8 /10 1 Votes
73% Metacritic Initial release date 28 November 2003 | 7.3/10 IGN 4.7/5 Emuparadise | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date(s) EU: November 28, 2003NA: December 1, 2003JP: January 22, 2004 Genres Racing video game, Sports game Similar Nintendo Software Technology games, Racing video games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1080° Avalanche, released in Japan as 1080° Silverstorm (テン·エイティ シルバーストーム, Ten Eiti Shirubāsutōmu), is a snowboarding game for the GameCube, developed by Nintendo's in-house development studio, Nintendo Software Technology, and published by Nintendo. Avalanche is a sequel to 1080° Snowboarding for the Nintendo 64.
Contents
The game has an emphasis on racing, rather than doing tricks, in contrast to other popular snowboarding games, such as the SSX series. It can output in 480p and Dolby Pro Logic II and supports four players on one GameCube as well as LAN play with up to four GameCubes.
Gameplay
Gameplay in 1080° Avalanche is similar to that of the original, centering on racing more than performing stunts. There are large gameplay differences between Avalanche and the original 1080°, with one being the original is the ability to knock down opponents by running into them after filling a meter by performing tricks. The other is the reason for the titular Avalanche - the final event of every Match Race challenge is a daredevil run through an avalanche-prone trail where the player has to outrun an avalanche that starts in the middle of the run or even at the very start. A trick attack mode is also present and has three unique courses.
Unlike the first game, each rider had specific boards to them, and up to three new boards for each character could be unlocked throughout the game. There were also bonus boards, which were surreal objects replacing the snowboard, such as a penguin, a NES controller, a paint brush, and a very fast rocket.
Development and release
In 1999, it was confirmed a sequel to 1080° Snowboarding was coming to the Nintendo 64. Second-party studio Left Field was responsible for development. When the game failed to materialize, it was confirmed the game was no longer being produced for the N64, but for the GameCube. Not long after this announcement, it was also confirmed Left Field was revoking its status as a second-party studio so it could develop multi-format titles.
Development of the game was handed to Nintendo's American development studio, Nintendo Software Technology Corporation (NST). They originally planned to call it 1080°: White Storm (after Wave Race: Blue Storm), before finally renaming it 1080° Avalanche.
1080°: Avalanche was released in two different versions; a common single disc, and a double disc format. The second disc was not a game disc, but rather a mini-DVD, featuring half an hour of extreme snow sports footage, set to music from the game. This version was only available at Wal-Mart, and is differentiated by a red sash on the front cover.
Reception
It received a score of 7.5/7/5.5 from Electronic Gaming Monthly: Dan Hsu, the first reviewer, said, "You can't beat its cornea-stripping sense of speed". While Hsu found fault with the game's trick system, it was severely criticized by third reviewer Shawn Elliott, who believed that "Avalanche [...] can't compete with SSX 3".
Legacy
Akari Hayami, Ricky Winterborn and his Snowman costume cameo as stickers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.