Nintendo's snowboarder is a little sketchy.
This is a game I rented back in the day. Though I don't remember anything specific about it, I recall not liking it, and I haven't played it ever since buying it.
Wanting to learn how to play, I started with a little of the Training mode. I now remember why I didn't like this game: the control doesn't seem very good. I still can't tell if you have to hold forward on the analogue stick to maintain speed or just to accelerate. After making a jump, you have to be almost perfectly lined up with the ground in order to land without stumbling or crashing. Any of the trick modes are unnecessarily difficult because of this, not to mention how precise you have to be with directions to get the right tricks to perform. Some tricks require complex button combos to pull off; for example, a 540° requires you to rotate the stick once, and then press left or right. I've tried everything I can think of, and not once have I ever gotten this to register. It either results in a 360°, or nothing happens.
After acquiring a basic understanding of the controls, I moved on to the Match Race. In this mode, you face off against a computer opponent to be the first downhill to the finish line. There is also a damage meter which depletes with each crash, and it's actually more difficult to simply make it to the finish than it is to beat your rival. Other modes on offer include Time Attack, Trick Attack, Contest (AKA a slalom), and a 2-Player Vs. Mode. A four-player race mode might have been interesting, but none such option exists. The game feels lonely, as in any mode it is pretty much you vs. the mountain.
As far as presentation is concerned, it has a few nice touches. Snow flies up when making tight turns, and the clothes of the boarder are blown in the wind when taking a jump. The draw distance is pretty good, and the textures are mostly smooth. There is some slight clipping with the board and the ground, but that is about the only visual blemish. The sound department is lacking however. The music is pretty awful, it's repetitive and just annoying. The sparse sound effects seem soft and muted, and the few voice samples feel forced and lack enthusiasm.
1080° Snowboarding is a game which is too realistic for its own good. There is a steep learning curve, and little room for error if one hopes to succeed. Anyone looking for a realistic snowboarding game might find enjoyment out of this one, but I prefer a more simplistic offering like Snowboard Kids.
I have to say that I loved this game. It was like the first "Skate". Way more difficult than other games in the same genre, but so worth the effort when you start pulling off the big tricks. I would have given it a solid 4 and a half stars.
Keep the tour going, can't wait for the next game. Would be cool to post a picture of the game box or cart or even a screen shot.
Thanks for the feedback whataboutki. We will be rolling out an update this weekend that will show both box art and screenshots in the article. Hopefully by the next one or the one after you'll be seeing that.
In hindsight, I actually wonder if perhaps I were a bit harsh on this game. It is technically sound, with solid physicals, detailed graphics, and other features. Personally, I simply found the game to be downright boring, as well as the controls frustrating, so I couldn't bring myself to give it a higher score. Still, I can see the appeal in it, for those looking for a realistic game where the challenge comes from things like complex control. That isn't my type of game, though.
The landing is definitely touchy and anything approaching a 1080 is a combo mess, but if you put in another 30 minutes you might like it a little better.
I owned this game and ... I actually agree. I think I'd have given it a 3, but my God did I fall a lot in this damn game. I actually did ok with just straightaways and trick sections, but the minute I tried combining the two, it was a nightmare, and overall, it did often seem a bit boring. I think multiplayer made it more fun for me, though.
I still prefer Snowboard Kids, but I also prefer arcade to sim in general, so there ya go.
I went looking for realistic snowboarding in real life this weekend and was much happier than if I would have just played this game. Even if you have to go out of state and learn it, you definitely should take the time instead of playing this game.
Maybe play the new SSX after you are recovering from all of the falls that you're sure to take, just like myself.
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