Ski-Doo Snowmobile Challenge Review for Nintendo Wii

System: X360, PS3, Wii	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Mere Mortals	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Valcon Games	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Nov. 1, 2009	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

This game wasn't exactly a graphical powerhouse on the next-gen consoles, and it doesn't break the mold on Wii, either. The tracks look about the same as they did before (fine, but not much detail), but the racers themselves now look downright blocky. The framerate issues are a lot worse, or at least a lot more noticeable, than they were before. In terms of sound, the title still features decent effects, but the pop-punk songs still get repetitive and don't quite fit the mood.

Ski-Doo Snowmobile Challenge screenshot

Lots of other problems from the original game stick around for this port. The A.I. makes your opponents cluster together closely; you spend a lot more time in first and last than in between. The game is shorter than its full-priced competitors, at maybe a work day's worth of content. It's hard going for beginners, because there's no tutorial and you get only a few easy tracks before being thrown into some seriously difficult mazes of sharp turns. You can't adjust the difficulty, either.

To be fair, the game's biggest redeeming feature is still there, too. Once you get used to maneuvering your sled around at high speed, the overall experience of racing is reasonably fun. It takes some work to learn the tracks, the game saves every race so you don't have to keep playing the same ones, and new tracks unlock quickly. If you stick around past the initial frustration, there are some rewarding experiences to be had for your $30.

On Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Ski-Doo Snowmobile Challenge was a decent buy, but the game lost some good attributes in the transition to the Wii. The developers botched the chance to create a new, accessible control scheme, the graphics took a hit, and all the old problems are back. It's still possible to have fun racing in this game, but given the steep learning curve and plethora of other Wii racing options, there's no answer to the question of, "Why bother?"

By Robert VerBruggen
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

2.3

Graphics
This game wasn't exactly a powerhouse on the next-gen consoles, and it looks even worse on Wii, with framerate issues and blocky racers.

2.9

Control
The motion controls are terrible, and the more traditional scheme is still difficult to learn.

2.9

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The sound effects work, but the pop-punk songs are a little too whiny for a racing game.

2.7

Play Value
There's about a full day's worth of content, but who wants to spend a day with a subpar game?

2.8

Overall Rating - Average
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Snow Cross, Cross Country, Hill Climb, and Stunt modes.

A total of 25 treacherous tracks.

Twenty authentic Ski-Doo sleds.

Sixteen dangerous stunts.

Two-player split-screen racing.

Two control schemes.