Super Uber fun even for adults with SSX tricky!

Demographics on who is playing this game : late 20's, plays a lot of games, prefers strategy games, an actual snowboarder, likes games to be challenging, GameCube console, been playing games for 10+ years. With these demographics in mind I was surprised by my love for this game.

The GameThis is a snowboarding game with more than just snowboarding. There are trick events and race events. The downhill race events are quite a rush and very competitive. Be ready to be on the edge of your seat racing the different characters. You compete for medals in these events. There is also the trick events where you try to get high scores and achieve medals through doing handplants, spins, uber tricks and more. Speed is not a big factor on the trick events so you can take your time and rack up points. Just make sure to cross the finish line in time or all of your hard work will be lost. There are many different worlds and you will be amazed with the thrill of running the hills. There are sharp turns, crowds screaming for you as you jump, and many dangerous falls. The action is intense and the rivalries are real between characters.

Review

Characters
So many characters to choose from. Even after I had finished one character I was psyched to do another one - I had not had enough of the game yet. Luther was my second choice because he was hilarious and fun to fly through the air on super uber tricks. You won't be bored by the character list. There are also plenty of options for outfit changes. As you progress you can unlock great pants, hats, and other fun items. The verbal assaults between the characters on the races are great as well.
Runs/slope worlds
Again, many different slopes and some were very challenging to get through. My boyfriend and I would spend hours on some just to get through. I feel like we have above average gaming skills so it was a lot of fun for us. There are also some interesting runs that don't have snow, there is a desert style, and a trippy glass type run that you mainly ride the rails. Another plus were all the hidden shortcuts you can eventually find for the races after trial and error. Stroll out of bounds and you can find all kinds of things. The programmers definitely threw plenty of hidden areas in this game.
Agility
As you go through the game and finish runs and get better boards the agility of your character is super. At first your character is kind of stiff and can't turn well but after a couple worlds you become an agile master. The "super uber" tricks are out of control nuts and completely unbelievable but it is cool and adds fun to the game. There is also a nice meter on the screen at all times telling you how much tricky you have built up to get to "super uber".
Ease of use The main menu of the game is very straightforward and easy to navigate through. It is much simpler than the SSX that came after this one. It is easy to see what you have finished and what is not. Some games can have crazy menu systems but this one worked well. The button system worked well and was easy for this game. You can play around with several different button combinations to do an array of tricks. There is also a trick practice run that takes you through step by step until you master the trick. You can then take your knowledge back to the game.
Programming/ConceptI think the programming and design is a big score. We only found minor glitches and only out of bounds from the main track. The scenery in some runs is beautiful and flows well with the screen. I think the programmers thought ahead and executed the flow of this game perfectly. It was also nice to hear the Run DMC "tricky" song, once you are sick of it you can easily turn it off. It is also funny that David Arquette's voice is in it as well.
Overall summary
GREAT GAME. This game was very addictive. We would find ourselves many times saying "let's play some tricky" and then it would turn into a couple hours. We ended up buying the two SSX's that follow this and I can honestly say I still love this one the best. It is easy to get around the game but it still packs punch with challenge. Also, if you snowboard in real life it is super fun. There is a sweeeeeeet surprise at the end when you have finished your character. Another note: to make it super challenging we would not move onto another world unless we had placed 1st in all events. You can go to another world with a lower rank but what is the fun! I love this game and still own it. Sometime this year I am going to put another character through.