SSX Tricky (2001)
EA Sports BIG's Exuberant PS2 Snowboarding Spectacle of Uber Tricks and Interactive Breakbeats
SSX Tricky is a 2001 arcade snowboarding game developed by EA Canada and published under the EA Sports BIG banner with PlayStation 2 as its lead showcase. Building on the surprise 2000 PS2 launch hit SSX, it introduced binding-free midair Uber Tricks, persistent on-slope rider rivalries, celebrity voice acting, and an interactive soundtrack anchored by K-Rec's remix of Run-D.M.C.'s 'It's Tricky.'
DVD Broadcast Flair, Celebrity Voices, and Slope Rivalries
Doubling down on the vibrant spectacle that made 2000's SSX the PlayStation 2's standout launch game, executive producer Steve Rechtschaffner and EA Canada styled SSX Tricky like a collector's-edition sports DVD—complete with fictionalized rider interviews, behind-the-scenes studio featurettes, and a voice cast featuring Lucy Liu, David Arquette, Macy Gray, Oliver Platt, and Billy Zane. Across roller-coaster courses like Garibaldi, Elysium Alps, and the neon pinball bowls of Tokyo Megaplex, a dynamic relationship matrix tracked shoves on the mountain, turning respectful competitors into vengeful rivals determined to knock the player into the powder.
Uber Tricks and Dynamic Audio Synchronization
The sequel's signature innovation lay in pushing arcade snowboarding past physical plausibility through Uber Tricks. Filling the adrenaline boost meter until it flashed 'TRICKY' let riders unclip one or both boots from their bindings high above massive kickers—spinning boards around their necks or breakdancing midair—and spelling all six letters of T-R-I-C-K-Y granted unlimited boost for the remainder of the run. Crucially, the audio engine reacted in real time: soaring into huge air muted the mix down to wind rush and beatboxer Rahzel's vocal hype before dropping K-Rec's remix of Run-D.M.C.'s 'It's Tricky' right as the board slammed back onto the snow.