SNOW MAY SEEM YELLOW TO SOME

If the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Shaun White Snowboarding are the open-world side of the sport, the PSP version would be its little brother: scaled down with a redirected focus and a more traditional setup. The hunting, searching and exploring of the other versions is gone. In its place are a series of events – taking place over five mountains and dispersed one at a time via menu screens – that are much closer to a typical snowboarding game.

Her Name Was Anna Log

With only one analog stick to utilize, the PSP scraps the dual-stick controls of the PS3/360 version in favor of mechanics that’ll make the average player say, “That feels just like an EA BIG Sports game.” But the change isn’t unwarranted, nor is it unwelcome. The four face buttons execute most of the stunt performances; when jumping, L and R are used for left and right hand grabs.

Focus powers, the character-enhancing feature of the PS3/360 versions, is available much sooner in the PSP game and is used primarily to multiply your score. The coin-collecting challenge has also been changed: now you’ll hunt for a series of golden crowns, most of which are highly visible and easy to snatch.

Four Scores and Seven Events Ago

Before progressing through each mountain, players must complete four primary objectives: Speed, Trick, Slide and Carve. XP, the stat-enhancing treat awarded in RPGs and many action games, can be used to upgrade each of these abilities or to purchase new boards.

Speed is more than a time trial – in this game you must achieve a speed quota from a certain position. While holding the triangle button, your boarder will duck down to speed up. It’s at this time that the Speed meter will begin to fill. The longer this position is held without stopping, crashing or shifting to something else, the higher the Speed reward. When the meter is full, your objective is complete.

Trick is the usual challenge. But instead of requiring a specific point total, you must once again fill a meter – this time by performing tricks. Slide is SWS’ answer to the grind: find a pipe, the edge of a surface or any other thin object and slide around it like there’s no tomorrow.

Carve is the one mode you may not have expected. During these challenges, the player must use the L and R buttons to steer. This allows you to dig deep into the snow, thus creating a trail behind your board. One of the two buttons must be held at all times – if you’re switching from left or right, the transition must be quick so that the two buttons are not held down simultaneously (this could cause your boarder to stop). But if both buttons are lifted for even a second, you’ll lose your Carve and have to start over. Current progress will be saved, however, and added to the appropriate meter at the top of the screen.

Players must complete these objectives (as listed for each event) in order to open additional mountains. But these are not the only requirements: you must also complete a one-star objective and collect a set number of golden crowns. Crowns are dispersed everywhere; it doesn’t matter how many you collect in each event so long as you achieve the required number for the entire mountain. One-star objectives, however, are individual challenges (ex: Carve a certain number of points without incurring a near-miss) assigned to each event. With a minimum of four challenges per mountain, this could be the thing that forces you to return when all other objectives have been completed. The good news is that, unless otherwise stated, none of the objectives have to be completed together. Even the golden crowns can be collected out of order.

SSX minus the X-Treme

Shaun White Snowboarding isn’t quite the SSX clone it looks, sounds and plays like. The controls are certainly there, and the environmental designs are not too far off the SSX path. But while EA’s game is about thrill-seeking race and point-based events, SWS is all about completing the listed objectives. It’s a fun but short game that doesn’t explore any new territory, which could leave players a little unsatisfied when it ends. Worth a rental or in-store kiosk time – but make sure you play it before making a purchase.