1080 Snowboarding Arrives in Japan

Nintendo's 1080 Snowboarding carved out a space on store shelves in Japan recently, and videogames.com tried it out right away. Our first impression is that 1080, perhaps due to the sweet graphics and smooth controllability, puts the player right on the slopes, not in a racing game with a board instead of a car.

This first-party title throws a few curves toward the video game snowboarder. When you approach a ramp, for example, getting enough air off the lip and being upright when you approach the ground doesn't ensure a smooth landing, as in Coolboarders 2. You've got to know board control, baby. If the slope curves, tilt your body. If it's smooth and flat, lean a little, but stabilize. If it's vertical, lean back on your landing, otherwise you'll nose-dive like nobody's business, perhaps getting buried in the snow.

Also, the difference in riding a faster board, for example, instead of a slower one with better technique is obvious and noticeable from the beginning - not something you learn to recognize after about 20 hours of gameplay.

The music is formula snowboarding game stock, but the sound effects make up for that. Just as we expected when we previewed the game, hitting a patch of ice or tumbling on your backside sounds just like you'd anticipate it would, wanting of the expletives.

The Rumble Pak makes these disastrous encounters that much more fun.

The subtleties in the graphics also seem pretty cool, such as going around a turn, leaning heavy on your side pitting your hand in the snow to leave a trail of ice dust behind you. We didn't make it through all of the modes just yet, but the match race is a rockin' good time, normal through expert. Lamar-sponsored boards are your equipment, and as per any snowboarding title, you select the type of board appropriate for the type of challenge you're taking. Another nice touch is the normal or goofy option for your footing.

1080 is expected to be released in the US in April. And as they say in the commercials - results may vary.