Console Review: Cool Boarders 2 (Sony) PlayStation

Snowboarding is no longer confined to the slopes; check out its influence on street style for a start. As if to underline this, Sony has returned to the pistes for Cool Boarders 2.

A sequel to the original Cool Boarders, the new game offers more courses, more characters and new modes of play. You can now perform aerial moves on the half pipe, compete in slalom races or visit the board park where there are ramps, barrels and even snow-covered vehicles to play with. Alternatively, you can participate in a full season which combines several different disciplines. And, thanks to the new two-player split-screen option, you can also compete against a friend.

This is a much more polished product than the first game; the graphics are sharper, the animation's smoother and you get a much greater sense of speed as you fly down the slopes. All this, and a decent drum 'n' bass soundtrack to boot. Some of the changes are fairly minor, but the addition of the half pipe is particularly refreshing. It's more technical than the other modes of play and there are loads of tricks to discover to keep you interested - though, if the game has a fault, it's that the control system makes pulling off the really flash moves too difficult.

Not quite a classic, but a vast improvement on the original and a very good game in its own right.

On release, pounds 34.99. See Cool Boarders 2 Offer, p7.