Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding
Developer(s)Indie Built
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
Platform(s)Xbox
Release
  • NA: November 20, 2001[1]
  • EU: March 14, 2002
Genre(s)Snowboarding
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding is an Xbox snowboarding video game. It is the first of the Amped video game series.

Released during the Xbox's launch, Amped is a snowboarding game focused on the tricks, instead of the racing style of play given by Electronic Arts SSX which launched with the PlayStation 2 in the previous year. The success of Amped was solidified by the successful launch of the sequels Amped 2 and Amped 3.

Gameplay

Utilizing the Xbox's built-in hard drive, Amped allowed for entire mountains to be loaded simultaneously, permitting completely free-style runs modelled on real resorts, rather than the linear courses of other snowboarding titles.

The game also contains snowmen which players must strike down in order to advance their Career Mode characters' exploration options.

The Xbox's built-in hard drive also allows users to create a custom soundtrack using their own music, as well as listening to the 150-plus tracks already offered in the game. Users can also listen to music by genre.

The game is also well known for helping to launch the career of pop punk band Yellowcard due to the in-game soundtrack consisting of the complete One for the Kids album on it. The video game also contains three songs from band Ink & Dagger's album The Fine Art of Original Sin.

As well, the game's instruction manual is written in a magazine-like format.

Lawsuit

Before its release, the game was met with derision from some due to Microsoft's marketing department Photoshopping lens flares onto what were supposedly actual game screenshots. Microsoft claimed they were unintentionally passed off as screenshots of the actual game.[2]

In 2005, former Ink & Dagger drummer Ryan McLaughlin sued Microsoft, claiming that three of their songs were used without the band's knowledge. The suit was settled out of court in 2006.[3][4][5]

Reception

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6] NextGen said, "While the game still has a few small issues – some minor collision problems, for example – it really is the first next-generation game to 'get' what snowboarding is all about."[17] In Japan, where the game was retitled for release as Tenku: Freestyle Snowboarding (天空 -Tenku- Freestyle Snowboarding, Tenkū -Tenku- Furīsutairu Sunōbōdingu) on February 22, 2002,[20] Famitsu gave it a score of one eight and three sevens for a total of 29 out of 40.[10]

References

  1. ^ jkdmedia (2012-05-04). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding Now Available". GameZone. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  2. ^ "XBox Screenshot Flim-Flammery?". Slashdot. Slashdot Media. March 18, 2001. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  3. ^ "Microsoft hauled into court in piracy case", The Inquirer, Incisive Media, October 28, 2005
  4. ^ Gross, Dan (July 26, 2006). "Ink & Dagger suit settled". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia Media Network. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  5. ^ "Ex-Ink & Dagger sues Microsoft". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia Media Network. October 26, 2005. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  7. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  8. ^ Edge staff (Christmas 2001). "Amped [Freestyle Snowboarding]" (PDF). Edge. No. 105. Future Publishing. pp. 72–73. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  9. ^ EGM staff (January 2002). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 150. Ziff Davis. p. 228.
  10. ^ a b Dan B. (February 20, 2002). "Xbox in Japan. First Famitsu scores". Home Theater Forum. Archived from the original on September 5, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  11. ^ Helgeson, Matt (December 2001). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding". Game Informer. No. 104. FuncoLand. p. 104. Archived from the original on December 1, 2003. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  12. ^ Dan Elektro (November 19, 2001). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  13. ^ Satterfield, Shane (November 26, 2001). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding Review". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  14. ^ Bub, Andrew S. (January 21, 2002). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  15. ^ Lafferty, Michael (February 20, 2002). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  16. ^ Lopez, Vincent (November 21, 2001). "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding". NextGen. No. 85. Imagine Media. January 2002. p. 32. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  18. ^ "Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding". Official Xbox Magazine. Imagine Media. February 2002. p. 80.
  19. ^ Kent, Steven (February 13, 2002). "Olympics aren't only games to hail from Utah". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  20. ^ "天空 -Tenku- Freestyle Snowboarding". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved October 19, 2021.

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