Forget the howling cold outside: chill out indoors with the latest incarnation of this popular winter-sports series. Previous versions of the Xbox snowboarding title gave us a less accessible alternative to EA’s premium SSX series: it was heavy on the realism and technically demanding, but short on simple, powder- ripping fun. Now, for its 360 debut, Amped has been recast as a far more laid-back companion, with an entertaining blend of surreal humour and freestyle boarding — a Dali meets Jackass stunt-fest in the snow. At first, the result seems tame in comparison with the intense action of last year’s SSX on Tour, but tune in to Amped 3’s groove and you are guaranteed a great time.
This is not to say that the game is simple — the tricks trials will keep you glued to your screen for days — but the relaxed structure and easy-going mood make it the gaming equivalent of a beanbag, something to slump into and while away a Saturday morning with ease. How can you take things too seriously when you are hitting black runs in a bathtub, vying to out-trick a comedy chicken or racking up hospital bills following a wince-inducing, bone-breaking challenge? You could spend hours exploring the fierce slopes and rocky valleys of the game’s seven resorts, showing off your moves to suitably awestruck skiers, or enjoy the cool swish of your board cutting lines in fresh powder.
The oddball presentation — with its weird, animated photo collage, retro graphics and skits on Japanimation — may not be to everybody’s taste, but Amped 3 can be laugh-out-loud funny, which is a welcome relief from leading titles that take themselves far too seriously, dude. And while no game with so much white could be described as a 360-degree graphical showcase, there is something about Amped 3’s pristine clarity and detail that adds to its languorous charms. Like Nintendo’s classic Pilotwings 64, this is a game for playing, not winning. If you cannot make it to the slopes this season, this is probably the next best thing. Four stars
Stuart Andrews
Pro Evolution Soccer 5
PSP, £34.99; all ages
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Finally, a world-class football game that’s playable on a handheld. From the sophisticated artificial intelligence of your team-mates to highly realistic animation, Pro Evo oozes quality, outclassing its rival, Fifa 06, in every respect. The sublime gameplay is successfully re-created, matches ebb and flow with the grace and elegance of the PS2 edition, and individuals are recognisable, even on the PSP’s diminutive screen, though the iffily named teams and players still irritate. Sacrifices have been made in this downsized version: cup competitions and the popular Master League are axed, and the fiddly controls (in particular, the oversensitive shoot button) make scoring even more difficult. In fact, the PSP edition is harder than Michael Essien. However, for portable footballing thrills and a glorious wireless multiplayer mode, Pro Evolution is more entertaining than watching Man Utd flounder against Burton Albion. Four stars
Barry Collins
Peter Jackson’s King Kong
PSP, £34.99; ages 12+
This is a superb transfer of one of the most ambitious console games to the Sony PSP’s small screen. Despite lower detail levels and suspiciously heavy fog, Jack Driscoll’s first-person action segments are thrilling, with fast-moving predators to battle and interesting puzzles. And if Kong’s tussles with T rex become monotonous, there is plenty of momentum in his third-person platforming scenes. However, those regular PSP bugbears — long loading times and poor controls — may ruffle your fur, and the supporting cast of Naomi Watts, Jack Black et al, present in other versions, is no longer included, making this a lonely experience, with some of the best bits removed. With several set-piece levels conspicuous by their absence, you are getting only half of a great game — and £35 is a lot to pay for five hours of fun. Three stars
Stuart Andrews