Stoked (video game)

Stoked
Developer(s)	Bongfish
Publisher(s)	NA: Destineer EU: Zushi Games Big Air Edition Xbox 360 NA: Destineer EU: Namco Bandai Microsoft Windows Namco Bandai
Distributor(s)	Microsoft
Series	Stoked Rider
Platform(s)	Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	Xbox 360 NA: February 24, 2009 EU: October 2, 2009 Big Air Edition Xbox 360 NA: November 23, 2009 EU: March 11, 2011 Microsoft Windows March 11, 2011
Genre(s)	Extreme sport
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Stoked is a snowboarding video game developed by Austrian-based Bongfish GmbH^[1] for the Xbox 360 video game console in 2009. It is the latest entry in the Stoked Rider snowboard game series and is in association with Absinthe Films. In 2009 an updated version, Stoked: Big Air Edition was released for Xbox 360 and a Microsoft Windows version was released in 2011.

It is the first game in the series to feature multiple mountains and real life sponsors, and also the first to be released on a console. It also has a real weather experience; for example, when it snows, powder builds up on the mountain. When it does not snow, rocks are exposed.

Gameplay

Stoked Features an adaptive system where the game recognizes "stylish" riding versus "hucker" riding, this affects your score if you're known for riding in one way. The original game features five different open mountains including Almirante Nieto, Mount Fuji, Diablerets, Mount Shuksan, and Alaska. Originally the mountains are only ventured through set waypoints of a helicopter but upon achieving a score of 50,000 points on every run of a mountain you gain the helicopter license for that particular mountain allowing you to designate your own drop points.

Reception

Overall Stoked received positive reviews. GameSpot rated it a modest 7.5/10 noting "occasional unpredictable physics" but that Stoked was a "blast, and considering that this wealth of content is going for a bargain price, it's an easy choice for boarders looking for a virtual outlet for their shredding fantasies."^[2] IGN Entertainment rated the game a less pleasing 6.9 but said that "touches like snazzy weather effects, cool challenges online and (eventually) in single-player [would] please the diehard boarders out there."^[3] It was asserted that "After Shaun White Snowboarding was released to a lukewarm critical reception late last year, it looked like fans of the genre were in line for a disappointing winter" however, although "Stoked wasn't a game that was on a whole lot of people's radars...the finished product garnered quite a bit of critical acclaim for shirking the unnecessary glitz of "extreme" sports games and focusing on the basics of snowboarding."^[4]

Big Air Edition

After the success of the original Stoked and the release of the game in European markets, Bongfish released an expanded version of the title called Stoked: Big Air Edition. Big Air Edition adds two new mountains, Laax and K2, to the original roster of five as well as include an upgraded frame rate and enhanced snow particles. The game also includes marked paths down the mountain and brand new racing events that will pit riders against each other, in addition to groomed terrain park area. It has also been announced that brand new 2010 gear and clothing will also be included from major brands. The Europe and PC release also includes bonus video features from Absinthe Films.^[5]

This version of the game received overall good ratings and a Metacritic score of 72%.^[6] On release in Japan, Famitsu magazine scored this version of the game a 26 out of 40.^[7]

Spiritual Successor?

Many players cite Stoked to be the spiritual successor to the now absent Amped snowboarding series that ended with Amped 3. Players are quick to note that one of the programmers for Amped 2 Tony Chiodo^[8] was the Destineer Director of Product Development behind Stoked.^[9]

References

External links

• Official website