Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding
| Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Indie Built |
| Publisher(s) | Microsoft Game Studios |
| Platform(s) | Xbox |
| Release date(s) | NA November 19, 2001 JP February 22, 2002 EU March 14, 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Extreme sports |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Distribution | DVD |
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding, Tenku: Freestyle Snowboarding (天空 -Tenku- Freestyle Snowboarding Tenkū -Tenku- Furīsutairu Sunōbōdingu) in Japan, is an Xbox exclusive 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 Art's SSX which launched with the Sony PlayStation 2 in the previous year. The success of Amped was solidified by the successful launch of the sequels Amped 2 and Amped 3.
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, blocking out music they do not enjoy. There is also a button on the Xbox controller that allows users to skip past songs they don't like.
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.[1]
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. In 2005, former drummer Ryan McLaughlin sued Microsoft, claiming that they were used without the band's knowledge. The suit was settled out of court in 2006.[2][3][4]
As well, the game's instruction manual is written in a magazine-like format.
References
- ↑ XBox Screenshot Flim-Flammery? from Slashdot
- ↑ "Microsoft hauled into court in piracy case".
- ↑ "Philadelphia Daily News Dan Gross column: Ink & Dagger suit settled.". The Philadelphia Daily News. July 26, 2006.
- ↑ "Ex-Ink & Dagger sues Microsoft". October 26, 2005.