Cool Boarders 3

CB3 looks great, with rock-solid environments, detailed characters and effects such as mist and snow that really add to the feel of the game. The character animation is top-notch and tricks look really awesome when you pull them off, but one minor flaw of this game is the lack of break-neck speed as you travel down the slopes. The sound effects are very crisp and well done, with the whoosh of your board on the snow or the swish of skimming a tree branch helping the feel of the game tremendously. The music is heavy, guitar-based rock, but isn't too loud.

There are a total of 34 courses, 22 officially licensed boards, and 13 riders to choose from (not counting hidden characters you can unlock). A nice variety of events is set up that you can play individually or in a tournament: Downhill, Boarder X (sort of a slalom\downhill combo), Slalom, Half-Pipe, Big Air, and Slope Style, for a variety of race and trick events. An odd option I must mention is that you can punch your opponents Road Rash style to knock them over and gain an advantage, but this can be turned off. Another odd choice is that, unlike the various boards in the game, the characters have no discernible differences between them, such as varying abilities or characteristics that the riders might have.

The controls are decent, but there are a couple of things worth noting, such as the fact that some of the courses have TV-towers or other objects actually sitting inside the course boundaries. This is annoying if you get stuck behind one, and getting back on the course can be very frustrating. Also, if after a crash or a trick you end up riding 'fakie' (wrong foot forward), you mysteriously go much slower. Not a huge deal, but annoying.

If you are a fan of the series or snowboarding in general, you'll no doubt have fun with this game. There's plenty to keep you busy for a long time.