Audio:		9.0
Visual:		8.0
Gameplay:		8.0
Story:		8.0
Replay:		8.0
Score:		8.0

Platform:	X360
Developer(s):	Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher(s):	Ubisoft
Genre:	Platform
Players:	2
Website:	http://www.ubi.com/US/default.aspx
Release Date:	November 16, 2008
Rating:

While in the late 90s to the mid 2000s Tony Hawk Pro Skater was the number 1 in X games styled sports games. While the THPS franchise has come to a bit of a grinding halt due to lower interest in the games and what they present another game has tried this market. With X game games getting more and more out of the main stream loop it is trying to rally around it’s big bad centerpiece in the flying tomato himself, Shaun White. He is presenting an open world game for you X gamers out there in Shaun White Snowboarding. Can Shaun White pick up on where Tony Hawk and Matt Hoffman left off? Let’s see in the review for Shaun White Snowboarding.

Story:

The story here is simple which is nice. You are your created character and Shaun White is here to help you up to the pedestal. You start out in Park City and can travel to Europe, Japan and Alaska. He helps you along the way also giving you help with his chopper pilot to take you to the top of the mountain. The story isn’t what the game is really trying to get you hooked with it is just a simple story that gives you a sense of purpose and sense of necessity. Your story is to medal enough to get into the finals at each of the 4 parks you go to. You also collect Euro’s and money to buy new clothes, boards etc. The story is not bad, but not really what this game was built around.

Story: B

Gameplay:

Here is where SWSB really needs to make the mark and it delivers fairly well. The snowboarding is flowing and realistic. It is helped by being in a snowboarding environment where gravity is an asset not a liability like what THPS had to fight from game to game. The challenges have a degree of difficulty mark so you can get better with easier challenges before you try the more difficult tasks. The tasks themselves are fun and enduring as well. It is a smooth running game with very few problems in gameplay. The only gripe is some of the harder challenges are really really difficult and make you work real hard for them, but that is the point isn’t it?

SWSB is a game that gives just some real fun. You’ll find yourself not even trying challenges and instead just flying down the mountain as fast as you can and doing some psychotic as hell jumps in the process. The gameplay is realistic yet still has a great fun factor. You can do stupid things like hitting people with snowballs on and off your board and you can do this in order to win races too. SWSB is a solid game that gives the player a lot to look forward to and a lot to accomplish and performs well in the wake of a lower interest in X games materials.

Gameplay: B+

Graphics:

The graphics are really solid and realistic. The mountains and areas are breathtakingly real. It is a soothing feeling with just going down the mountain and checking out the scenery. While THPS relied on slap stick humor and a long somewhat awkward storyline and Skate is good looking but lacking in the gameplay department, SWSB really hits a good 50/50 with gameplay and graphics. While the gameplay is solid as stated above the graphics are just as great if not better. Your character is good looking and solid and the environment is wonderful and intriguing. When you jump from a high part of the mountain and over a large gap, you really get a hell of a rush and feel like your there. The races are tough but the graphics engine helps keep races and other tasks realistic but still fun. The graphics are the real bad boy of this game and keep it up there on the scale.

Graphics: A-

Sound:

One of the better soundtracks in games, it ranges from Jefferson Airplane to Blue Oyster Cult and it was handpicked by Shaun White himself for the most part. The snowboard makes great sounds weather grinding or riding normally. When your getting air you can hear the air flow and it again keeps some strong realism within the game. SWSB is a game built around strong gameplay and great graphics and the sound is one of those nice little additions for players to keep a fun and enjoyable experience when playing.

Sound: A-

Replay:

The replay is relatively high here especially with the online. The online is a drop in drop out style and can be accessed from in the game on the spot with the diagonal buttons. The game itself is an extensive single player campaign and will keep your interest for a good amount of time and when adding that to your online play it is a sweet combo for those of us craving some X sports games which we haven’t had in a short time. SWSB offers players a worthwhile game with good replay value for friends and for random racing.

Replay: A-

Overall:

Shaun White Snow Boarding gives a lot and isn’t getting some of the accolades it deserves. It is better than Skate and the most recent Tony Hawk Pro Skater and probably better than Skate 2 as well. SWSB gives a fun game with lots to do and without a fake feel to it. Gamers will get into it and enjoy the online playability as well as the challenges you encounter. Customizing your own boarder is a plus and making it into the same RPG like thing of the first THUG it changes and reinvigorates the snowboarding game genre. While I won’t expect there to be many snowboarding games to be made this stands out among the off styled sports games that EA constantly pumps out each year. This game is enjoyable and keeps you into it. From the lengthy solo game to the fun multiplayer there is a lot to get into here. The graphics are wonderful and the gameplay is solid and adequate for the X360 as well as the PS3. This is one of the better X games out there in the last few years and is better than it’s older brother in Tony Hawk. This is something to fill in that gap between games and to get some fun with friend’s out of as well.

Overall: B+

	Valedictorian	40
	Prove your mettle at all of the Park City challenges.
	Baron Von Connors	20
	Earn respect from the riders at Park City.
	Grouchbedoit	20
	Earn respect from the riders in Europe.
	Terrani	40
	Prove your mettle at all of the European challenges.
	Itto-Ryu	40
	Prove your mettle at all of the Japan challenges.
	Musashi	20
	Earn respect from the riders in Japan.
	All Aska	40
	Prove your mettle at all of the Alaska challenges.
	Bizzy Bear	20
	Earn the respect of all the wildlife in Alaska.
	Frequent Flyer	40
	For this one you will have to prove yourself at every challenge and competition.
	Ultimate Ultimate	40
	How do you become the ultimate of the Ultimate Competitions?
	OMG!	40
	You can never have enough respect!
	Slammy McSlammerton	20
	There is this special event called the Triple Slam. I want you to win it!
	Y.T.M.N.D.	40
	If you want to be the man (or woman), you've got to beat the man.
	Supa Bounce	20
	If you keep impressing Shaun, he'll teach you how to go really big.
	Supa Flash	20
	This is achieved by completing another of Shaun's tasks. Don't worry, it's worth it.
	Supa Powa	20
	Get this one by completing Shaun's first task.
	Dr. Air	15
	Earn your Ph.D in air tricking.
	Dr. Butter	15
	Snag your snowploma by scoring huge while grounded.
	Dr. Jib	15
	You're going to need a pretty big rail for this one.
	High Stakes	10
	Bet big and win!
	The Gambler	10
	You're going to need to put up so dough, and come out victorious.
	Generation 2.0	10
	Did you know that you can share your edited videos online? Well now you do!
	Mardi Gras	25
	If you want this one, you'll have to get competive with your friends all over Park City.
	Octoberfest	25
	Doing challenges with your friends online is the cool thing to do in Europe.
	Tanaba	25
	Up for a lot of friendly competition in Japan?
	Ice Worm	25
	You'll have to try out all the challenges in Alaska online. Come on, it'll be fun!
	New Kid on the Block	10
	Show you're more than just talk in online competition.
	Mecha Shredzilla	40
	You can never have enough respect from the internet.
	Dizzy	15
	Try to make yourself puke while airborne.
	Scenester	10
	Not everyone can snowboard with style.
	Living on the Edge	15
	It's a long way down, but you're not afraid of heights are you?
	Gravity Allergy	15
	Is flying just for the birds?
	Trans Flat	15
	It's like doing a really long wheely... but on snow, and without any wheels.
	Touchy Feely	15
	You'll need to get big air and stay busy to pull this off!
	Whitewall	15
	You'll have to have to risk getting buried for this one.
	Mathemagician	15
	Keep that multiplier up for as long as you can!
	Big Run	15
	Don't bail or stop if you want to score high enough.
	Magnet	15
	Time to turn an ordinary box or rail into a merry-go-round.
	Like a Top	15
	Stay grounded and spin to win!
	Connoisseur	10
	Sit down, stay a while. Maybe you'll learn something new?
	Dropping the Science	15
	Big and steady wins the race.
	CAPiTA®	50
	Win the CAPiTA® SlopeStyle
	Demon Sings	10
	Do a trick that makes the devil proud.
	It's Only a Game	10
	Throw yourself off something big and resist the urge to land feet down.
	Town Bicycle	10
	You're going to have to travel online a lot for this one. Maybe you'll meet some new friends?
	Airmail	15
	I wonder what happens if you snowball somebody who is airborne?
	Bonii	15
	How many style bonuses can you get from a single jump?