This latest game is more of an update than an outright souped-up sequel. Fans of the first game will enjoy the new environments, the addition of bosses, the same graphics and Mario Kart-esque gameplay from SBK1. For your money, Diddy Kong is still a better choice.
I didn't like the first game at all. I hated the look and feel of it. These kids are so super-deformed they look like caricatures of super-deformed people. The game played slowly and was too much of a rip-off of Mario Kart. Although many will welcome the new additions, aside from new environments and bosses, there isn't anything here to get excited about.
Snowboard Kids features funny (read: frighteningly cute, not ha ha!) combat on snowboards as you make your way down many different terrains, much in the vein of Mario Kart. It may not be all that original, but that doesn't matter to some people. You pick up weapons as you race that will help put you into first place. Some weapons will drop pots on your opponents heads, some are ghosts that will stick to them and slow them down and some like the fans won't cause damage, but allow you to gain speed.
The environments are the stars in this game. You've got to give Atlus points for allowing snowboarding on almost every thing BUT snow. You'll go down intergalactic highways, over water....you name it. Unfortunately, you'll never be going all that fast over these cool environments. SKB2 is just as slow as its predecessor. You'll never get that feeling of out of control speed that well, almost any racing game these days has.
Control is sluggish. And I don't like the button you hold down for jumps because unlike 1080, it doesn't allow you to steer while in this position. Very handy indeed. Let's just say you'll meet the side of the track often, even with the most balanced character.
The new additions really don't amount to very much. The new characters aren't that great, the shops that you can visit are ho-hum and the paper boy mode is weak due to the spotty control. Sure there are about 18 boards to choose from, but so what? The one thing that I absolutely detested from the first game, unbelievably made it back in the sequel. I thought for sure everyone hated the chairlifts and other non-interactive intermissions that took place in the middle of a race. Do I need a break? God this feature is stupid. They couldn't be bothered to make tracks that actually connected with each other from beginning to end, so we get stuck with this animation, right at the end of each lap.
If multiplayer games are your bag, stick with Diddy Kong, Mario Party, GoldenEye or the fantastic new Beetle Adventure Racing. Sure, it's kind of fun for while playing a few rounds of 4 player SBK2, but you'll feel that something is missing. And what is missing? Well speed, framerate, control and crisp graphics for starters. I'll stop there.
Musically, I doubt music is this happy in heaven. It's so syrupy happy that it hurts my cheeks (both sets) to listen to it. The sound fx are also sickeningly non-threatening. Listen at your own risk.
For those willing to settle for more of the same, then you'll get a little more out of it than last years effort. This game is completely average and it just doesn't compare to the third generation titles that are available for the N64. Younger kids, who don't care about anything I've just said, will probably love this game. What do they care, it's your money.
Final Analysis: