Customer Reviews

Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

When you go flying down the slopes on your snowboard (aka balance board), I swear you can almost feel the rush it in the pit of your stomach, it's that much of a total immersion. This game makes great use of the balance board and is very sensitive to your movements. You can actually set the sensitivity to low, medium or high. When you lean forward, you move faster. Lean back and you slow down or stop. When you lean to the side, you go in that direction. When you lower yourself and then quickly straighten your legs, shifting your weight to the balls of your feet, your character jumps. You're in constant motion, using the board and the wiimote to help with some of the more complex movements and tricks. Using the balance board you can just get onboard and play right away, without a big learning curve. (We won't mention that tree that came out of nowhere and smacked me on one of my first tries.) It gets more difficult and there are tricks to be learned as you progress through the slopes, but you can have fun right from the start. You can also play it using just the Wiimote, but why would you want to?

These are some of the best graphics I've seen on a Wii game. You can tell that it was well thought out. There are slopes in five places to explore: Switzerland, Japan, Chile and Park City, and you start out in Canada where you learn the basics, some of which are speed, balance and doing different spins and tricks, such as jumping up on these rails and maintaining your balance til the end which is a way of accumulating points. When you clear the required slopes in one location, the next is unlocked. You really feel the sense of speed as you race down a slope with the different camera angles. and when you fall down, your character gets covered with snow and your camera man's lens gets snow on it which adds to the realism. The vistas are beautiful. The sound effects are realistic and the music is fun and energizing. You can switch through the different music selections using the "1" key on the Wiimote.

Then there's the whole storyline of traveling with Shaun White and other characters that join you on your snowboarding trip around the world. It adds another fun aspect to the game.

The exercise aspect of this game goes almost unnoticed while you're playing it because it's so much fun. But after a few hours "on the slopes" I can feel that a lot of leg, thigh and abdominal muscles are going to be sore tomorrow from all the leaning, twisting and turning. My ankles feel like they did after I ice skated for the first time. It has to be great for balance and flexibility as well as strengthening muscles.

I'm in my 50's, and I absolutely love this game so far and I think it's great for "older kids" who've never tried snowboarding as well as for younger ones. And I just started playing it today so I'm sure there's lots to discover. It will definitely be one of the classics in my Wii collection. Two thumbs up!

I've snowboarded for several years and with the balance board, Shaun White Road Trip feels surprisingly true to snowboarding. This isn't a simulation of snowboarding obviously, but for fitness fanatics, you're going to have a fun workout when playing. I can actually feel the same muscles burn, as I would from snowboarding, after a 3 minute run.

The controls are fairly straightforward with the exception that you will need to hold the wiimote while on the balance board. Also, I think it's important to note that unlike wii fit's snowboard minigame, Road Trip has quick and responsive controls in calculating the varying weight shifts and distributions; which makes the balance board a must buy with this game. However, I found it extremely difficult to do any spins in the air. And, if you're a snowboarder I recommending using the highest settings for better board control.

The graphics in the game are unique, but leave a lot to be desired. I feel that I must be playing a different game from other reviewers because this is definitely not one of the prettiest games on wii. There isn't really much going on during a run down the mountain. In fact after playing 1080 on my virtual console, I can't see too much of a difference on my hdtv. However, the game's artistic style and great sense of speed somewhat make up for this.

The gameplay is comprised of a linear run down a mountain where you collect items, ride in a time trial, or score a certain amount of points to advance to your next destination. After playing through several levels, I wish there was more emphasis on riding (mainly because the balance board controls so well). I must note that I've only played up to Switzerland (the 3rd level), so this may change.

Really though, what makes this game unique are the controls. If you've got that snowboarding itch or looking for a good work out, Shaun White Road Trip will be a nice addition to your library to pull out and play. (and have enough cash for the balance board or you won't have the full experience)

I was really excited about getting the game because of the integration of the balance board, and it's definitely lived up to my expectations.

The wii remote and the board work great together and coupled with the onscreen control aids learning how to do different tricks is a snap. The graphics for the game are suprisingly good for the wii, because I have to admit I was half expecting a mii to go flying down the slopes with me.

Finally the best part of the game has to be the unexpected work out you get. I've been snowboarding before and while I'm nowhere near as sore as I was from doing that, my legs know they're not just walking to the fridge.

It's nice to see nintendo coming out with more games for the balance board and this one is a definite must.

This is one of the few games that uses both balance board and wiimote without a hitch. Both schemes provide true flawless experience. Ubisoft has also adapted aim assist to make the game very enjoyable. It is not in your face, very similar to Wii sports. Lots and lots of simple design additions has taken the gameplay to great heights. Every thing flows fast and natural. If you are near a rail, the game automatically moves it for grinding. There are lot of options to configure your controls. You will be able to find a sweet spot without any problems. Steering is handled by side to side tilt of wiimote. Steering is very very precise, far superior than any racing games out in the market for Wii. B and A buttons are only used for speed and snow carving. You can jump by flicking the Wiimote and you can do all the special moves in air just with simple directional swing. The controls are so easy to learn, there is absolutely no down time.

Visually I never knew Wii could pull off such a fantastic graphics. Texture work is stellar. Every thing looks beautiful. The audio and other elements tie in the game very well. It is absolutely not a PS3 port down. Looks they have built it up ground. The game plays very different. I rented both the PS3 and Wii version, fell in love with the Wii version so much; I bought it. The game feels very natural on Wii than the big boys. PS3 version sport a big open world and a messy system of moving from one objective to other, Wii version is very streamlined. There is absolutely no downtime in the game. You, the board and a inviting fresh powder. Just kickback and have fun.

You will be able to finish the challenges in first or second retry easily. It is not because the game is easy, it is mainly because controls are buttery smooth. Every thing works flawless. If you want some hardcore challenge you can go for "respect" target. It is a fun party game for all. You can play the game without the wiiboard too. Some times it is just fun to sit in the couch and kicback with the wiimote than standing on the wiiboard. I liked both versions of controls.

The game has lot of variety. You play as different riders for different skills. It is very similar to racing games, choosing different cars for different tracks. The game opens up very politely as you play more and more every thing opens up to be a fantastic experience. The levels become more elaborate as you unlock more and more.

The board controls are fantastic. You stand on the board sideways, it makes it for a realistic experience. With snow flying around and lighting effects gives; the sense of speed is awesome. All the trails are designed very well, this a very good size game. Perfect purchase for winter.

The game also provides one of the best co-op experence. There is enough rails and jumps for two players to play without running into each other. Tracks are wide and well designed to handle co-op play. Game engine can handle multiple users without any hitch or frame rate drops.

Length:: 1:37 Mins

This game is a blast to play on the balance board - you turn the board sideways so it resembles a small snowboard and it's easy to imagine you are shredding down the slopes, doing tricks and having a blast. I love the soundtrack and often when I don't even feel like playing, I'll play just so I can listen to the tunes. Any exercise from this game is moderate - it seems good for the legs, but doesn't tire me out (but then I am a landscaper so I'm already reasonably fit). Recommended.

I rented this from GameFly shortly after I bought a balance board. I'm still in the novelty phase of the latter and while I enjoy and recognize the fun inherent in this game, I don't see myself playing it long-term. I'm going to write the rest of the review assuming you have a balance board; if you don't, you shouldn't bother with this game. My wife and I tried playing it with the Wiimotes, and it's just not much fun at all (which is probably expected by most).

The first time you get on the board, you'll probably be crisscrossing the slopes as you get used to the pressure needed to steer properly. Once you get that down, you'll probably move on to figuring out the tricks: landing the jumps perfectly and getting all the points you can out of the grinds. After I did those, I can't find much more. Granted, I'm only listed as 20% through the game, but that took me less than two hours of actual play. I've read a bunch of reviews, and it appears the rest of the game is pretty much the same point goals and time trials. If you enjoy the experience of simply racing enough to just do it for several hours, good on ya. For me, it seems rather repetitious.

Other racers like MarioKart keep things interesting by making each race a unique experience. In that game, I can queue up the exact same race twice in a row and have two totally difference experiences based on a large number of factors. If I do the same with Shaun White, I get the same course with the same powerups with the same competitors and basically the same experience. My riding somewhat changes it, but not nearly to the extent of other games.

If you're obsessed about graphics, you probably don't have a Wii, but this game doesn't look half bad. They decided to go the cartoony route: faces are caricatures as opposed to realistic models, the snow is a flat plane instead of individual granules, and trees do not have individual needles. It works well for a game based around snowboarders. And I might just be spoiled by the Tiger Woods and Guitar Hero franchises, but it's a little disappointing when you can't craft your own character. With the vast possibilities available in snowboarding apparel, I know my wife would have enjoyed decking her avatar out in gear she liked as opposed to using the standard characters. Even the ability to change the dress of those standard characters would have been something.

All that said, it is pretty fun and is probably the most logical use of the balance board as a sports game peripheral. If you enjoy the racing for the racing and don't require any new major aspects past the first part, you'll love it and might keep it for a long time. Even if you don't think you'll play it forever, borrow or rent it just to check out what the balance board was meant for. If you decide to trade it in or put it on Craigslist in a few weeks, the few bucks you'll be out will be worth experiencing the balance board at its finest.

Pros:
- Great use of the balance board
- Fairly easy to get used to
- Graphics are simple and look great

Cons:
- Seems to be pretty short (<10 hours)
- Gameplay gets repetitious
- No online multiplayer
- No customization of characters

I bought the Target version at Target for Shaun White Snowboarding. So far, so good. I like that I can use the Wii Balance Board (with a remote), but more tricks can be done with the remote alone. As with all the other current games using the balance board, only one balance board may be used between 2 players, so head-to-head competition are not fair then. This game is multi-player, but I've only played in 2 player mode so far. There are basically 2 types of competition: fastest time and most tricks. I wish that we could use our own Wii character. There aren't too many friends of Shaun White from which to choose, but this game is not about personalization. The Target Version gives you some freebies, like an extra mountain, for a few more bucks but I have yet to explore that. I've personally never tried snowboarding, but this game appealed to me because it's fun yet safe- you can tumble from a bad fall after a jump or flip, but you are fairly invincible through trees and walls, i.e. you won't die literally or virtually and still can keep playing without interruptions of having to start over. This game did make me sweat a bit. It's a long version of the snow games in Wii Fit. I just got We Ski, so I am not sure how it compares yet. I bought these games because they utilize the balance board, which gets my booty off the couch!

I honestly think I played this game for 9 hours on Saturday. So much fun. Had some friends playing with me and we just took turns trying to complete the challenges. I woke up the next day with very sore hamstrings (and I am pretty active) so I would suggest stretching out if you are going to be playing for awhile. As you get the hang of learning the tricks (for instance after you jump and while you are in the air put pressure on one toe and the opposite heal to pull off some crazy tricks to gain big points) it is even more enjoyable. Graphis care good. Game play on the balance board is great.

great game and great fun....just got it last night, but got into it right away and the learning curve is super gentle. the only downfall is the riders, so far, are all regular foot and i am goofy. not a big deal though, i still stand goofy foot on the fit board though the rider is still riding regular...it works fine. so far, crazy fun.

cheers

If you have a wii balance board, BUY this game. It is hands down the best game I have ever played. It is so easy to learn to play and a pretty good workout too. If you don't have the wii balance board for it, you MUST get one. Just trust me. It is the closest thing to snowboarding that you can get. The best part is that people can come over and play it for the first time, and after just a few runs, can rip down the mountain just fine.

Only wish that you could ride split screen with two balance boards side by side.