RSS
Home
Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip (Wii) review
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Shaun White is one of the most popular and dominant athletes in the world of extreme sports. Of course a game had to have come. But this is a new landscape of game development and the same design scheme that works for the 360 and PS3 isn't going to work for the Wii (and vice versa). And this game proves that this is a very good thing.
Instead of having a stripped down version of the PS3/360 versions, Road Trip is completely different game that is tailored to strengths and audience of the Wii. Basically, the goofy plot revolves around two of Shaun's friends going to different countries to find him, completing different challenges and picking up strangers in your quest to hang out with Shaun White. And the rider/camerman adds a little bit of depth when it comes to playing.
The single-player gameplay is a marvel compared to other snowboarding games. Instead of forcing players to score a huge amount of points, Road Trip's challenges are bite-sized chunks that seem to be more about actually enjoying riding on a snowboard than scoring a kajillion points.
Part of what makes the gameplay accessible is the great control scheme on the Wii Remote and Balance Board. I have to give props to any Wii game does uses the Remote straight up and ungimmicky and being very smooth. Movement and jumping is all done through small motions. Tricks are done by using a button and motion to the left or right. And on the board, it's even more exhilariting as the levels were designed with just moving downhill. And thankfully, tricks are done on the Wii Remote with the Board. And the game doesn't force any unnecessary remote waggling.
And this is one of the best looking games on the Wii, especially when hurtling downhill and flying through the air off-ramps. And the licensed soundtrack isn't just a retread of songs that have been heard in other 'extreme' games.
This could've been the best snowboarding game in existence but then....halfpipes appear. Those levels are similar to the X Games, where players have to put together a string of tricks in one run, but instead of being about flawlessness and technical style, its about scoring points. This is where the trick controls backfire. Sometimes tricks are seemlessly executed and then doing the same motion and button press combo results in a different trick. Then there are times when button pressing leads to nothing and tricks are done really late, leading to bails and frustration.
Multiplayer gives a new definition to 'tacked on' because its not fun taking turns with the board watching others in a game of hotseat. But it's great to unlock stuff and complete levels with other people.
The halfpipe parts seem to be the only frustrating parts in the game as all the the objectives are simple enough for casual players to pick up and enjoy and are challenging enough for hardcore gamers. Even though the extra challenges don't unlock anything but lame emails and pictures.
Overall, this is one of the best snowboarding games on the Wii and should serve as a standard of how third-party developers should make games on the Wii without dumbing it down.
Grade: B
The good: Great control, short challenges, good music The bad: Frustrating halfpipe levels, worthless unlockables Shaun White: Not really worth playing as.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
