PixlBit

Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip hit the scene last year on all major consoles. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game sported a more serious look and feel, and were devoid of the unique motion controls found in the cartoonier and lighterhearted Wii version. It didn't take long to see that the Wii version, though seemingly inferior, was far more enjoyable and unique. As such, with this year's iteration of the game, Ubisoft has opted to omit the other versions of the title, and focus solely on the Wii.

Those looking for an experience much different from last year's release will be sorely disappointed. Players are basically treated to the same experience they had last year. Now this is not all together a bad thing. The controls that were put forth in Road Trip continue to be offered here. That being, players can either head down the slopes with either just their Wii Remote, or with their Wii Remote and Balance Board.

In either case, players will use the Wii Remote to perform tricks, just as they did in the last game. By holding either A, B, or Both together and performing a gesture, players will execute a trick while they are in the air. If they are on the Balance Board, they will have to shift their weight to certain parts of the board, hold the buttons, and perform a gesture in order to perform their tricks.

Of course, steering is done differently depending on which control scheme you choose. Obviously, if players choose the Balance Board, they will steer by distributing their weight properly on the board; the Wii Remote allows players to tilt in order to turn. Both control schemes are responsive and the Wii Remote controls for tricks are easy and enjoyable. However, the Balance Board can be awkward at times due to the fact that it has no give when you shift your body weight on the board.

While Shaun White's controls are solid and responsive, the game itself is not particularly interesting. In the game's career mode, players typically only have two challenge types: Take first in a race or score as many points as possible. As such, players will find themselves quickly growing tired of the game.

It doesn't help that players need to work their way up slowly from rank 100 to make it to the World Tour. Furthermore, those who put their time into Road Trip are likely to be bored even quicker than newcomers to the series.

The game does earn some points back with its multiplayer mode, which is enjoyable with a group of friends all vying for the fastest time or the best score. Up-to-four players can hit the slopes together, and of course, the local party environment can help make the otherwise dull game a bit more exciting.

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Tour is an odd game. On one hand it features great controls and an enjoyable premise, but on the other, the lack of challenge variation really drags down the experience, making it boring quickly. Only those who absolutely loved the first title and are still looking for more should bother with the game.