[Extreme
winter sports like snowboarding. 1080!]
Publisher:
Ultra Games
Genre:
Extreme Sports
Released:
March 1993
Ah
yes, Ski or Die -- the sister title of Skate or Die
from the people who brought you Pirates!, Nightshade,
Blades of Steel, and the TMNT series. Despite its seemingly
unrecognized nature to most casual NES players, Ski or Die
is in fact the best example on the console of extreme winter sports.
Rodney, the sterotypical tough-talkin' cool dude, is back at it
again this time as master of ceremonies during the cold winter
months. He's gonna need some extra dough while all of the skateboards
are in storage. Duh, dude.
Inside
of his ski shop is where the player can sign in for competitions
or check out the high scores. And much like that other extreme
game there's a total of 5 different events to take part in. You
can practice at your own free will or compete in them all at once.
The
stage select screen may not be an actual event in itself, but
I just had to give it a little mention because it's fun to glide
around the ski resort. Wee! Don't assume anything about
me! Really, I swear it's cool!
SNOWBALL
BLAST happens to be one of the better events in Ski or
Die. Here you'll enter a 3-D perspective where you can turn
North-South-East-West to plummet snow balls at other kids. Once
you get rid of them all, a new level begins and more kids come
by; including innocent skiiers and bonus point targets.
RODNEY'S
PATENTED
SEXY-O-METER: 4 1/2 OUT
OF 5
DOWNHILL
BLITZ is the first of two skiing stages in Ski or Die.
After regaining consciousness from being dropped to the ground
senselessly out of the sky, a timer begins and your skier guy
is prompted his descent down the mountain. A number of tight turns
are tossed in here and there during the run for a good challenge.
Make your way through these and jump off of steep drops, moguls,
and broken bridges to earn points that go to your final score.
RODNEY'S
PATENTED
SEXY-O-METER: 4 OUT OF 5
ACRO
AERIALS is commonly known as "hot dogging". I never
really cared for the ski jump event but I can't argue it provides
the best 2-player head-to-head action in the whole title. By alternating
"A" and "B" while using the directional buttons,
your character can pull off some serious air and tricks. Five
judges rank your performance in points. The player with the most
points wins.
RODNEY'S
PATENTED
SEXY-O-METER: 3 1/2 OUT
OF 5
INNERTUBE
THRASH plays in the same downward-motion spiral as Tengen's
Toobin'. As you can see from the screen, Lester is back
from Skate or Die to compete in a downhill race in innertubes.
Weapons and other helpful items are scattered throughout the ride
to be picked up and used against your opponent for points. A series
of moguls serve the purpose to slow your guy and so should be
stayed clear of if possible.
RODNEY'S
PATENTED
SEXY-O-METER: 4 OUT OF 5
SNOWBOARD
HALFPIPE is the final and my personal favorite event in Ski
or Die. In this pseudo 3-D environment, your snowboarder can
pull off handplants, 360 jumps, and a number of other bizotic
tricks depending on the speed you achieve. In other words, the
longer you can go without tripping up the better the points you'll
get in trick-styles. Gotta love that truly 80's announcer, too!
"JUSTIFIABLE ABNORMAL ACTIVITY!"
RODNEY'S
PATENTED
SEXY-O-METER: 5 OUT OF 5
Tips/Codes:
Snowball
Blast - Game Genie codes
ZENXTTPA
More snowballs picked up
OOEPVAAV Start with more time
AKEPVAAT Start with less time
IOKXITAP More time gained
IEKXITAP Less time gained
GAUPVAZA Start with more ammo
PAUPVAZA Start with less ammo
Acro
Aerials - Game Genie codes
IESTEYLA
+ IAVVNILA More jumps allowed
Publisher:
Taito
Genre:
Sports
Released:
N/R
I
am surprised by the reaction of most people's opinion towards
Heavy Shreddin'. People, I've play much worse. Taito brought
us a decent snowboarding game here. Be glad.
Our
character chose to wear a pink sweatshirt for the outing. More
power to him. Anyway, Heavy Shreddin' begins as an all-out
downhill run and then throws different goals at you according
to the slope you are presently on. Halfpipes are meant to perform
stunts; slaloms to pass inbetween gates; timed slopes must be
completed in a certain time; and survival is--just that--to make
it down the slope in one piece. The most intriquing of these has
to be survival where slopes contain some cool environment effects
such as rolling boulders, snow machines, highways, tunnels, wildlife,
and passing skiiers for you to steer around and avoid. I admit
the game becomes way too difficult too early in the game due to
the one-penalty system. But you have to trust me when I say you
should stick to it and memorize the landscape; there is some reward
for giving Heavy Shreddin' time. The game even tells you
what you should have donein the spot you messed up at! Give the
game a shot if you have the nerves to handle it.
Tips/Codes:
Toe
Grab Stunt (a longer jump) - Press A key and UP direction
key.
Hand-Plant
Stunt (a hot-dogging move and a requirement in the Half-pipe
event) - Press A key and DOWN direction key.
Mid-Air
360 Stunt (this one is just for hot-doggers having a great
run) -
Press A key and RIGHT direction key.
Mule-Kick
Stunt (especially useful in recovering your balance while
bouncing
through treacherous moguls) - Press A key and LEFT direction key
99
Lives - Hold left, A, B, and then press start on the title
screen.
Level
Select - Hold
left, A, B, and then press start on the title screen; then press
Right and A on the mountain screen.
Publisher:
Nintendo
Genre:
Arcade
Released:
October 1985
Don't
start yelling at me just yet. Sure skiing isn't generally considered
an "extreme sport" but to this fear-of-flying cynic:
it's the closest I'm going to get to a real thrill on snow in
real life. Slalom, an early RARE-developed title, may at
first sound like a Jewish greeting, but it is in actuality an
official olympic event. Slalom is best descriped as Rad
Racer's dizzifying 3-D turns and speed on skis (only with
a much looser sense of control). The dull graphics hide a thoroughly
addictive, if not simple, sports title throughout 3 different
hills.
Whatever
you do just don't stare directly at the tightly-worn spandex.
I shudder to think... of the bulging cheeks.
Oy
vay, Slalom!
Tips/Codes:
To
avoid falling - Pressing Down immediately after flipping
up in the air will avoid falling down upon landing.
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