Namie Amuro - Digital Dance Mix

I think I've found a new Japanese Saturn game to obsess over. You may have noticed a small video on the sidebar, which I sneaked in recently, from The Daily Motion website. I found it when I was looking for Segata Sanshiro material to permanently display. Namie Amuro has been huge in Japan for some years now, following a solo career, after splitting from teen girl band Super Monkeys... I first heard about her from the wonderful Elderly Gamer, and I suggest you high tail it over to his place to find out more...

http://xboxmeagain.blogspot.com/2007/02/namie-amuro-baby-dont-cry.html

Sorry about the huge link thing there, but I only know how to type when posting video...

Any way, from what I can gather, Digital Dance Mix gave Japanese fans the chance to dress her up and choose her dance moves, whilst having a 360 degree camera control... Meaning you can zoom around back and watch her shake her tush...

I'm currently trying to find a place to purchase this game, and don't be surprised if I make a few more thousand Digital Dance Mix posts before the years out!

All Hail Mrs. K!

Mrs. K look-a-like Susan Sarandon...


Fathers Day! ... and as I awoke from my alcohol induced slumber, I was greeted by my best ever Fathers Day present. Although the present was 'officially' bought for me by the Three Gingers (my lovely boys), there was no escaping the fact that the gift was really purchased by my fabulous wife.

So what, dear readers, was this special gift? I'll tell you shortly. But first let's contextualise how great this is... Mrs. K is not a gamer. In fact, she has expressed at times, how difficult it can be to be:

a.) One female in a house with four males, and:

b.) To be the only member of the house, who in one way or another, is not a compulsive gamer...

OK... Apart from these two facts, this most patient of creatures has had to endure nearly a year of me sitting in the living room with my back to her, tapping away at the keyboard, writing the crap that you see posted on this, and my other blogging collaborations.

Then there is the fact that Mrs. K has had to see me blow our hard earned family budget, on the 14 consoles (and their associated software and peripherals) that constitute my gaming obsession.

In something of a concession to this fact, the little living room in our house, was always console free. However, since my 40th birthday, I've managed to sneak both a Wii AND a Dreamcast under the 60HZ TV in this 'console free' room. And Mrs. K has allowed it, without any protest! In fact, I wouldn't even have a Wii if my lovely wife had not facilitated it...

OK. So what did I receive for Father's Day? How about this!!!...

Item 1.) A Serano Montreal super comfy computer chair! For about six months I've been sitting in front of the PC, on a wooden 'kitchen table' chair (Groan!)... You don't know how uncomfortable that can get. Despite the ample padding on my posterior, this could be a harsh environment for the buttocks (and strenuous on the back...)!

But wait! It gets better!!!

Item 2.) As well as this I got... *Drum roll* a HoMedics Shiatsu Massaging Cushion!!!!!! Holy Motherfeckin' Crap! Slip this bad boy onto the computer chair, plug it in and WAHEY! I've got an automated massage of the lower back, upper back or all over!

Seriously people, this is the SHIZZLE! Within the cushion is some mechanized device that sends rollers up and down the spine, pumelling your lumbar regions, easing away the tensions of the day!!!

So in terms of appreciation, I just wanted to make this post, available to the world to say... Mrs. K! (Berni) I love you, you are the best thing that ever happened to me and THANKYOU! For my present and for rocking my world.

This is FK, (with a tear in his eye, but a massively relaxed back and very comfortable buttocks), signing out...

Peace y'all!

第5回 アテナ杯 エヴァンゲ リオンネッ トワークス VS 岐阜代表 Part I

How fucking great is this? originally discovered at the very wonderful "Video Games Of The Damned" ( see links on the side bar) This video of Virtua Fighter 2, played in an arcade in Japan somewhere, shows how videogaming in Japan is something of a spectator sport!

It also demonstrates the power of the videogame in Japan, the passion for AM2/Sega titles, and how we don't fully appreciate titles of this magnificence on this side of the Pacific...

Virtua Fighter was one of THE titles that made the Saturn indespensable to me, and remains one of my favourite titles of all time...

I need to post a 'fighter' retrospective on all Saturn titles (and believe me there's loads!)

Great video! Enjoy!

(BTW I've left the title in Japanese 'cos it looks so cool!)

Tomb Raider review (finally...)

After countless days of expectation, here it is at last, my review of Tomb Raider 1 for the almighty Saturn!

Read on, dear children...

The first thing anyone talks about this game is, obviously, the gameplay, since the whole reason why the game was a success was because of its innovative and responsive gameplay (ok, that and Lara’s boobs…).

The thing is, controlling Lara today is not really what it used to be, so, instead of being amazed with the endless possibilities (you can jump, climb, roll, hang on ledges, etc, etc…) most gamers today will rant about how slowly she turns, how rigid she moves and how long she takes to stop after a sprint, resulting in an inevitable fall from a high place.

This takes me to the probably worst thing about this game. It is so fucking easy to die! You’re trapped between an enemy and a wall, you die. You do a standing jump, can’t make it, you die. You do a running jump, the ledge is too close, you smash your face against it and you die. You jump too soon, you die. You jump too late, you die. You die. You die! You DIE!!!

...let a video demonstrate...

If this is bad enough on the pc version, where you can save anywhere, imagine in the Saturn version, where you can only save when you find save points in the form of some crystals, and, to make it better, you only find 2 or 3 of them in a level that takes from 30 min to a whole hour to complete. FUCK!

Of course the game has some positive aspects too, so let’s talk about them for a minute. For a start, back in the days it was different from everything you had seen. Here you control Lara Croft (don’t tell me you didn’t know that…), probably the sexiest grave robber, err… tomb raider ever, in a quest to find a powerful artifact known as the Scion. In order to do that you’ll travel around the world visiting 4 main areas; Peru, Greece, Egypt and finally Atlantis (let me say that these levels probably aren’t what you’re thinking, whatever it is that you’re thinking…).

In each level you’ll invariably have to find keys, activate switches, kill some animals (and later some more paranormal beings) and jump, jump, jump (and die, die, die…). The focus on the puzzles and the exploration make for a slow paced game, so if you’re expecting a shooting fest, look other way. This, in addiction to the hard nature of the game and the controls that today don’t seem nearly as good as in 1996, makes this game appropriated only for the pacient retrogamer.

Another good thing about this title is the presentation, with varied locations (the grey caves where you start contrast with the brown of the Greece levels and the yellow of the Egypt ones) and an awesome level design. This may not appeal to everyone, though, because, although the level design is really great, this makes for more open-ended levels instead of the linear design many gamers like. As it is, expect to spend a lot of time thinking about what to do next, since that isn’t always obvious.

But the graphics also have negative aspects about them, with the framerate being the worst. When you’re walking in corridors or something like it it’s all fluid and fine, but when you reach a large area (and there are many of them) the game slows down to the point it affects gameplay. At first you forgive this, thinking that the detail demands sacrifices, but as time passes by you start to get really annoyed by this.

What makes me think is, they said that the Saturn version had worst graphics compared to the PS1 but had faster gameplay. Well, I can see the “worst graphics” part, but I can’t really see where is this “faster gameplay” they talk about…

Anyway, at least the sound is the same everywhere, so you can expect the same atmospheric soundtrack the PS1 or PC players are listening to.

So, overall, what’s my opinion about this title? Well, Tomb Raider sure was a great game for it’s time, but it didn't aged so well, and today even a retrogamer, at least one that never played it 10 years ago, may not like it. I still recommend this for the more patient gamers out there or any collector that wants to have a piece of gaming history in his collection, but all the others should play TR Anniversary instead. Believe me, you'll have much more fun.

PS – I know a lot of you guys were expecting the “greatest review ever seen”, so you might be a little disappointed with this modest piece of writing. To make up for that, here is a photo that might sheer you up

And a bonus comic (click to enlarge)

Happy Birthday Racketboy!

It was recently brought to my attention by the saintly Gnome, that one of my favourite sites, "Retro Gaming With Racketboy" had reached its third anniversary. Three solid years, of providing the gaming community with excellent advice on the joys of those systems that had preceded the current gen.

This advice, either appeals to those who were unaware of the validity of Retro Gaming as a worthwhile past time, or to those like myself, who recognise the value of older games due to a longstanding experience of gaming over many consoles/years.

For me, gaming as a medium can be compared to film or music. Although producing film or music may have been benefited by the advances of technology, "ancient" examples of both genres still stand up against their contemporaries today.

If you dig the White Stripes, check out Led Zeppelin. Oasis? Try The Beatles! The artists that used eight track studios, still produced valid pieces that stand up to later material produced with digital recording. Therefore the basic message is that new does not necessarily equal better!

OK back to gaming. The rise of down loadable retro games, be that XBox Live for the 360, or Virtual Console for the Wii, is an economic recognition (by Microsoft and Nintendo) of the merit of retro games in the face of current gen titles.

What Racketboy has (and still continues to) facilitate for us, is that fact, from the start of his esteemed blog to the present. A down to earth guide for those in the know, and those of us wishing to find out more.

What Racketboy does with style in abundance, is map out those games that are relevent in today's climate; which stand up as quality games today. Thus he illuminates and expands the current gamers repertoire, whilst guiding the choices of retro lovers like myself, highlighting classics which all of us may have missed!



Therefore my classic Racketboy post has to be this... The Best Saturn Titles For Today!

And BTW! I've come at this from a Saturn lovers point of view... If I'm honest, I'd have to acknowledge his love for the Dreamcast as being my first inspiration! With this particular post...




I'm not in this particular venture to win a prize! I'm here to acknowledge the contribution that Racketboy has made to gaming. There is so much more to say, but I don't want to dilute this post by waffling! Therefore, its enough to say Racketboy we salute you! For more on my love for the man and his site, look here..

Resistance: Fall Of Reason...

Why would I make a post on the Saturn Junkyard about a PS3 launch game? I'll tell you why...

Resistance Fall Of Man has kicked up a stink in my home town.... A completely bogus, irrelevent, and nonsensical stink... and I feel the need to speak about it!

OK, so what's the deal? Well, some of the scenes in this alien vs. human RPG/shooter takes place in Manchester Cathedral. Yip! I know you never heard of the place, but basically it's a huge metropolitan church, in Manchester. Some young scamp has mapped the real environment into the video game.

So, we see some shooting of aliens, taking place within the 'real' Cathedral. Not humans you understand, but aliens. The end result of this piece of 'realism'? The Church up in arms, the story a big piece of news on Sky and The Manchester Evening News. And once again the tired old link between video games, and real violence being established...

The Bishop Of Manchester on Sky News, lamenting the fact that his cathedral was the backdrop to the game. Then UNBELIEVABLY, the mother of a kid, murdered within the gang wars that pollute Manchester, linking the shooting within the game, to the shooting of her son!!!!! BTW... This is one woman's experience... There are unfortunately many others... Look here...

FUCK ME! Whilst I've every sympathy for any parent that has lost her child, to link it to this game just limits and dilutes the real reason her son died... It's 'cos of 'Gang-banger' mentality, teenage bravado, socio-economic depravation, failures in the education system, a lack of significant black male role models within the black community, a perpetuation and glorification of 'ghetto' mentality, a refusal within the Moss Side community to take on accountability for black on black crime!

And if all this sounds a little racist, please allow me to contextualise the whole post! Shots were fired by white kids, at my son's (innocent) black friends, this week on my street! Yep! White boys are equally capable of acting like dicks, and popping caps at innocent black youth.

So we've got a multi-cultural problem with teenage boys, suckered int the 'gangsta' mentality.

And how do we address this? By laying the blame at the feet of a game developer... By somehow, placing accountability on a video game.

It makes me wanna cry! Believe me, anyone who points the finger at a video game, rapper or film, is side lining the real issue!

Instead of deflecting the horror of inner city society in 2007 onto a game, maybe we should be looking at the causality of the attitudes that leads a young person to pick up a gun... And deal with that.

What hurts me the most is that I taught some of these boys... I knew them as pre-teens when they were youngsters with potential... Somehow, their environment has sucked that potential out of them...

Sorry if this seems like a rant, but that's exactly what it is...

There is a lot of violence, rape, murder and genocide in the Bible... Maybe the Bishop Of Manchester should think about that! I never saw that fucker speaking out about young black men, shooting each other on a week to week basis on his doorstep... Until his church was featured in a video game...

However, as soon as some fictional character shoots a 'bug' on a rendered version of his church, he's up in arms and ready to speak to the Sky cameras, and the story is on a loop on international news.

Fucking, arse, bollocks, shit, wank! Where and when will the ignorance end?

Tomb Raider 1 vs Tomb Raider Anniversary

As promised, here I am to talk about the differences between Tomb Raider 1, particularly the Saturn version, and the newest Tomb Raider Anniversary (PS2 version in this case). Before you ask, let me say that I haven’t played Tomb Raider 1 to the very end, but I went pretty far with just 4 levels remaining to beat the game (more on that in the end of this post) and from what I played and seen of TR: Anniversary I feel pretty confident to talk about the differences and similarities between the original and the remake.

The greatest difference is, obviously, the presentation, but there’s more to it than you might think at first. That’s because those guys over at Crystal Dinamics didn’t just upgrade the models and textures, they’ve rebuilt and redesigned all of the levels accordingly to what the PS2 hardware is capable of. But fear not, old fans, for the most unique aspects of each level remain here, and for that TRA is indeed a remake and not just a game “inspired by” the original.

The other differences are the sounds (I kinda miss the original ones) and the general gameplay, which is basically the same present in TR Legend, with the new addiction of Lara being able to jump into the top of vertical poles.

But more demonstrative than mere words is the following video, so if you want to see for yourself check out the footage below.

My conclusion is, this is one hell of a remake! Capable of appealing to both fans of the original game and gamers that are new to the series, I think everyone, with no exception, should try this awesome game.

Now, as a bonus for reading this post, here is the update of my progress in Tomb Raider for the Saturn. As I said in the beginning of this post, I’m currently in the level “Sanctuary of the Scion”, level 12 out of 15, so, with just 4 levels remaining (counting the one I’m at), one would think that if I got this far it’s just a matter of time before I beat the game. Well, I’m not proud to say that I decided to quit. Yes, dear readers, in a shameful twist of events, this humble gamer didn’t beat the game, he was beaten by it. The truth is, the game was so fucking hard by then that I just wasn’t having fun anymore, so I think it’s best if I just dedicate my time to other games.

Nonetheless, I played enough to write a review, or at least post some commentaries about my experience while playing it, so my posts about Tomb Raider don’t end here…

Goodbye and good games ;)

The Secret Scroll Of Segata Sanshiro!

OH! MY! GOD!

(Or should I say? Oh! My! Segata San!)

Whilst on an archaeological internet 'digg', I was blessed enough to encounter a PINK GODZILLA. And lo, did the rose hued, scaley beast reveal to me, the most secret of the ancient scrolls, of our blessed leader.

For aeons (or possibly since the late Nineties) these mighty words have remained hidden, waiting for a pure souled, Saturn loving priest, to stumble upon them and experience the mystic path that lead to our most holy of cults...

So now dear reader sit back and enjoy the Ancient Epic...

"The Greatest Story (About Segata Sanshiro) Ever Told!" (possibly...)

"Have you played Sega Saturn lately? Have you explored the magical world of NiGHTS or commanded a massive army in Dragon Force? Have you mastered the insane space combat of Radiant Silvergun or enjoyed the epic Panzer Dragoon Saga? If you haven't, you might want to lock your doors extra tight tonight because you may be in for a visit from the defender of the Saturn, Segata Sanshiro.

Who is Segata Sanshiro and why should you be afraid of him? Join us below the fold for the legend of the greatest gamer ever!
Back in the dark ages of the mid-1990's, the young people of Japan had lost their gaming ways. Few people showed true dedication to the hardcore gaming lifestyle that had made Japan the center of the gaming universe. Instead, most people entertained themselves with shallow and unwholesome pursuits like clubbing, going to the mall, and playing sports.

It was into this environment that Sega introduced its Saturn console. The Saturn was the first entry into the newest generation of consoles and would be competing against Sony's brand new Playstation and the Nintendo 64. Sega had lost the previous console war to Nintendo and needed a big performance by the Saturn to turn the tide. Fortunately for Sega, they had a trump card up their sleeve, the legendary Segata Sanshiro.

Little is known about the origins of Segata Sanshiro. He spent most of his younger years deep in training until he became a master in both the gaming and martial arts. Segata shunned the pleasures and conveniences of the modern world, choosing instead to live as a simple hermit, dedicating his mind and body to constant training. One day, Segata went into the city to see if the younger generation was as dedicated to gaming as he was. What he saw shocked and saddened him.

Everywhere that Segata looked, he saw kids slacking off and ignoring their gaming duties. Instead of practicing combos for their favorite fighting games or memorizing enemy ship patterns in scrolling shooters, they were playing outside in the unhealthy sun and lazily wandering about in trendy stores and malls. Segata saw that their gaming abilities had become weak and soft and he became dismayed. Without proper skills and training, the proud gaming tradition that Japan had built would start to wither and disappear.

Segata searched far and wide for something that would inspire the people of Japan to give up their indolent ways and regain their passion for gaming. He soon found exactly what he was looking for at the headquarters of Sega of Japan. The very first time Segata laid eyes on the Sega Saturn, he was awed by its perfection. Its amazing games and futuristic graphics pierced his very soul and reawakened a desire for gaming that even he didn't know he had.

Segata returned to his hideout in the woods and trained night and day on the Saturn until he became master of the system. Satisfied with his progress, he embarked on a quest to spread the word of Sega to all the lazy youth of Japan. He believed that the Saturn would revive the dormant spirit of gaming that had once been the pride of his people. Unfortunately for those aforementioned lazy youth, Segata had never learned the fine art of motivational speaking and he spread the word the only way he knew how, with violence.

That's right, you must play Sega Saturn or you will be beaten up. With a message of pain and suffering for nonbelievers, Segata tore a swath of terror through Japan. Anyone who was caught wasting their precious lives with lesser pursuits would be subject to an educational pummeling by Segata.

Segata Sanshiro quickly became a household name. Children would run screaming at the very mention of him, and everyone carried a piece of Saturn memorabilia in a vain effort to appease the beast. Those who ignored the warnings and still continued to cling to their unwise habits felt the wrath of the mysterious gaming enforcer.
Despite the frequent beatings, the people of Japan came to respect and love their aged tormentor. Hardcore gamers idolized his dedication to the hobby and others enjoyed his catchy theme song and prowess at sports.

Despite Segata's best efforts, the Saturn was unable to beat Sony and Nintendo in the console wars, settling for third place. However, thanks to Segata's education campaign. the Saturn did have more success in Japan than it did in the rest of the world. Many quality titles were released for the system and it gathered an impressive fanbase.



Unfortunately for Segata and his followers, technology continued to advance and the Saturn was soon ready to be replaced by a newer generation of consoles. Even though he was being left behind, Segata would still have one final task to complete in service to Sega and to gaming.

In late 1998, right before they were set to announce their newest console, Sega executives came under attack by vicious pirates. Intent on sabotaging the launch of the Dreamcast by killing their entire senior management, the pirates launched a massive missile at Sega HQ. It looked like the missile would strike it's target and destroy Sega forever. Suddenly, none other than Segata Sanshiro jumped into the path of the rocket and deflected it out into space. Segata knew that there would be no return, but he continued to ride the missile, guiding it out of the atmosphere where it exploded far away from innocent people.
Segata's heroic sacrifice greatly moved the leaders of Sega, and they memorialized him with the greatest honor they could give, his very own game.
Rare Game Alert!:Segata Sanshirou Shinken Yuugi

One of the last Sega Saturn games ever released was a tribute game featuring Segata Sanshiro. Segata Sanshirou Shinken Yuugi is a collection of mini-games based on the famous Segata commercials. Completing the minigames will allow you to view the original commercials. This game can be very difficult to find, with copies popping up on Ebay only sporadically. Any Saturn collectors will definitely want to keep their eyes out for this hidden gem!"

The sonic game that never was.

Kotaku just ran a pretty cool little story about a "NiGHTS" style Sonic game that was never released on the Saturn.



http://kotaku.com/gaming/clips/sonic-x+treme-nights-version-265872.php
Overall it looked pretty cool. Still I can understand why the NiGHTS' team got upset and the game was never made.

Oh Lara...

I was at a Media Markt the other day, buying some cd’s and dvd’s and thinking to myself what a shame it is that here in Portugal it’s almost impossible to find a store selling used/old videogames outside the big cities (that are basically just Lisbon and Oporto, and maybe Coimbra), when I saw a PS2 linked to a big arse HDTV with Tomb Raider Anniversary. (as a side note, let’s just say that such a TV linked to a PS2 was a waste. The image was all blurry and it was so pixelated that I can get way better with my good old standard tv…)

Needless to say, I picked the controller right away (there was no one playing) and started to jump and shoot like a pro, since I’ve played TR: Legend not too long ago and the control scheme was almost the same. Speaking of the game itself, it’s basically just Legend with new levels and back to the basics, with more animals to kill instead of humans. The good thing is, this kind of gameplay never gets old, and I was immediately sucked in by the sheer fun that it is to jump and climb through such well designed levels. The point is, I liked it so much that I’m planning on buying it, but not before I finish something else…

And that “something” is what brings me to this post and the reason why I’m talking about a PS2 game in a Saturn blog. In case you don’t know, this TR: Anniversary is not an entirely new game, but instead it’s some kind of remake of the original Tomb Raider, that awesome game that came out on the Saturn (as well as on the PC and PS1) in the distant year of 1996.

I first saw that hallowed game in action in a demo cd (Preview Vol. 1, I think) a long time ago, back when I was a kid (I had my first Saturn when I was 8 or something), but I never had the chance to play the full game until a couple years ago, although it was none of the original versions but the more recent N-Gage port (gamers phone, oh yeah!). Although the conversion was pretty good, it wasn’t the same thing as playing it on a little black box, and since it wasn’t the more appropriated game for a portable machine I got tired of it rather soon. After that I thought I would never play the original Tomb Raider again…

…until now! That’s right, the newest addition to my ever-growing collection of Saturn games is none other than Tomb Raider! Been playing it since yesterday and I’m already a little farther from the point I quitted when I was playing it on the NG, so there’s a good chance I might finish it this time. Too bad I’m already stuck in a room with spikes (yikes!), but that’s nothing that a little of perseverance (and many tries) can’t solve.

So, if I manage to play it to the very end, you can expect it to be my next ‘yard-exclusive review, and, in the event that if I finish both this and the Anniversary edition, maybe I’ll post a little comparative review about how much they actually have in common.

Until then, goodbye and good games ;)

Steep Slope Sliders Review (by Nebachadnezzar!)

This rather excellent review was not written by me, but by the great Nebachadnezzar. At the tender age of 18, he already possesses the gaming wisdom of a Saturn Guru! Residing in Portugal where he writes for this esteemed blog, he is about to increase the Saturn Junkyard's international flavour, as he's agreed to join the team and post reviews when his studies and other blogging/gaming duties allow the time... So welcome Nebachadnezzar!

Although I have had this game for quite some time now, I’d never really paid attention to it until recently, for I had just tried it to be sure it worked and then thrown it right back into the box. But that all changed some days ago when I decided to give it a chance, and this little hidden gem turned out to be one pretty cool game, so good that I even decided to review it!

So here it goes, ladies and gentlemen’s, prepare for my premiere review here in the ‘Yard of: Steep Slope Sliders!

When you start the game you immediately notice two things. One is the crazy background, that fits right in with the soundtrack (more on that later), and the other is the scarcity of options. Forget the tons of playing modes that other titles have to offer, here you just have to choose between an “options” menu and a pretty self-explanatory “start game”.




Once you choose to start the game you can select the track (from a total of 7) and the character (you start with just 4 to choose from), and then you just have to ride the snow with no real objectives to achieve. Whether you decide to make the fastest course time or score the most points through tricks, it’s up to you to create your own goals, although the layout of certain tracks really speak for themselves. For example, straightforward tracks, with no big jumps, are ideal for time record breaking sessions, but the half-pipe is really asking for you to bust out massive combos.

The gameplay is pretty simple, with no complicated controls to learn. The A button makes you jump, B is for grabbing the board and with C you do backflips. Also you can use the shoulder buttons to turn your board, very useful when you land with the board facing the walls on the side of the track instead of pointing to the goal line. Like in any other game of the same genre, in SSS you have to combine these simple movements to score big combos, something not that difficult thanks to the responsive controls that let you bust out a "360 switch-stance back-flip stiffy" ( Crikey! FK ;) without working up a sweat.



By now you’re all probably thinking that this game is rather simplistic, with few tracks, characters and game modes, but the real cool thing about this title is the amount of extra stuff you can unlock. From crazy extra characters and tracks to an obscure little mini-game, it’s all there. You’re likely to find one of these unlockable goodies for the first time when you accidentally beat a time record or achieve a high score in a certain track, and then the addiction is installed and you just can’t stop until you’ve sucked all the secrets this game has hidden.

There are a total of 12 (!) extra snowboarders, starting with the 4 that you unlock by beating time records and high scores and another 8 that need a little trick in order to play with them. If the “regular” snowboarders aren’t anything beside the usual stereotypes and a “not so common” alien, these 8 extra characters are anything but common. Here you can expect anything, from UFO’s to dogs riding snowboards, from a little spaceship that kind of reminds me of those present in the F-Zero series to a “pixel man” (you’ll know when you see him). Imagination was definitely running low in the development team’s veins at this point!

The 4 extra courses aren’t less original, with a track made of asteroids right in the middle of outer space or a space colony that resembles the cool chase/fight scene in the Death Star (Star Wars anyone?).

These crazy scenarios really help the game demonstrate its pretty good graphics engine, capable of rendering detailed characters and scenarios without the loss of framerate, so you can expect a pretty good presentation (by that time’s standards) with a fluid gameplay (and little pop-up, which is always nice).

But where the technical level really shines is in the audio, with an amazing techno soundtrack that really tries to capture the essence of the snowboard culture. With something like 20 tracks, there’s always something new to hear every time you want to race down that hill while listening to some psychedelic tunes. (For more about this look here - FK)

Unfortunately this game isn’t perfect. The lack of a championship-style mode and a simple head-to-head mode against CPU controlled racers, or even better, another player, really compromises the longevity, and once everything is unlocked there’s no real motivation to play other then racing trough a circuit once in a while.

So what’s the verdict, then? Well, even if the game isn’t that long, while it lasts it is a really fun game to play, so if you’re a fan of snowboard games you should definitely grab this one. And even if you’re not really into the genre, you should at least try in case you have the chance, for you might like it. I know I do!