Alpine Racer 3

Alpine Racer 3 Description

Just like on the slopes themselves, in the world of video games, snowboarding is the cool thing to do these days. For some reason, skiing is just not in vogue anymore, which is probably why there's a severe lack of skiing games available for the PS2. Well, Namco look set to change that, bringing us a speedy, downhill racing game that features both skiing and snowboarding. Players take to the slopes, hurling themselves off near-vertical drops and leaning at seemingly impossible angles as they traverse the game's multitude of sharp bends. The main aim is to hurtle down the mountain as fast as possible, trying to pick the right racing line and master the bends and jumps. It's all about speed, this one - not so much of the tricky stuff to worry about. Each course is packed with trackside objects and obstacles that either help or hinder progress. Weather conditions vary from course to course, ranging from clear, bright sunshine to biting blizzards and even the occasional rush of snow from an avalanche. A total of eight different characters are available, each with their own unique mix of attributes and abilities. As players progress through the game, they can customise their character with the purchase of better, faster skis, snowboards and ski boards with the money won from each race. Five different game modes feature in all, including a season-style cup competition, Cross Racing, one-on-one challenges, slalom races and the traditional Time Attack mode. So there are plenty of challenges on offer, giving the game a fair amount of longevity and keeping players coming back for more.