Snowboard Kids is a blast from the past and a total nostalgia trip! It's got that wacky, over-the-top style, catchy music, and surprisingly fun racing mechanics. Don't expect anything too deep – it's pure arcade fun with silly weapons and wild courses. If you loved kart racers as a kid, Snowboard Kids will bring a huge smile to your face.
nostalgia definitely influences me to overrate this one. charming visuals and outstanding OST, but it's an extremely flawed experience. this game should be used in game dev seminars when discussing enemy AI, because this is emblematic of what not to do. the rubberbanding is legitimately broken such that any lead the player gets will be minimized nonsensically (nancy and jam, despite being the slowest characters in the roster, will still zoom past you without any boosts). meanwhile, if the AI is in first place for too long, they'll amass a lead that is just impossible to overcome, made doubly worse when racing against shinobin, who seems to literally always have an invisibility item ready. playing quicksand valley through ninja land is fucking harrowing and i had several (i mean several) races end with me within pissing distance of the finish line only to get pan'd, frozen, etc. and lose the race. this game's AI is demonic and torpedoes a lot of the good will and fun that was built up in the process.
it's a testament to both nostalgia and aesthetics that i can still say i enjoy this game. i definitely overrated it a bit coming into this and had to knock off a star, but it's an endearing game in spite of its flaws. i remember SBK2 fixing a lot of the issues this game had as well as just generally being a much sharper presented game. i'm looking forward to replaying it in the near future.
it's a testament to both nostalgia and aesthetics that i can still say i enjoy this game. i definitely overrated it a bit coming into this and had to knock off a star, but it's an endearing game in spite of its flaws. i remember SBK2 fixing a lot of the issues this game had as well as just generally being a much sharper presented game. i'm looking forward to replaying it in the near future.
Snowboard Kids is such a gem. There may be relatively few tracks, but the ones that are here are huge, with an escalating difficulty and amount of general craziness going on. Track 1 is as basic a snowboarding course as you can get, while some of the later tracks involve snowboarding down grass, or through deserts, or a theme park.
The AI does have rubber banding, which like a lot of games of this kind with it, mean it's only really the very end of the race that truly matters. No matter what you do before then, they'll always be able to catch back up to you, so it all depends on if you get hit by something near the end. Especially as blocking options in this game are near non-existent. There's also some more blatant cheating going on, like hitting an opponent with an item, then as soon as you pass them they're throwing an item back at you, despite the fact they should still be stunned and in recovery mode.
Actual item variety is fun. Red items are all offensive and you use them all by just throwing them forward. But their effects vary quite a lot - you can freeze your opponent in ice, or turn them into a snowman so they can't turn, or force them into the air with a parachute... of course the rubber banding kinda makes all items work the same on them, while you yourself getting hit by a slower one, like the parachute, is devastating. There's also some kind of homing ability on at least some of these items, but how it works I have no idea, because sometimes it would work from quite far away and other times I could shoot just a few feet behind them and the item makes no attempt at tracking them.
Blue items are defensive and contain some of the best and worst items. For the best we have the pan item that is essentially just an offensive item but it affects everyone regardless of where they are and crushes them. This set also contains the rock, which is basically a banana peel from Mario Kart, except can't be used to block anything. It's most likely function is to make your next lap more annoying for yourself.
The physics generally work pretty great, though I find tight turns are near impossible unless using the character and board with the highest handling, which, ok yeah it makes sense they can do it, but I feel like it shouldn't be "either use the min-max for turning, or you can't do these courses".
Good game. Love the courses. Playing against AI can feel frustrating though since it just feels like nothing you do has any real impact. Or I rather, you're not fighting to get ahead, you're fighting to not fall behind. Because I noticed in a lot of races one AI will just rocket to the front of the pack and you'll never be able to catch them no matter what. It's like their rubber banding breaks and it gets stuck in "catch up" mode. I'm not sure if this is intended, such as when you fall too far behind, or what.
The AI does have rubber banding, which like a lot of games of this kind with it, mean it's only really the very end of the race that truly matters. No matter what you do before then, they'll always be able to catch back up to you, so it all depends on if you get hit by something near the end. Especially as blocking options in this game are near non-existent. There's also some more blatant cheating going on, like hitting an opponent with an item, then as soon as you pass them they're throwing an item back at you, despite the fact they should still be stunned and in recovery mode.
Actual item variety is fun. Red items are all offensive and you use them all by just throwing them forward. But their effects vary quite a lot - you can freeze your opponent in ice, or turn them into a snowman so they can't turn, or force them into the air with a parachute... of course the rubber banding kinda makes all items work the same on them, while you yourself getting hit by a slower one, like the parachute, is devastating. There's also some kind of homing ability on at least some of these items, but how it works I have no idea, because sometimes it would work from quite far away and other times I could shoot just a few feet behind them and the item makes no attempt at tracking them.
Blue items are defensive and contain some of the best and worst items. For the best we have the pan item that is essentially just an offensive item but it affects everyone regardless of where they are and crushes them. This set also contains the rock, which is basically a banana peel from Mario Kart, except can't be used to block anything. It's most likely function is to make your next lap more annoying for yourself.
The physics generally work pretty great, though I find tight turns are near impossible unless using the character and board with the highest handling, which, ok yeah it makes sense they can do it, but I feel like it shouldn't be "either use the min-max for turning, or you can't do these courses".
Good game. Love the courses. Playing against AI can feel frustrating though since it just feels like nothing you do has any real impact. Or I rather, you're not fighting to get ahead, you're fighting to not fall behind. Because I noticed in a lot of races one AI will just rocket to the front of the pack and you'll never be able to catch them no matter what. It's like their rubber banding breaks and it gets stuck in "catch up" mode. I'm not sure if this is intended, such as when you fall too far behind, or what.
You're a kid. You snowboard down different courses doing sick tricks along the way.
Got it memorized?
Developed by Racdym, the studio known best today for its support work on bigger Japanese studio titles such as Ni No Kuni 2 and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, Snowboard Kids is a colorful, arcade style competitive racing game in which you, as the title implies, snowboard. On paper it offers little new for the late 90s, and in execution its bright, big, bold colors, grating midi music, and cartoonish characters have allowed it to blend into the background of a 90s console race entirely.
But its execution is also incredibly brilliant. Unlike traditional racing games your analog stick does not control your character through extreme left and right movements, but by pulling into the bottom left and right corners to simulate the process of throwing your weight around to guide the snowboard. This is at first jarring, but as soon as it clicked I could feel my galaxy brain activating - this simple approach to roleplaying ends up feeling incredibly intuitive as you slide downwards, which requires you to hold no buttons. Aside from interesting turn mechanics, you also have the ability to jump off hills; mastering a clean jump with a spin trick is key to success in the back half of the game's nine races.
Controls aside, the races are incredibly well designed; the twists and turns of the 9 mountain courses are challenging, forcing you to master the distinctive turning controls and use the game's items - which are devastating no matter who's in control of them. You do get two items, one of action and one of support, at any given time as long as you have a hundred gold. There is a shop from which you can buy upgrades, but I didn't see a ton of value in its largely cosmetic slant.
Snowbow Kids Plus, the port to Playstation for the Japanese audience, would be nearly perfect with its intuitive controls and wonderfully competitive track design, except for its almost consistently poor performance; the more kids on screen, the slower and less responsive it becomes. The slowdown ebbs and flows as races continue, which can go as far as causing unnecessary frustration as you head towards the end of your slope during the third lap. Otherwise, it sits in a space where its got a nearly perfect amount of races, challenge, and innovation to make it worth your time.
Got it memorized?
Developed by Racdym, the studio known best today for its support work on bigger Japanese studio titles such as Ni No Kuni 2 and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, Snowboard Kids is a colorful, arcade style competitive racing game in which you, as the title implies, snowboard. On paper it offers little new for the late 90s, and in execution its bright, big, bold colors, grating midi music, and cartoonish characters have allowed it to blend into the background of a 90s console race entirely.
But its execution is also incredibly brilliant. Unlike traditional racing games your analog stick does not control your character through extreme left and right movements, but by pulling into the bottom left and right corners to simulate the process of throwing your weight around to guide the snowboard. This is at first jarring, but as soon as it clicked I could feel my galaxy brain activating - this simple approach to roleplaying ends up feeling incredibly intuitive as you slide downwards, which requires you to hold no buttons. Aside from interesting turn mechanics, you also have the ability to jump off hills; mastering a clean jump with a spin trick is key to success in the back half of the game's nine races.
Controls aside, the races are incredibly well designed; the twists and turns of the 9 mountain courses are challenging, forcing you to master the distinctive turning controls and use the game's items - which are devastating no matter who's in control of them. You do get two items, one of action and one of support, at any given time as long as you have a hundred gold. There is a shop from which you can buy upgrades, but I didn't see a ton of value in its largely cosmetic slant.
Snowbow Kids Plus, the port to Playstation for the Japanese audience, would be nearly perfect with its intuitive controls and wonderfully competitive track design, except for its almost consistently poor performance; the more kids on screen, the slower and less responsive it becomes. The slowdown ebbs and flows as races continue, which can go as far as causing unnecessary frustration as you head towards the end of your slope during the third lap. Otherwise, it sits in a space where its got a nearly perfect amount of races, challenge, and innovation to make it worth your time.
Esse eu tive que fazer até analíse, Fede, Fede muito
always a hoot. need to have a word with those damn snowman powerups.
Mario Kart, but so water downed you wonder if it’s even a videogame.
perfection in a game EXCEPT you couldn't do multiple tricks
Funny characters
The snowboard take on Mario Kart. So many good memories of this from back in the day, great party game. That frantic scuffle to get through to the lift is the best part. Oh, and the music is great! I don't know if it's just me, but it gives me such a peculiar feeling that borders on melancholy.
I love the tracks.
Pretty charming, fun and simple game.
Pretty charming, fun and simple game.
YEAAAHHHH, SNOWBOARD KIDS WOOOO!
I rented this game from Blockbuster so many times, and I would yell that every time at the store, as it wasn't always available, I'm 100% sure there was a kid that waited for me to return it just to rent it, because I did the same thing. The game it's really good! I never managed to buy it but I played this a lot more than the games that I actually owned. I played the shit out of this game, I don't think it's objectively that good but I fucking loved it and I would play this over Mario Kart 64 every single time.
I rented this game from Blockbuster so many times, and I would yell that every time at the store, as it wasn't always available, I'm 100% sure there was a kid that waited for me to return it just to rent it, because I did the same thing. The game it's really good! I never managed to buy it but I played this a lot more than the games that I actually owned. I played the shit out of this game, I don't think it's objectively that good but I fucking loved it and I would play this over Mario Kart 64 every single time.
Not as good as Mario Kart 64, but this was still an enjoyable multiplayer racing game back in the day. I remember my childhood dentist had an N64 in his office waiting room and I used to play this on it every time.
Kinda fun but a bit limited compared to its sequel.
This is one of my all-time most nostalgic games - especially due to its amazing soundtrack - but I was pleasantly surprised when I revisited it a few years ago. A faintly innovative racing game with solid control, good tracks, and pretty decent replayability. Not a must-play by any means, but definitely one of the best of its genre on N64.
I played a lot more of the sequel. I remember it as being fine, but a bit forgettable.
In the tutorial, Snowboard Kids makes it clear that this is a racing game without a brake button – it also lacks an acceleration button. Gravity does all the work, leaving you to focus on turning, items and tricks. It has a charming visual style and nice slopes to snowboard down.
The turning mechanics are quite unique to Snowboard Kids, as tilting backwards allows for sharper turns. If you hold A to prepare for a jump, you will be unable to turn until you’ve finished jumping – you can also perform tricks to earn coins.
These coins (along with those on the tracks) are used to collect weapons and items, and you have one slot for each. I quite like this mechanic, although I found them to be quite unbalanced – some weapons, such as the parachute, sends people flying into the air and keeps them there for a bit too long. There’s also an unavoidable pan item that squashes all of your opponents.
This seems to create a situation where one player will often end up in front, with the other three pelting each other, unable to catch up with the leader. It’s a shame as I do like the game’s mechanics, as well as the levels.
Instead of lots of similar looking snow tracks, Snowboard Kids mixes things up with other themes, with the cutesy style managing to not make snowboarding on desert slopes look odd. There are six tracks to start with initially, with three more to unlock.
When you reach the end of the slope, a chair lift will take you back up to the top – however, the barrier will only open if a chair is ready. If second place isn’t ready, they’ll bonk off the railing just after 1st place enters and 3rd place can sneak in while they recover. It’s a nice little mechanic.
There are a few minigames to try out as well. One has you rushing down a slope quickly using the hard-to-steer fan items, one is a target practice challenge and the last is a stunt run – although that doesn’t work very well.
Snowboard Kids is a charming game. It’s not one of the best games on the system, but it’s still worth checking out.
The turning mechanics are quite unique to Snowboard Kids, as tilting backwards allows for sharper turns. If you hold A to prepare for a jump, you will be unable to turn until you’ve finished jumping – you can also perform tricks to earn coins.
These coins (along with those on the tracks) are used to collect weapons and items, and you have one slot for each. I quite like this mechanic, although I found them to be quite unbalanced – some weapons, such as the parachute, sends people flying into the air and keeps them there for a bit too long. There’s also an unavoidable pan item that squashes all of your opponents.
This seems to create a situation where one player will often end up in front, with the other three pelting each other, unable to catch up with the leader. It’s a shame as I do like the game’s mechanics, as well as the levels.
Instead of lots of similar looking snow tracks, Snowboard Kids mixes things up with other themes, with the cutesy style managing to not make snowboarding on desert slopes look odd. There are six tracks to start with initially, with three more to unlock.
When you reach the end of the slope, a chair lift will take you back up to the top – however, the barrier will only open if a chair is ready. If second place isn’t ready, they’ll bonk off the railing just after 1st place enters and 3rd place can sneak in while they recover. It’s a nice little mechanic.
There are a few minigames to try out as well. One has you rushing down a slope quickly using the hard-to-steer fan items, one is a target practice challenge and the last is a stunt run – although that doesn’t work very well.
Snowboard Kids is a charming game. It’s not one of the best games on the system, but it’s still worth checking out.
A classic arcade snowboarding game, one that is easy to pick up and play with friends or by yourself. I personally really liked this game as a kid, but I would recommend getting the sequel over this one as it out performs this one in every which way.
I think I need to spend more time with this game, but right now I feel validated in having forgotten about it after my childhood. I see good things in it, but clicking with the gameplay is a hard process.
This review contains spoilers
This was one of the first Nintendo 64 games my brother's and I played growing up. Unfortunately, unlike its predecessors it does have a lot to be desired. You see Snowboard Kids is (in a sense) basically Mario Kart but not too bad. You get 3 sets of offensive items and 1 for defense/evasion and race down a mountain or high area until you reach the finish line/ lift. As a bonus the game makes you work for those item boxes via executing tricks. It isn't bad considering the rewards on the field and off when buying new boards or color customs. The music is nostalgic and represents well what console it is on. But that doesn't mean this game is without flaws or continuity. For example, most races take place on snowy roads. I say most because some don't and while it is fun racing down grassy/sandy roads that kinda takes you out of the "snow" aspect the game preaches. But that is only two courses out of the playable nine. Then there is the main campaign and cast of characters. One of the characters by the way looking a little too "mature" physically for a 11/12-year-old (Linda). The others being rambunctious rivals and friends. Although Nancy and Tommy are chill. Our wonder bread starter character Slash Kamei is the competitive, troublemaker who is seen as the group's leader but can take his antics too far. Him and Jam are the goofs that get into all kinds of mischief. You get that in the final cutscene. However, that's about it. No developments or story plot. Just a couple quick game modes then the end. The CPU's don't make getting into the game that easy either since when playing the main campaign, the difficulty jumps rapidly between the 4th and 6th courses. And don't get me started on the last three... It is fun but there is a reason why my siblings and even friends who were taught this game prefer Snowboard Kids 2! I come back for the memories, to flex with Shinobin, special tricks, the music, and chaotic races but that's about it.
A novel racing game held back by a furiously aggressive set of computer players out for blood. Very difficult, remedied in the PS1 version with a hit to graphics.
I love this game.
It's a kart racer but snowboarding.
Character designs has influenced the way I draw allot.
It's a kart racer but snowboarding.
Character designs has influenced the way I draw allot.
one of the 25 or so n64 games i had as a kid.
i always felt like i didnt like this game much when i was actually young and playing it, but looking back on it and playing it more recently, its alright. overhyped, but its cute.
i always felt like i didnt like this game much when i was actually young and playing it, but looking back on it and playing it more recently, its alright. overhyped, but its cute.
My neighbor, who to this day is still super into snowboarding, LOVED this when we were kids and I always wished we would just play Mario Kart or Diddy Kong Racing instead.
The mechanics have dated extremely poorly with sluggish turning and clunky tricks, but Snowboard Kids coasts by on its quintessentially Japanese eccentricity which imbues the game's characters, locations and music.
A lot of fun. Cartoony. Very Japanese. Hidden gem of the N64.
cool casual racer with unique mechanics
Man I love snowboard kids
(Faceplants down the entire course like eight times)
Man I still love snowboard kids.
(Faceplants down the entire course like eight times)
Man I still love snowboard kids.
This game is mostly remembered based on the art style and music more than anything else. The game has serious framerate issues, and is way worse than most other racing games from this era.
There's a lot of nostalgia for this game, and it's a neat thing, with some cool designs but it just does not play well, nor does it have a ton of content to come back to, instead it's a lot of cheating AI.
There's a lot of nostalgia for this game, and it's a neat thing, with some cool designs but it just does not play well, nor does it have a ton of content to come back to, instead it's a lot of cheating AI.
hell yeah