ASCII's cutesy snowboarder featuring kid riders with strong personalities. The carving feels more arcade than 1080's, but the energy and generous trick window keep it very accessible. Four-player multiplayer still delivers, the presentation crackles with pep.
Your verdict
Category
Sports1 player3+
Split screen
Description
Whimsical snowboarding game featuring child characters racing down colorful slopes. Published by ASCII Corporation, released in Japan in December 1998. Several riders with distinct styles, varied snowy courses, acrobatic tricks, and competitive multiplayer for up to 4 players.
Chou Snobo Kids review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Chou Snobo Kids extends the adorable cartoon aesthetic of Snowboard Kids: big-headed kids, wild courses strewn with bonuses and traps, bright colors and good-natured humor. The art direction favors whimsy and festive readability, far from any realism. A joyful, endearing art direction, true to the cuteness of the sub-series.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Bombing down wacky slopes, lobbing items to trap your rivals and aiming to reach the bottom in the lead: this sequel inflates the formula with new settings and colourful characters. The blend of racing and Mario Kart-style dirty tricks works wonders with several players. Cute, snappy and joyfully chaotic, a treat of arcade riding.
A cute ASCII snowboarding title kept exclusive to Japan, Chou Snobo Kids stands out in the Japanese N64 catalogue for its childlike art direction and four-player play. Better reviewed than the average niche exclusive, it enjoys quiet esteem among arcade-snow fans and collectors of Japanese titles. Complete copies in their Japanese box trade well, with sealed examples the focus given a fundamentally limited local pressing. A likable curio rather than a marquee chase.
An underrated gem
This sequel enriches the formula with new riders, fresh slopes and an even more mischievous arsenal of items. More generous but released very quietly — sometimes in unlikely regions — it stayed in the shadow of the first. Its joyful energy and frenzied multiplayer make it a party companion that fans of fun racers will savour.
Is Chou Snobo Kids still worth playing in 2026?
Chou Snobo Kids is a whimsical snowboarding game in which childlike characters race down colorful slopes in a good-natured, relaxed mood. The approachable handling, varied slopes and light tone make it a friendly experience, pleasant to discover solo or with several. The simplicity of the gameplay and limited content bound its long-term interest. Kept exclusive to Japan, it will mainly appeal to fans of relaxed arcade board sports and colorful games with Japanese charm, rather than players seeking challenge.
