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The Cool Boarders series has carved a track through several renditions on the PlayStation. By the time
Cool Boarders 4 hit the slopes, the series was way out of bounds and buried in an avalanche of criticism. But now that UEP Systems--the developer of the well-received original version–-is in control once again, PlayStation2 fans might think twice before instinctively picking up
SSX to get their boarding fix.
Cool Boarders 2001 introduces previously unseen snowboarding features to the PS2 system. Seven play modes are available: Extreme, Trick, S.B.C., Extreme vs., Trick vs., Trick Master, and License. In Extreme mode, riders race and trick their way through a long course filled with shortcuts. Success comes from blending speed and stunts. Trick mode lifts players to a boarder's paradise chock-full of rails, jumps, and other strategically placed objects. S.B.C., or Snow Boarding Combined, is a two-stage challenge in which riders complete a trick session and speed session to advance. This mode is enhanced in the License challenge--players progress through a series of S.B.C. stages, achieving a license to compete after beating fellow riders to the base of the slope.
Can Cool Boarders 2001 overtake SSX? That remains to be seen. But with unique gameplay features, both releases may reach a photo finish in their own unique style--and with equal appeal. --Eric Twelker
