SSX Tricky creator working on a new snowboarding game, 20 years later

Well, I certainly didn’t have this on my 2023 bingo card. The creator of SSX Tricky has announced that he’s working on a new snowboarding game, 20 years later.

SSX Tricky is a certified classic. Developed by EA Canada and Visual Impact, the game was released on the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox in 2001. A Game Boy Advance port then later arrived in 2002. The game unfolds exactly as you’d expect for a snowboarding game. There are plenty of races and trick competitions to dive into - and I certainly spent hours on end on my PS2 trying to best my opponents. It was by no means the only SSX entry. In fact, it was one of six, but SSX Tricky is fondly remembered by many fans as the best instalment. Well, it’s good news. One developer who was instrumental in bringing SSX Tricky to life is now working on a new snowboarding game.

Fancy a trip down memory lane? Take a look at our favourite PlayStation 2 videos below.

DualShockers sat down with Steve Rechschaffner, formerly behind EA Sports BIG (SSX Tricky’s publisher), to talk about the legacy of the game. During the interview, Rechschaffner revealed that his new studio, SuperNatural Studios, is working on a snowboarding game which distinctly pays homage to the SSX franchise. The game is said to include free-to-play elements, live competition, co-op team-based features, and a sandbox social hub.

“I reached out to Larry [LaPierre, former producer at EA Sports BIG] and I literally said ‘I think we made SSX 20 years too early,’” Rechschaffner told DualShockers. “And I said if we had been able to be free-to-play, if we had been able to just hook people and then bring the live competition and co-operative team-based stuff, and having a social connection and feeling like you have a place in the world, I think the world would love it.”

He went on to add that he’s aware they need to create a game that visually, and in terms of gameplay, appeals to the TikTok generation. Rechschaffner also added that the game is in the early stages as funding is much harder to find today than it was 20 years ago. “When people are like, ‘Oh, you’re trying to bring SSX back,’ it’s like, well, no and yes,” he continued. “This is not intended or meant to be at all nostalgic. I'm not trying to bring back what we did, but like you said, there are things there that are missing today, and the funny part is the people that never had it don't miss it because they never had it.” We’ll be keeping a close eye on this project.

Topics: Retro Gaming, PlayStation, Xbox