SSX On Tour (XBox, PS2, PSP, Gamecube) (G)

Death-defying stunts abound.

Herald rating: * * * *

As we slide gracefully into summer, it would seem the last thing you'd want to do is be stuck inside playing a skiing and snowboarding-themed video game. But though SSX on Tour arrives to coincide with the northern hemisphere ski season, there's enough in the latest addition to the SSX franchise to guarantee a warm reception down here.

As usual, the game is about pulling massive tricks on elaborately constructed ski fields. If you tried any of this at Treble Cone you would be dead very quickly, but in the world of SSX, just about anything is possible and you will still be able to land on your feet.

How much air time you can notch up by launching off huge jumps is important, as well as how long you can grind your way along railings and other ski field fixtures.

It's a stylish, fast-paced downhill ride spread over 135 challenges on dozens of courses. You can navigate several different paths through the courses, so there's lots of replay potential.

A pleasant surprise is that a wide range of mountain slopes is available from the start of the game, which is great for casual gamers. The ski fields look good, especially during the night races and, though the truly competitive will take a while to master the art of aerial stunts, user-friendly controls mean there's fun to be had from the outset.

The sketchbook interludes during loading sequences seem like an excuse not to come up with decent animation - but I can live with them because the mountain action will consume most of your attention.

SSX doesn't take itself too seriously. There's a thumping rock soundtrack, a contest that requires you to knock over other skiers and boarders, and even some guitar-playing unicorns.

It's surfing and skateboarding rather than skiing and snowboarding games we should be seeing at the moment. But I'll live with SSX's chilly feel for a few more downhill runs.* $80