SSX Tricky (Game Boy Advance)

SSX Tricky, the second game in EA Sports’ snowboarding series, received an adaptation for the Game Boy Advance one year after the game’s release on consoles. It adapts the console game’s main playing modes, but removes a lot of the details and remodels all tracks into its own 3D engine in line with the handheld’s capabilities.

The game’s main playing mode is World Circuit mode, taking players through either Race or Showoff competitions through eight courses. Gaining medals in World Circuit unlocks more characters to select, and courses to play in Single Event mode, which offers a Time Challenge mode in addition to Races and Showoffs. Races are competitions against four other boarders, while Showoffs require performing tricks to score points. Time Challenge is a time-limited run down a course in which performing tricks and combos is necessary to enhance the time limit. Neither board and boarder customization nor boarder rivalries from the console version made the transition to the GBA.

The tracks are based on those in the console version, but are completely redesigned. They now resemble more realistic winter sports courses and feature none of the extravagant drops, shortcuts and tunnels of the original game. The graphics engine employs texture-mapped polygons for the courses and 2D animated sprites for the boarders, with the camera always behind the player.