Snowboard Kids 2

Don't be deceived by the cuuuuuuuuuute factor: Atlus's shrimpy schussers offer some of the perkiest fun around.One of our guilty pleasures of '98 was Snowboard Kids, an adorable kiddie racer that wrapped up plenty of originality and some darn big schnozzes in a winsome package. Lots of players must have agreed with us, because Atlus has come back with a sequel that's bigger and every bit as addictive as the first without losing the original's charm.Like Diddy Kong Racing, Snowboard Kids 2 defaults to an overworld -- in this case, a miniature ski resort where you can buy a board, get a paint job and even log onto the "Internet" (actually, change your music and check out the competition). You can also play several minigames, including tossing copies of the Snowboard Times into mailboxes as you schuss down a mountain.The dozen tracks, twice the number found in the original Snowboard Kids, includes DKR-ish boss races against a giant snowman, a dragon and a robot. Masterminding your troubles is a pint-sized pain in the board named Damien who, in the spirit of good clean Everyone-rated fun, will eventually see the evil of his ways and convert to the side of good. Which means that you can race as him.Unlike sim-oriented snowboard Paks such as 1080°, Snowboard Kids 2's stunt abilities are pretty minimal. Instead the emphasis is on grabbing power-ups and unleashing them on your rivals, which makes the game a fun party Pak. In single-player mode, the CPU-controller racers display a nasty tendency to whack you with snowballs just short of the finish line.Given the immense popularity of Mario Kart 64 and DKR, it's mystifying why no N64 kiddie racer appeared in '98. Fortunately, that deficit has been cleared up with Snowboard Kids 2 and THQ's Penny Racers.

Source:

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