Though nothing is currently in the works, I believe a remastered version of SSX Tricky would be a big hit. The game’s producer Steven Rechtschaffner recently told LAD Bible that he thinks Tricky making a comeback would be within the realms of possibility. He also stated that a remaster or reboot is entirely in the hands of SSX, as they own the intellectual property.
SSX Tricky came out in 2001 and the brand has had several new games since then, but none of them have lived up to the original. So why hasn’t there been another game of its caliber made for all next-gen consoles? It’s hard to duplicate success, sure, but I still believe that a remastered SSX Tricky would be awesome. Here’s why.
The OG SSX Tricky
The original SSX Tricky was a game that wasn’t solely focused on racing. There were game modes that allowed players to have fun, and go all out with their tricks without worrying about a race. SSX Tricky is different from all the other SSX games because it encouraged players to do insane tricks without worrying about being in first place or winning a race. The object of the game was always to fill the tricky meter to get boosts. There was a sense of joy in being able to freely hit the slopes and race while doing insane tricks.
Winning races could help you unlock characters, boards, and outfits, so it was beneficial to win races but not essential. Where many modern games drip-feed this content through season passes and other monetization systems, SSX Tricky just inspired creativity and rewarded players for reaching certain milestones.
Why remaster SSX Tricky
SSX Tricky had a lot of unique elements, like having rivals that you can actively choose as you play. You would get to choose what other players you’re racing against, if just for the purpose of annoying them. There were also tricks that had no way of ever being completed outside the realm of the game, which made them super fun to see. When I was a child playing this game, I never felt the stress to win every race. I was more focused on performing my tricks well so that I could get the boost that came with filling your tricky meter a specific amount of times.
Something else the game had, was talented actors lending their voices to the characters. David Arquette, Lucy Liu, and Macy Gray all did voice work for the game, to name just a few. The game was flashy and exciting, much more so than any other SSX game to date. A remaster could either feature the voices of modern day celebrities, or just keep the classic voices for a nostalgia boost.
New features
If I could dream-list some features for an SSX Tricky remaster for a moment, there are a few things that would definitely make the game even better than the original. For starters, online play. Having the ability to run the world circuits with your friends or even randoms would increase the fun of the game. Though I would be a little apprehensive of how the rival system could work with online play. Real-life rivals are less fun.
Some new characters would be awesome too, to spice up the original’s eclectic cast even more. Besides adding new characters, the tricks could be updated. Since 2001, there have been plenty of new snowboarding tricks invented, and probably even more that have been conceptualized – and some of those concepts are probably crazy enough to be in the uber tricks list of a SSX Tricky remaster.
I should mention that it was nice when SSX 3 was made available on Xbox in 2018, but it did nothing for me and many other fans of the series who didn’t want to invest in another console just to play. This is why a remaster of the original SSX Tricky should release for all consoles.
