"" is an extreme sports simulation game launched by Infogrames to welcome the millennium. It's not only the world's first extreme skiing simulation game but also currently the only one of its kind. The game integrates the playability of the "" series, which sold 3 million copies on the PS, and the control of "", an extreme skiing simulation game that sold 1.5 million copies on the N64. Additionally, it features characteristics unique to PC games, such as realistic high-definition graphics, dazzling light effects, dynamic music, and the latest 3D technology. Even before its release, the game was nominated as the top sports game of 1999 at E3 by some well-known foreign gaming websites.
The development team, Housemarque, has been dedicated to arcade game design for many years, so they have incorporated the stimulating, exciting, and concise features of arcade games into this PC game. If you seek the sensation of wind-like speed, the speed race in the game will satisfy you to the maximum extent. Can you imagine the excitement and stimulation of navigating narrow ski runs filled with steep descents, dangerous cliffs, and sudden sharp turns in the Alps? Or gliding through icy forest floors dotted with dense tree stumps and dark tunnels? Or skimming over snow-covered rooftops in villages, sliding up stair railings, and leaving trucks blocking your path far behind?
If you don't adapt to the tension of speed races and prefer more relaxed and visually appealing competition events, then the aerial stunt race and the half-pipe race unique to extreme skiing will reveal the full charm of this sport to you. When you slide down a steep and long snowy slope, grasp the timing to use the last jump platform, and extend your limbs at the moment of leaping over the bottomless cliff to perform dazzling 1080° spins and various incredible board-grabbing moves (a total of 16 internationally named move combinations), how would you feel? When you advance in a pendulum-like motion at the bottom of the half-pipe track resembling a large pipe cut in half, and jump into the air using the slopes on both sides of the pipe while whistling and performing all sorts of fancy trendy moves, I believe your blood will boil, and your athletic nerves will be stimulated.
Now, if you start doubting whether this game might require half a keyboard to control like those racing games, remember that simple arcade operations and ease of getting started are also one of the biggest features of this game. In fact, you can perform all the special trick skiing moves you can imagine with just four direction keys and three control keys. This is because the game possesses the playability of the "Coolboarders" series, which sold 3 million units on the PS, and the control of "", which sold 1.5 million units on the N64. That's why SEGA agreed to let this game, along with "", become one of the only two extreme skiing games currently available on the DreamCast.
The fun of the game can only be fully appreciated after playing it personally, but the stunning visual effects of the game can impress you at first sight. Although the game requires a PⅡ 233 and a 3D accelerator card to display such beautiful graphics, this configuration requirement is entirely worth it. The game provides four lighting effects including daytime, dusk, nighttime, and cloudy weather, and three weather effects including sunny, foggy, and snowy days. If you don't have the habit of exercising under clear skies, dusk and quiet nights are also quite good choices. At these times, you will feel not only the joy of exercise but also marvel at the unique and beautiful natural scenery visible in the hazy glow during sunset or the interplay of blue, white, and red lights in the deep night, all rendered instantly by the computer.
Beautiful effects need to be complemented by realistic visuals, and thankfully "" achieves this. 400,000 polygons per screen make all objects in the game come to life vividly. Not only are all objects clearly visible, but also the tracks left by the skis and the layer of snow mist raised behind them. All selectable characters in the game use skeletal models. If you observe carefully, you can see that their movements are harmonious and natural whether they are crouching, jumping, turning, performing aerial stunts, or even falling accidentally. Speaking of this, let me introduce the six selectable characters in the game. They include Akiko, a Japanese woman who is light and flexible; Ulrika, a Swedish woman with top-notch skills; Keith, a British man with devilish speed downhill; Vincent, a former gymnast from France; Mike, an American child who loves both extreme skating and skiing; and Karl, a veteran of extreme skiing from Germany. Due to their different heights, weights, and strengths, their specialized skills vary, so choosing the appropriate character for different competitions, combined with the more than ten truly international brand-name skis provided by the game that differ completely in terms of turning, speed, and elasticity, can yield unexpected results.
Another commendable aspect of "" is its sound effects and music. First, let's talk about the game's sound effects. Everyone knows that the sounds produced by objects rubbing against snow and ice are completely different, and snow generally comes in two forms: one with large flakes that are soft when piled on the ground; the other with small granules that fall like dust. The sounds made by skis sliding on these surfaces are completely different. Moreover, even on the same surface, different sliding speeds produce different sounds. The game realistically represents all these sounds, and if you're a true expert, you can determine your speed just by listening.
Compared to realistic sound effects, the music is even more outstanding. Extreme skiing is a young person's sport. If you often watch sports programs on TV, you'll find that all performances of such sports are accompanied by dynamic and stimulating music. Similarly, "" features multiple fast-paced, modern electronic, rap, and alternative rock songs that elevate the atmosphere of this thrilling and intense sport to the extreme.
I also want to mention the game's artificial intelligence. Completely different from the racing games I'm familiar with, the computer opponents in "" are smart, skilled, but also prone to mistakes, and they absolutely do not cheat. You won't see the situation where one person leads far ahead and others intentionally tangle with you. Each track in "" is over two miles long, with skiing areas exceeding 4 million square meters. Like in real life, each track in the game has countless paths leading to the finish line. The computer opponents will choose their favorite routes and go their separate ways. Similarly, you can even slide outside the course's fence to reach the finish line, with the only restriction being that you must slide on snow-covered ground. Here, I can share a little secret with you: if you slide for a long time, you may discover shortcuts that even the computer doesn't know.
After saying so much, I almost forgot to mention the game modes provided by the game. "" offers four game modes including arcade simulation, championship mode, exhibition match mode, and training match mode. Here, the most important is the championship mode, because only here can you advance to a certain level, unlocking tracks with the highest difficulty but also the most fun. Of course, if you want all the beautiful skis to appear, this is the only way.
The exhibition match mode of the game is specifically for aerial stunt races and half-pipe races (of course, they are also available in arcade mode). Both types of races are scored, with aerial stunt races being evaluated based on the height of your jumps and the difficulty of the tricks performed. The highest score I achieved was 18.98 points, performing the action "1080° Double flick Frontside Shifty."
The half-pipe race is relatively more complex, with scoring criteria including non-rotational part scores, rotational part scores, jump height scores, and skill scores. I am not very good at this type of race, so I won't mention my score. Additionally, the game supports up to eight people participating in speed races.
In summary, whether from the perspective of graphics, sound, or gameplay, this game is definitely worth playing. In fact, it is currently the first and only extreme skiing simulation game on PC. If you want to experience what extreme skiing, already included in the Winter Olympics, is like, then this game is your best choice.
Key functions:
Left arrow - Turn left
Right arrow - Turn right
Up arrow - Accelerate
Shift - Sharp turn
Ctrl - Jump key
Alt - Trick key
ESC - Pause the game and enter the in-game menu
F1, F2 - Switch viewpoints
+, - - Increase or decrease replay speed
You can combine keys, such as Shift + Left Arrow
Game cheats:
1. Passwords:
siipiveikkoliitelee - Activate "Hard" track
hiihtoope - Activate new racer
ope - Activate new racer
imhotepmaailmojentuhoaja - Debug mode (press E in the game)
seivaavideograbbi - Take a screenshot
exterminaattori - Unknown
2. Unlock all levels:
First, go to the Supreme folder, enter the /Saved_Data/map directory, open the Avaiable_Levels.txt file, and make the following changes:
{
"Easy",1,
"Medium",1,
"Hard",1
}
Save and exit the file.
Then open the Defaults.txt file and change the statement: available_tracks=3; to: available_tracks=7;
3. Unlock all available skis:
In the game installation directory, enter the \saved_data folder, and open the Available_Boards.txt file, making the following changes:
{
"Board_1",1,
"Board_2",1,
"Board_3",1,
"Board_4",1,
"Board_5",1,
"Board_6",1,
"Board_7",1,
"Board_8",1,
"Board_9",1,
"Board_10",1,
"Board_11",1,
"Board_12",1,
"Board_13",1
}