for about an hour – this is retro gaming for a reason.