SSX Tricky pushes the arcade spirit to the very top. Wild characters, crazier tricks and a cult soundtrack with Run-D.M.C. Pure adrenaline on every run, timeless fun.
Your verdict
Category
Sports2 players7+
Description
An EA Canada and EA sequel released in 2001, the second SSX entry. A direct follow-up to the first with iconic characters (Mac, Kaori, Elise), new tracks, an extended Über-trick system and energetic soundtrack featuring Run-D.M.C. More accessible and colorful than the first, considered the purest entry in the classic SSX formula.
SSX Tricky review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Snowy slopes bathed in electric colours, dizzying jumps and turbocharged staging: snowboarding takes on the air of a permanent visual party. The speed, the neon and the pop energy compose a jubilant arcade aesthetic. This visual extravagance, lively and stylish, turns every run into a spectacle.
Impossible to forget the thunderous "It's Tricky" by Run-DMC blasting at full power on the slopes. Funk, rock and hip-hop string together to galvanise every jump and every trick combo. This infectious energy, perfectly in tune with the arcade madness, remains the sonic soul of the game.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Pushing tricks to the point of absurdity over an infectious soundtrack makes for jubilant arcade riding, built for chasing scores and feats. The frantic courses and Uber tricks keep the adrenaline surging, controller in hand. The cartoon spirit has aged a touch, but the immediate punch of the gameplay and its breakneck pace remain devilishly enjoyable today.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Everything here pushes toward excess: impossible tricks, roaring descents and a gauge that, once full, unlocks supernatural acrobatics. The fun springs from this constant one-upmanship, where every ramp calls for a wilder chain. A high-octane soundtrack, colourful characters and spectacular runs complete the picture. Gleeful, unabashed arcade snowboarding.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Tearing down an oversized slope while chaining grabs and spins to swell your boost gauge and then unleashing it all in a stratospheric jump delivers an immediate rush that calls for the next descent. Unlocking riders, slopes and tricks keeps reviving the urge. The courses repeat a bit, but this speed, this style and this adrenaline rush keep a formidable pull.
The Japanese edition of SSX Tricky, a local version of an arcade snowboarder whose very American tone and soundtrack found little audience in Japan. Its appeal lies in this restricted Japanese distribution, making it a variant less common than the Western pressings of this otherwise cult entry. A target for collectors of atypical imports from the sports catalogue.
Better with friends
A peak of arcade snowboarding, where the trick gauge pushes you to chain ever-wilder figures to blow up your score. The two-player competition is a festival of daring and style: who'll risk the gnarliest combo to scoop it all amid the cheers? Super-charged and colorful, it turns every run into a gleeful acrobatic show and guarantees duels where you vie in panache all the way down.
Is SSX Tricky still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2001 on PS2, EA Sports BIG's project pushes arcade snowboarding to a peak of jubilant extravagance. The outsized slopes, riddled with shortcuts and ramps, and the Uber trick chaining system, triggered once the gauge is full, deliver an immediate thrill. The colourful cast, the driving electro soundtrack and the handling as accessible as it is deep forge a strong identity. Repetition lurks over the long solo haul. A classic of arcade sports that has aged remarkably well, recommended for fans of stylish boarding and of electric couch play that comes alive with friends around.
