Parents' Guide to SSX

Game PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 2012
SSX Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Marc Saltzman By Marc Saltzman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 10+

Extraordinarily fun, over-the-top snowboarding adventure.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 10+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 9+

Based on 3 kid reviews

What's It About?

One of the most beloved winter sports-themed video games has been rebooted for high-definition consoles. Simply titled SSX, the latest in the nearly 12 year-old series once again delivers intense downhill races on giant mountains, crazy mid-air stunts, and a host of colorful characters. Plus, along with HD graphics and refined control (utilizing the dual analog sticks), Electronic Arts Canada has added a new story, nine distinct locations, incredible challenges (like outrunning an avalanche!), and online play for multiple simultaneous riders. Code-named Deadly Descents, the new SSX is available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and both versions of the game are the same.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 2 ):
Kids say ( 3 ):

SSX is a blast. Carving powder down treacherous mountains -- while racing to the finish line, pulling off wild mid-air tricks, or taking on challenges that are like nature's boss battles -- feels and looks great. It might've taken a while for a new version of the game to debut, but it was well worth the wait. A host of multiplayer modes and community elements have been added to an online feature called RiderNet, where you can add friends to a buddy list, play against a friend's "ghost" run (if they're away from their console), "like" favorite drops, recommend new drops, and more. Unfortunately, there is no option to race against someone beside you, on the same television, as with previous SSX games that offered a split-screen mode. Overall, however, fans of the franchise and new gamers alike will no doubt fall for SSX's charm, intensity and high replayability.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how snowboarding in this game is different from doing it in real life.

  • Do you like all sports games or just those that showcase winter sports?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

SSX Poster Image

What to Play Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate