The original SSX was arguably a system-seller for the PlayStation 2 back in 2000, defining a new generation of control and customization in extreme sports games and backed by stellar next-generation graphics. It has been five years and we've now come to the fourth iteration of SSX games and, once again, the series is making its debut on a Sony hardware platform: the PSP handheld. SSX On Tour for the PSP, despite being a mishmash of the two most recent console entries in the series, manages to be a fun, fast-paced game all on its own, and one that is well worth playing.

If On Tour for the PSP feels familiar, there's good reason for it. The artistic look and feel of the game comes straight from the console versions. And this look consists of sloppily drawn--in a good way, mind you--black-and-white sketches that give the entire menu presentation a sort of fanzine look. There are goofy UFOs, snowboarding cats, sinister dragons bursting from snowy peaks, and grinding skeletons--which all take some getting used to but ultimately serve the fun and free-spirited nature of the game (or at least the sports on which it's based) to great effect. In addition, several key components of On Tour for consoles are here in the PSP game--most notably the addition of skiing. The PSP game also has roots in SSX 3, as it borrows tracks from the previous version.

If there's one thing ski parks need more of, it's gigantic gorillas.

Unlike SSX On Tour for consoles, there's no huge resort trail map from which to choose your tracks. The game's main single-player mode, known as "the tour," is more conventional and has you unlocking events as you go, earning gold, silver, or bronze medals based on your performance in each event. Events are split between either snowboard or ski styles and further divided into three event types: race, slope style, and big air. Race events are all-out desperate shoots to the bottom of the mountain either against artificial intelligence-controlled opponents or rally style (against a preset clock). Slope style has you nailing tricks as you careen down the slopes, and big air gives you a chance to show off your sweetest grabs and tweaks on a handful of specially designed big-air courses. These three distinct event types all require considerably different approaches and, taken as a whole, they make up the core variety that gives On Tour a big chunk of replay value. After all, there's always a way to shave one more second off your trail time, or add one more trick combo in a big-air event, right?

As you progress through tour mode, hoarding medals along the way, you'll also be rocketing up a leaderboard that you can access at any time to check your development in the game. Completing certain events will earn you new outfits or equipment for your created character, some of which will improve crucial attributes such as edging, tricks, acceleration, and stability.

On Tour's controls are accessible and responsive the moment your board touches the powder. Steering your boarder is as easy as using the left analog stick or directional pad, while tricks are pulled off with combinations of the d-pad, triggers, and face buttons. Once you've built up enough boost, you can launch into big-air tricks by mixing in the left trigger, the result being some truly impressive-looking stunts that usually involve your character pulling off a ski or board and contorting his body while flipping in midair. Linking combinations is the key skill for success in big air and slope-style events, as you'll not only get the points you earn for each trick, but you'll also benefit from a running combo tally that builds up for each successive stunt you successfully pull off.

Strap on the skis or take it old school and keep your board. The choice is yours in SSX On Tour.

Monster tricks, a key component in On Tour for consoles, are here in the PSP game as well. Unfortunately, it isn't always clear exactly how to execute them, and as a result they feel a bit random. The game manual is, of course, no help here, and while it could be argued that finding the exact combinations that result in monster tricks is part of the fun, it can make for some frustrating times in events where points are at such a premium and time is so short.

The addition of skiing to the SSX mix is a welcome one, and even though the controls are identical between the two styles, it's a lot of fun to see an entirely new slate of ski-based trick animations that really keep the game feeling fresh. It seems like it takes a bit longer to recover when on two planks rather than one, but then again, recovery feels like it takes too long anyway in On Tour, especially compared to previous games.