SSX Blur [Wii]

The degree to which you'll love or hate EA's Wii-exclusive SSX Blur depends upon how well you're able to repress memories of earlier SSX titles. Those new to the series might find the oddball Wii controls charming, quirky, and not ineffective. Those who put themselves in traction with masterpieces like SSX Tricky and SSX 3, however, might find that the unpredictability of the new motion-sensing controls is more of a wipeout than anything else.

Like other games in the series, Blur eschews realism in favor of big tricks, big air and exaggerated characters. The cartoonish aspects of snowboarding have been taken even further than before, as EA has made the character and track designs friendlier and more colorful than ever before, and added abilities like the snowball throw, which replaces the option to punch other riders found in earlier titles.

Quite a few other elements have been altered as well, with the controls foremost among them. While you can still use a button to jump, the real jump mechanism is flipping the nunchuck upward. Turn the remote left or right to spin, and flip it up or down to execute a flip. Linking tricks relies upon a button press that 'zeros out' your movement. So the progression from one trick to another isn't always as seamless as it's been before, and you'll have to think things out more ahead of time. A last-minute flip that was possible in SSX 3 is almost always a killer here.

Simply performing tricks isn't as complicated as it sounds - you can just wave your arms around, after all. And the system seems neat at first, but it's wildly inconsistent. Just try to replicate the same series of tricks three times in a row and you'll see the difficulty in relying upon motion sensing to precisely link moves. Mastering Blur requires an almost Zen-like ability to hold your hands perfectly still unless setting a move in motion. It's not impossible to pull off an incredible series of moves, but most of the time doing so feels entirely accidental.

Other changes will be more troublesome for returning players. Precise steering can be very difficult, as you'll use a combination of analog stick movement and nunchuck tilt to steer. Once on a rail it's easier to stay there, and to slide right onto another in the same line, but getting up there in the first place is tougher than it should be.