Customer Reviews

SSX Blur

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Let me first state that I've never played any of the SSX games on previous systems. Perhaps my positivity is due to not having a basis of comparison. That said...

I LOVE this game! I have played it nonstop since I bought it. I love everything about it...the style, the graphics, the soundtrack, and (gasp) the controls. I'll admit that I hated the controls at first (more on that later) but it all feels like second nature now...even the uber tricks.

As I write this review, the game has only been out for a couple of days. I find it interesting that on day 1, everybody was complaining about how the controls were "unresponsive" or "didn't register" or "just plain didn't work." Then on day 2 and 3, people were starting to get it and sing its praises. If you don't believe me, visit different gamer forums and see for yourself.

I admit that I also HATED the controls at first. The uber tricks just felt like a bad experiment, and everything else felt touchy and inconsistent. I stuck with it (cuz I shelled out $50!) and was happy to see results after an hour or two. There is definitely a learning curve, but it feels great once you get it. Now everything just feels natural and "right."

For those that don't know, uber tricks are these flashy tricks that can only be pulled off by moving the Wii remote in specific directions/patterns. You have to be fairly precise in a small window of time. The big hint here is that the remote and nunchuk have accelerometers in them, so you have to move your ENTIRE HAND in the shape of the pattern, rather than "drawing" it with the tip of the remote. Once I got this, I was pulling uber tricks off more than 90% of the time.

The bottom line is that the controls register just fine once you understand how to use them properly. I understand that people want instant gratification, but TRUST ME when I say that these controls feel deep and rewarding after some practice.

As for the graphics, they are smooth and cartoonishly Wii-appropriate. There have been some reports about lagging framerates, but I have yet to experience this. Unfortunately the game has COMPLETELY FROZEN on me a couple of times, and I've seen this reported by others as well.

The soundtrack matches the game perfectly, but I wish there was a little more variety. You kinda hear everything you're gonna hear after the first half-hour.

Right now SSX Blur is getting mixed reviews, but that's mostly because people are either hot or cold with the controls. Do some research and you'll find that most people are coming around to loving it. As a previous hater, I now wholeheartedly recommend it to all!

The Wii games which have been released so far have spoiled people. Now people are going around thinking every single game released should have insanely intuitive controls.

Do not purchase this thinking you are buying a Wii Sports version of snowboarding.

And just like any game which has an intricate control scheme (Street Fighter II, Tony Hawk, etc,) you're not going to master the controls quickly.

If you think you're doing the correct moves but nothing happens, then you're doing something wrong. Sorry, but it's a simple as that. Slow them down, use larger gestures, but know that the game is programmed fine.

If anything you can rest assured that, unlike a game such as Dragonball Z, you could easily do the Wii Dance (aka just flinging your arms around) and still do a halfway decent job. But, like Dragonball Z, this game shows off the Wii's ability to INHERENTLY make people up their skill level.

If you are patient and let yourself realize that, while the controls are relatively intuitive, learning all of the moves is still going to be a challenge, then you are in for one of the best games to hit the Wii yet.

The graphics are top notch, the action gets furious, and there's plenty to do and see as you rip down the slopes. And yes, you'll probably find yourself carving for no reason.

I had been looking forward to this game, but it ended up being much better than I could have expected. Yes, the learning curve is steep. It took me hour to even be able to board and turn without hitting trees, it took me a couple hours to actually win an event and it probably took over five hours to consistently pull off ubertricks. However, the controls are very responsive, they just demand that the player actually knows how to play. People that complain that the controls are too hard or unresponsive, either only played the game for an hour or two, or they are just bad at games. Casual gamers stay away; it is about time that a real challenge came along. While Zelda may still be my favorite game on the Wii, it really was kinda easy.

This game also has a lot of depth - about 20 events, about 20 challenges, 11 one-on-one-matches, and 10+ touraments. In addition, all of this can be done with 12 different characters, while you unlock new boards, skis, outfits and ubertricks. I have heard that a lot of the content is recycled from previous SSX games, and this may be a letdown for those that have played previous games. However, this is my first SSX game but it certainly will not be my last.

Yeah, this is one tough game to learn right out of the box. I really like games to be playable immediately, so this was a big negative for me. However, I was prepared from having read some reviews, there's not much else out for the Wii that I was interested in, and I enjoyed SSX3, so I hunkered down and determined to learn how to play. I have found that it is worth the effort- just go in with your eyes open.

To expound- the graphics are great. Much better than SSX3 for the GC, and one of the prettiest games I've seen for the Wii thus far. The new music system works well- the layered "groove" thing where the music builds in complexity as you perform well adds to the experience. I enjoyed the licensed music in SSX3, but I appreciate this different approach equally.

I didn't play SSX On Tour so I don't know how many tracks are brought back from that title, but there are definitely some familiar courses from SSX3. I'd have preferred all new courses, though it WAS nice to get active right away and know what I was doing. I do miss the "race down the mountain" parts from SSX3, as Blur employs "tournaments" to unlock other peaks, which I understand is brought over from other games.

The new slalom mode is a good, if not spectacular addition. The trick seems to be to make wide turns rather than try to whip through the gates, but once you get the hang of it it adds for a little more variety.

Finally, the controls. Unlike others, carving and tricking took me a while, while Ubers I picked up almost instantly. I LIKE that the Ubers are hard to pull off, because in my mind they SHOULD be. However, if I concentrate I can hit them almost every time, and if I miss it's because I did the motion wrong, not because the Wii failed to pick up my gestures.

Carving didn't take TOO long to get right, and once I did I really enjoy it. It's nice to sway left and right down the mountain rather than drive a stick. Is it more efficient or easier? Probably not, but it IS more FUN.

The problem I had with tricking was stopping and starting tricks. From playing previous versions I'm used to HOLDING buttons to keep the tricks going and releasing to stop. In this game you have to hit the "A" button to STOP a spin/flip/uber and that caused me some trouble. However, once I figured that out, tricking became really easy and natural for me.

By the time I got to Peak 2, I had no problems with the game and was doing everything as naturally as I had on SSX3, but with better graphics and the new control scheme. Is this scheme better? I don't know- I like that the Ubers require effort and the carving is more fun. Overall, I probably enjoy playing this one more, but the old scheme is definitely easier to manage and more efficient.

I'm glad I bought this game, because if I rented it I probably wouldn't have played with it enough to really enjoy it. As it is, it is one of my favorite Wii games.

SSX Blur is the same SSX you've come to know, Wii-style. If you have played other SSX titles, then you will recognize some of the courses here. That's because this is, at its core, a medley of the best of SSX games. There are no new courses, but each course feels new, thanks to the Wii style of play.

In words, the control style is simple. To turn, simply tilt the Nunchuk to its side; to jump, jerk the Nunchuk up; to turn or flip, flick the Remote to the side or upward. Ubertricks are performed by drawing a simple shape in the air. However, the whole thing takes a while to learn. It took me an hour or two to get the basic controls down, and a few more to start doing Ubertricks. The learning curve is a little sharp, but once you get it down, it feels so right to glide down the mountain using motion instead of buttons.

One complaint I have is not about the controls, but the sound. Gone are the licensed soundtracks of earlier games, as well as the character's taunts. In its place, original music that picks up steam depending on your Groove Meter. The music is nice, but not very exciting, and the game just seems too quiet.

SSX Blur is a good game, to be sure, but it doesn't have quite a good foundation. Prehaps if the developers let it cook a little longer, we would have a gourmet game. It may not be a souflé, but it is more then enough to make a meal.

SSX Blur for the Nintendo Wii is a fictional "over-the-top" snowboarding game, which lets players perform unrealistic stunts and maneuvers. The overall presentation is cartoon like and will appeal to kids ages 7+. The player must successfully compete in Slopestyle, Halfpipe, Slalom, BigAir and Boarder Cross events to unlock additional runs, multiplayer-games, characters and accessories. The Motion-Sensing Wii controls are intuitive and easy to learn, but end up disappointing by being not responsive or accurate enough to master the game. In addition, the level difficulty ten-folds to a point of sheer frustration, (even for adults) after a short period of time. Don't be fooled by the cartoonish look - SSX is geared towards the hardcore and experienced gamer. Fans of the series will be disappointed to know that SSX Blur features several "recycled" runs from previous versions of the game (SSX On Tour). KidConfidence says: Rent this game before buying.

This game has a steep learning curve. So don't go into the game expecting it to be a Wii Sports Snowboarding. With that aside, this game is really one of the best Wii games out right now.

Graphics: 9
This game is one of the best looking Wii games out and does offer some better than GC visuals. But they are still no where near that of 360 or PS3

Gameplay: 10
It might be hard to learn but once you do man is it worth it. It's extremely fun and addictive. And it is very rewarding once you master the uber tricks.

Sound: 8
The music in this game is great, and as you do better in the game the music gets better. But when you start doing bad then the music gets worse.

Overall: 9
Basically if you like the series or you just like extreme sports games then you should definantly give this one a try.

When I saw this game I was overwhelmed with excitement. I'm a huge SSX fan and thought that Tricky and 3 were 2 of the best games I had on the Gamecube. So, although I was hesitant, I got the game the day it came out.

The learning curve is intense. After about 10 minutes the basics of the game will get you grooving like a fool as you carve through the mountain to the smooth beats and the new cartoony graphics. The Ubertricks, which were the highlight of the last few games are extremely frustrating at first, but after you get the hang of a few of them, the rest should come easily.

I beat the game in about a week and that's when I noticed there is almost no re-play value. I unlocked the 12 ubertricks, and could only pull off about 8 of them. I unlocked the 3 outfits for my characters and the uninspired boards and skis.

I miss the ability to customize your characters look. I miss the Zany tracks that sent you down city streets and through collapsing caves (none of the tracks are new, just remixed). And after you hear the same 6 tracks over and over again, (not to say they're bad, they're fun to listen to; but i liked the licensed tracks from previous titles) the game can get boring. I re-played with a second character and frankly didn't want to finish because the game experience seems to pull off all of it's tricks once, then fall over on the floor and choke to death.

The game turns out to be just a lazy Re-mix of the old game. It's a fun experiment that's worth a rent, but I actually plan on selling mine as soon as my brother finishes the game. It has potential for the next one, and you know there will be a next one. I just hope that the controls are fixed, The ubertricks are easier, the tracks are new (because it's boring and too easy playing levels from a game you've already beaten), and there is more customization in character and your music choice. It's just under-whelming.

This game is hard. I will not beat around the bush. The first 20 minutes were painful, and I was frustrated. But you keep playing. Soon, carving is easier. You get to know your spins and flips, and in no time you can predict accurately how to rotate and land without bailing. Grabs are confusing at first, but with a little bit of effort you can pull them off.
Personally, I love this game. I have felt that many games have been dumbing-down thier controls. This game is a welcome fresh breath of air and really showcases why the Wii controls are revolutionary.

In closing- Don't listen to people who tell you the controls suck. They are excellent, but as they say, garbage in, garbage out. You get what you put into the game. It takes some time and some serious practice, but aren't you tired of beating a game in 4 hours (cough, cough, WarioWare)? Try it, you'll be pleasantly suprised.

Playing a lot and not boring yet. Special tricks are hard to do kind of like trying to do in real life. But after you learned a few tricks, it feels really rewarding when you pulled it off a new trick. Best part about this game is cruising around trying to line up tricks and trying to slaughter half pipe competition.