1080 Gamecube

[Commander Marklar]

The Challenge slope on Expert!!! OMG!! Anyone got any hints on how to escape the avalanche??

Just try not to be too clever - don't do tricks and keep an eye on what is coming up ahead. If it starts to over-take you, try not to fight the direction it takes you and go with it. Use the force to your advantage. Also, try and stay upright at all times

They say it offers some unique and great touches - Sense of speed and the avalanches but it has little replay value (match mode can be finished in a couple of hours?).

Yea, I'll go with that - match mode can be completed within a few hours, just like any racing game really (yea, few exceptions aside, most can be clocked fairly quickly). However, replay is always a talking point with racers; there are time trail modes and the new-ish trick attacks in 1080, plus the gate challenges (which are scored) to keep you going. Granted, you could get bored but I don't feel as though it is that detrimental to the game because it does play very, very well indeed. I bet if it had online scoring, nobody would mention it but sadly, it doesn't...

They also mention the dropping framerate (Whats everyones opinion on this, is it true struggling or is it an effect the developers have put it to magnify the hectic scenary changes?).

There is a brilliant shaky-screen thingy going on when you get going and it appears as though it has mostly been misunderstood. Imagine the view you'd get moving your head backwards and forwards very quickly, in tiny amounts and that is the kind of thing 1080 does when you're going along full pelt. There is also some "slowdown" when you make a mistake or do something nice, like a trick in a race... what happens when you do a trick is you get a brief slow patch, then the game goes really fast (well, returns to normal speed ). It is like it emphasises a large jump, etc... then there is the whole Matrix-thing, which is soo obviously an intentional effect.

Mostly intentional but I've seen some points where it "struggles"... you should play it really, make your own mind up.

4 player is apparently very stuttery?

Can't comment on 4 player, 2 player is sweet though.

And they say that each of the characters doesn't feel too different despite their ratings, is that true?

They're all snowboarding... there isn't a massive difference but Kamen is way faster than the others, Ricky jumps higher, Rob doesn't fall over so much and that one bird (sorry, forget her name - the pink one) does start much faster than the others (compared in Time Trail and 2-player). The later boards enhance this effect but yea, they mostly handle the same. What do you expect?

<minor rant>
Thing is though, a lot of reviews I've read seem to pull the game apart on minor technical points rather than focus on what 1080 offers--a fast, arcade snowboarding racer--which is kind of a shame. I haven't read one that really justifies a reviewers point of view, except for the usual "I've played the N64 game and this isn't as good" excuse. And, let's face it, criticism levelled at 1080 based on this opinion is unfair because the N64 game suffers more so; 1080 Avalanche is a far more polished game overall, clearly showing a technical advantage over its predecessor. Whether it is a better game overall? Well, that's for you to decide...
</minor rant>



edit: oops

[Oh! My Car!]

word

[ryodi]

Is it just me or are the courses on the last difficulty mode just mirror versions of what has gone before?

[Commander Marklar]

Yes, they are mirrored versions of courses featured in the other difficulty settings

[Oh! My Car!]

Just in case anyone was wondering, yes the secret characters do own

Their hilarious catchphrases are quality

especially the pirate skeleton, complete with heart and the really fat snowman

The final secret board is something very special too

[Oh! My Car!]

completed...unlocked everything I can think of.....but then again, I have been very keen
And I loved it all ...I'll be playing it until 1080 3 comes out

[007]

I really want to get this for xmas from the folks. Anybody want to sell there US copy?

[Earl]

I don't think many people have the US version yet. With a bit of luck I'll get mine tommorrow. I'd imagine I'm not the only one waiting on the US version as well.

[taurusnipple]

I was planning on gettting this at the start of the week, but not one shop had the game in stock on its 1st 2 days of release! Now I don't know what to do, hold out for R:Racing or go buy Metal Arms (does look fun) Already got a couple of racers on the GC so I don't know what I'm doin'. Can only afford 2 games for the rest of the year too...

[Commander Marklar]

Personally, 1080 is better than Metal Arms which, while fun, is fairly basic overall and "limited". It's a good game, just not 1080

Can't comment on R: Racing though...

[Oh! My Car!]

Commander Marklar, as hard as I try, I can't get even 100,000 again---yet alone your (may I say mega) 111300 14xcombo.....It just doesn't count my first few grabs...then it can't keep up with my button-ing, I can put in every move, but only a x11 combo comes out
I once got a x13 combo yet only 80,000-something points.....

The once masterful 1080 genius has fallen from his perch among the elite

[Commander Marklar]

I found it counts if you do it slow at the peak of the jump. More rythmatic than fast, if you get me and once in the combos, then you can cane it with the light-speed fingers. Also, I do the basic grabs at the end now...

Can't beat my score though - 14 is the highest I can get doing a flip Need to finish the gate challenges first, then I'll go back to Air Make (especially when peeps start getting their imported copies; someone is bound to break it!)

[geldra]

i havent got this yet but i'm most interested in the possibility of time attack and that gate challenge thing......i'm assuming its similar to the gate/slalom thingy in the original?

[Commander Marklar]

Time attack is exactly what is says on the tin Although, I didn't even know there was a slalom mode in the original (that's how much I played it - did the main races, then it went on the shelf)?! But yea, you have to make it down the course through all of the gates/checkpoints, within the time limit. Is that how it worked on the N64? I should probably go and play it some more

[Ginza]

Long overdue but i got the US version of 1080 Avalanche this afternoon so im going to give it a play and post some impressions.

Im going to read through all 10 pages and see what everyone has to say!

Ginz.