SBK: Snowboard Kids
Encyclopedia
SBK: Snowboard Kids, released in Japan
as , is a snowboarding video game for the Nintendo DS
released on November 22, 2005 in North America
and two days later in Japan. It was also released in Europe on April 28, 2006. It is the fourth in the Snowboard Kids
series following three previous games released on the Nintendo 64
and the PlayStation
. Up to four people can play wirelessly
with one game card. Though the name is the same as the other games, the characters are teenagers in this installment.
Very notable is that Linda Maltinie, the character responsible for starting most of the competitions in the previous Snowboard Kids games, is absent and appears to have been replaced by Brad, who is related to her. Mr. Dog, Shinobin, and all the playable characters who have debuted in Snowboard Kids Plus
and Snowboard Kids 2
are also absent.
The characters' super deformed
, large-nosed style has been discontinued, and in this game the characters take on an appearance that is much more standard anime-esque. Some of the characters have undergone drastic personality changes, the two most noticeable being Nancy and Tommy. They were both mild-mannered, nice to everyone and kind but now, have become mean-spirited and even borderline antagonistic. There is also bad timing in the game as Slash, Nancy, Jam, and Tommy's ages are all different, while all 10 in the first games.
Other changes include the stat layout, introducing an individual shot stat. Also, the stats themselves have altered, such as Tommy being the fastest character in all previous games, now being one of the slowest, and Nancy doing the exact opposite.
Slash possesses natural athletic ability, and he joined a previous snowboarding tournament to show off his skill. He reached the finals with ease, but his overconfidence caused him to lose to Brad. Determined to redeem himself, Slash followed his new rival to this competition.
Slash's Skills (Average):
Brad's family is one of the wealthiest in the United States, and his sibling is Linda, but he didn't pay to learn how to snowboard - he practiced on the mountains in his backyard. He was introduced to Nancy through his parents, and suddenly had a crush on her. Brad enters the tournament to keep an eye on her. His sibling has appeared in three games (Snowboard Kids 1, Snowboard Kids 2 and Snowboard Kids Plus).
Brad's Skills (Average):
Nancy is from a distinguished background, and she never passes up a chance to let everyone else know that. Luckily for her, she has the talent to back up those claims of superiority. Nancy's reason for entering the tournament is to emerge victorious and make her parents proud. She is used to be sweet but became mean.
Nancy's Skills (Average):
Jam is a national rap battle champion who is in constant search of the latest trends for the purpose of bolstering his ego. No matter what he is doing at the time, he goes all out to impress others. In fact, his only reason for entering the tournament is to prove himself to be the coolest.
Jam's Skills (Average):
After witnessing a snowboarding competition in Japan, Koyuki took interest and began training diligently in the mountains. Seeing her potential, her superiors gave her to the opportunity join a tournament. Koyuki gladly accepted this chance to put her skills to the test.
Koyuki's Skills (Average):
Tommy met Nancy at his parents' company picnic and became smitten with her at first sight. Since then, he has made many attempts to win her over, but they all ended in failure. Desperate to convince Nancy of his worth, Tommy enters the tournament. Despite his lack of experience, he'll use every dirty trick or even hurt the others to get Nancy's attention.
Tommy's Skills (Average):
Hailing from the South Pole, Max is a penguin with almost human intelligence. Becoming bored, he seized the opportunity to join a human competition in the hopes of finding a suitable rival.
Max's Skills (Average):
Jack Frost, mascot of Atlus and well-known demon in the Megami Tensei
series, makes an appearance as a hidden character. His reasons for entry are unknown, but it's likely that he's just competing for fun. Black Frost is a more sinister version of Jack Frost with better stats.
Jack Frost's Skills (Average):
Black Frost's Skills (Average):
.
GameSpot
gave the game a 6.7 out of 10. Praising the game for their lengthy courses and being like an SSX and Mario Kart
mix, but criticized the game for having less personality than the previous two games in the series. IGN
had also given the game a mixed review, giving it a 6.2 out of 10. Praising the game for the time trials and the slalom missions, yet criticizing it for its lack of focus on real arcade racing balance. Nintendo Power
however gave it a positive review giving it a 7.5 out of 10, calling it "Mario Kart on ice."
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as , is a snowboarding video game for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
released on November 22, 2005 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and two days later in Japan. It was also released in Europe on April 28, 2006. It is the fourth in the Snowboard Kids
Snowboard Kids
Snowboard Kids, originally released in Japan as , is a snowboarding video game for the Nintendo 64. It was developed by Racdym and published by Atlus. The game features 10-year-old children who snowboard down various courses, not necessarily involving snow. Many reviewers compared its style to...
series following three previous games released on the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
and the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. Up to four people can play wirelessly
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
with one game card. Though the name is the same as the other games, the characters are teenagers in this installment.
Very notable is that Linda Maltinie, the character responsible for starting most of the competitions in the previous Snowboard Kids games, is absent and appears to have been replaced by Brad, who is related to her. Mr. Dog, Shinobin, and all the playable characters who have debuted in Snowboard Kids Plus
Snowboard Kids Plus
, is a snowboarding video game, the second game in the Snowboard Kids series; it's the only one made for the PlayStation console as well as the only one not released outside of Japan....
and Snowboard Kids 2
Snowboard Kids 2
Snowboard Kids 2, released in Japan as , is a snowboarding video game developed by Racdym and published by Atlus. But unlike the first game, It was not released in Europe. Even though, it wasn't released there, a PAL version still exists and that was released in Australia.-Plot:The game is set in...
are also absent.
The characters' super deformed
Super deformed
Super deformed or SD is a specific style of Japanese caricature where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby, with stubby limbs and oversized heads, to make them resemble small children...
, large-nosed style has been discontinued, and in this game the characters take on an appearance that is much more standard anime-esque. Some of the characters have undergone drastic personality changes, the two most noticeable being Nancy and Tommy. They were both mild-mannered, nice to everyone and kind but now, have become mean-spirited and even borderline antagonistic. There is also bad timing in the game as Slash, Nancy, Jam, and Tommy's ages are all different, while all 10 in the first games.
Other changes include the stat layout, introducing an individual shot stat. Also, the stats themselves have altered, such as Tommy being the fastest character in all previous games, now being one of the slowest, and Nancy doing the exact opposite.
Slash Kamei
- Age: 15
- Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
- Country: Japan
- Hobbies: Pro Skateboarding / Basketball (JP Version)
Slash possesses natural athletic ability, and he joined a previous snowboarding tournament to show off his skill. He reached the finals with ease, but his overconfidence caused him to lose to Brad. Determined to redeem himself, Slash followed his new rival to this competition.
Slash's Skills (Average):
- Type: Trick
- Speed: 5/10
- Turn: 4/10
- Trick: 7/10
- Shot: 7/10
Brad Maltinie
- Age: 17
- Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
- Country: America
- Hobbies: Reading, Baseball
Brad's family is one of the wealthiest in the United States, and his sibling is Linda, but he didn't pay to learn how to snowboard - he practiced on the mountains in his backyard. He was introduced to Nancy through his parents, and suddenly had a crush on her. Brad enters the tournament to keep an eye on her. His sibling has appeared in three games (Snowboard Kids 1, Snowboard Kids 2 and Snowboard Kids Plus).
Brad's Skills (Average):
- Type: All-Round
- Speed: 8/10
- Turn: 5/10
- Trick: 6/10
- Shot: 6/10
Nancy Neil
- Age: 16
- Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
- Country: England
- Hobbies: Shopping / Nothing in Particular (JP Version)
Nancy is from a distinguished background, and she never passes up a chance to let everyone else know that. Luckily for her, she has the talent to back up those claims of superiority. Nancy's reason for entering the tournament is to emerge victorious and make her parents proud. She is used to be sweet but became mean.
Nancy's Skills (Average):
- Type: Speed
- Speed: 7/10
- Turn: 4/10
- Trick: 5/10
- Shot: 8/10
Jamjars "Jam" Kuehnemund
- Age: 18
- Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
- Country: Jamaica / America (JP Version)
- Hobbies: Battle Rapping, Dancing
Jam is a national rap battle champion who is in constant search of the latest trends for the purpose of bolstering his ego. No matter what he is doing at the time, he goes all out to impress others. In fact, his only reason for entering the tournament is to prove himself to be the coolest.
Jam's Skills (Average):
- Type: Trick
- Speed: 3/10
- Turn: 5/10
- Trick: 8/10
- Shot: 5/10
Koyuki Tanaka
- Age: 15
- Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
- Country: Japan
- Hobbies: Listening to Music / Afternoon Naps (JP Version)
After witnessing a snowboarding competition in Japan, Koyuki took interest and began training diligently in the mountains. Seeing her potential, her superiors gave her to the opportunity join a tournament. Koyuki gladly accepted this chance to put her skills to the test.
Koyuki's Skills (Average):
- Type: Beginner
- Speed: 3/10
- Turn: 6/10
- Trick: 6/10
- Shot: 3/10
Thomas "Tommy" Parsy
- Age: 18
- Height: 6'2" (187 cm)
- Country: Canada
- Hobbies: Hanging Out / Bullying the Weak (JP Version)
Tommy met Nancy at his parents' company picnic and became smitten with her at first sight. Since then, he has made many attempts to win her over, but they all ended in failure. Desperate to convince Nancy of his worth, Tommy enters the tournament. Despite his lack of experience, he'll use every dirty trick or even hurt the others to get Nancy's attention.
Tommy's Skills (Average):
- Type: Attacker
- Speed: 4/10
- Turn: 3/10
- Trick: 5/10
- Shot: 10/10
Max
- Age: 5 (20 in Human Years)
- Height: 4'11" (150 cm)
- Country: Antarctica
- Hobbies: Hunting for Fish, Pushing his Limits
Hailing from the South Pole, Max is a penguin with almost human intelligence. Becoming bored, he seized the opportunity to join a human competition in the hopes of finding a suitable rival.
Max's Skills (Average):
- Type: Speed
- Speed: 8/10
- Turn: 3/10
- Trick: 4/10
- Shot: 4/10
Jack Frost/Black Frost
- Age: Unknown
- Height: 4'11" (150 cm)
- Country: Unknown
- Hobbies: Unknown
Jack Frost, mascot of Atlus and well-known demon in the Megami Tensei
Megami Tensei
, commonly abbreviated as , is a Japanese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani and has gone to become one of the major franchises of the genre in its native country...
series, makes an appearance as a hidden character. His reasons for entry are unknown, but it's likely that he's just competing for fun. Black Frost is a more sinister version of Jack Frost with better stats.
Jack Frost's Skills (Average):
- Type: Speed
- Speed: 4/10
- Turn: 7/10
- Trick: 5/10
- Shot: 7/10
Black Frost's Skills (Average):
- Type: Speed
- Speed: 8/10
- Turn: 7/10
- Trick: 8/10
- Shot: 7/10
Reception
Reviews of SBK: Snowboard Kids were mostly mixed. With a 63 out of 100 score on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave the game a 6.7 out of 10. Praising the game for their lengthy courses and being like an SSX and Mario Kart
Mario Kart
is a series of go-kart-style racing video games developed by Nintendo as a series of spin-offs from its trademark Mario series of platformer adventure-style video games...
mix, but criticized the game for having less personality than the previous two games in the series. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
had also given the game a mixed review, giving it a 6.2 out of 10. Praising the game for the time trials and the slalom missions, yet criticizing it for its lack of focus on real arcade racing balance. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
however gave it a positive review giving it a 7.5 out of 10, calling it "Mario Kart on ice."
External links
- Atlus' SBK: Snowboard Kids official site
- SBK: Snowboard Kids at GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
- SBK: Snowboard Kids at IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...