Let's make a snowman
The events in Blur are based on a scoring system with the main objective to score more points than your rivals in order to unlock new trails and events. To gain points you’ll need to complete objectives and pull off tricks which in turn allow you to fill up your groove metre. Once the metre is full you’re able to execute ubertricks by moving the wii-mote and nunchuck in a pre-determined pattern that flashes up on the screen. Each peak is adorned with ramps to trick off, half and full pipes to pull off sick moves, coins to collect that fill up your groove metre and dozens of trees lining the slopes - which you’ll inevitably bump into. The series is still as entertaining as it has ever been, although fans of the franchise will find it hard to get their heads round using Wii’s controllers to navigate the trickier slopes. New fans however or gamers seeking an all together different snowboarding experience will relish the tricky challenge.
The tutorial mode in SSX Blur is a must, as it will be in all Wii games! On any other console more often than not I’ll just skip the tutorial mode, but in SSX you’ll find yourself totally clueless, jumping when you meant to turn, pivoting when you meant to grab or falling flat on your face more times than Eddie the Eagle Edwards. From learning to carve, jump and rail-slide to mastering the art of spinning, flipping and snowballing, the tutorial is deep enough to teach you how to use your Wii-mote and nunchuck as well as it possibly could; but nothing can really prepare you for bringing all those movements together in the career mode.
There’s no way I’m going to explain all of the control options in this review, but I’ll explain the basics. Both the wii-mote and nunchuck are used throughout the game and an important thing to try and remember early on is that the wii-mote controls the movement in the air and the nunchuck controls all ground movement. Carving is done by moving the C-stick left and right and wider turns are done by swinging the nunchuck in the required direction. Using the same controller you can pivot if you get caught facing the wrong way, boost, grab and jump by moving the nunchuck in an upwards motion. Doesn’t sound too hard does it? However, combine that with having to grab, flip and spin with the wii-mote and soon enough your left hand won’t know what your right hand is doing. So, not only do you need to swing the nunchuck for wide turns, use the c stick for tight turns, flick the stick to jump, use the Z button for grabs, shake both controllers simultaneously to stand up, but also need to use the B button to throw snowballs whilst lunging you wii-mote forward, then loosing the B button at just the right time snowballs in order to hit the other racers or to get collectibles that are nestling in mid-air just out of reach. The controls do put your brain into overdrive as you attempt to trick and twist whilst concentrating on staying on slippery slopes and inevitably, especially during my first few hours of gameplay, I’d find myself attempting a back flip whilst on the ground, throwing a snowball in stead of jumping or shaking the wii-mote instead of the nunchuck, whilst I smacked into trees and generally lost my sense of co-ordination. But, you do get used to it and once you do, you realise just how clever the control system is and how well it has been implemented.
