Shaun White Snowboarding

I have to say the only reason I ordered this game was so my balance board wasnt only used for Wii Fit (which I like). I was hoping for a game that would give me the same enjoyment SSX Tricky gave me on the gamecube and this game thus far has been pretty close. In fact I would say that this game is a mix between SSX and the games at the arcade where you used a board to guide yourself down the slopes. Its takes a few attempts to get a feel for the controls and how to do the tricks but once you have that cracked its a very enjoyable game indeed, and the controls make the game that bit more special. I havent tried using the Wii Remote/Nunchuch combination yet and I doubt I ever will as this game was purchased for a balance board game.

I dont know how the more avid gamer will feel about this game but as a casual gamer I think it will keep me occupied for quiter some time. There appears to be a fair amount to do and after a good few hours game time I have only 7% completed what there is to do. The one negative is the menu and the constant (in game) emails you get between the various characters, but perhaps thats just me!!

I think overall it gives a pretty realistic feel or as realistic a feel as you will ever get inside your own home!!! If you liked the Wii Fit Snowboard mini-game imagine that mixed with SSX and you have pretty much got this game.

Ever since Nintendo unveiled it's Balance Board peripheral which would ship Wii Fit starting with Japan in December 2007, there has been much talk about the big N'S new innovative controller & the opportunities it would present developers to create some seriously impressive titles utilizing it if put to good use.

So far to date we've seen some pretty good early indications that the Balance Board certainly holds potential with games such as the fairly decent We Ski, Jillian Micheal's Fitness Ultimatum & then there have been other games which use the board for party games such as Raving Rabbids TV Party.

To be fair though, I have been waiting for a title which has developed from the ground up using the balance board as a primary controller as opposed to the secondary controller which a few developers have done, which kind of leaves you feeling like they worked on the Balance Board controls during the last phase of the game.

Thankfully then I can proudly testify that Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip falls firmly into the former category & has a really in dept Balance Board control scheme which feels very well thought out & extremely well implemented. Honestly the Balance Board controls gives you such a feeling of accomplishment after learning a new trick by using the correct technique (e.g: the correct direction to learn in conjunction with the control buttons to press to perform a "Monkey Twist" ect)

The games overall layout feels very slick & really well thought out. The basic premise of the game is that you are a newbie Snow Boarder joining a group of travelers on a snow boarding road trip (as the title suggests)

You start off playing with the first available character (who I believe was "Jasmine" although I can't really remember now as I'm 30% through the game!) in the first of four resorts gradually working your way through each one as you pass all of the various events available in each resort.

At first there is only one boarder available to you, but as you progress you'll unlock new ones who each have their own stats and special skill. It is here in which the key lies to successfully completing the game, as you play more & more through the game you will learn which boarder is best suited to which event.

Naturally some skill is involved in playing the game with the balance board, but thankfully the developers having designed the control so well that it all feels so natural. Lay the board sideways just like the real thing & then lean forward to speed up, back to slow down, side to side makes you turn left or right & coming up from a crouch makes you jump, whilst pressing the buttons in conjunction with leaning in various direction during air time perform fancy tricks & flips. Nothing could be simpler.

I've always been a massive fan of snowboarding & Ubisoft appear to have created a gem of a game with Shaun Whites Snowboarding, which given how perfectly the Balance Board controls works... guarantees it will stay in my collection as long as I still have my Wii (or at least until a sequel comes out! Lol)

The only thing I can fault this game on is the fact that you are force to play the game using Regular Foot (meaning standing on the board left foot forward) without the option to switch to Goofy Foot (right foot foward) which is the way I feel most comfortable with.

Still this is only a minor gripe as does not really take anything away from a pretty perfect game.

I would say this is the perfect Xmas game for any one with a Balance Board and into snowboarding games.

This game is fabulous fun and far better than I'd expected. Yes it does slot in-between SSX Tricky and an arcade style, but that's a strength not a weakness. I was impressed by the board's variable sensitivity levels after the 'lumpy' feel of the Wii Fit Snowboarding mini-game. This is much better and can be changed between every run if you choose to. There isn't any upperbody control with the wii-mote (the video adverts were rather misleading there) but it's still a lot of work as you move about. The gameplay is immersive enough that you'll actually jump up off board at some point. The game doesn't like this and pauses briefly to give you a row for being naughty for jumping on the balance board. No game play lost though.
The 40 music tracks are good and being able to select the one you want to hear is a bonus. I can't wait to try the 4 player mode for parties !