1080° Snowboarding - Nintendo 64

Much of the game's appeal lies in the finely tuned player controls. As in real life, learning the basics--turning, jumping, carving--is a snap. Honing one's skills to smoothly land a jump, pull off complex in-air tricks, and negotiate tight turns and steep descents, however, is very challenging. It's this appealing combination of skill learning and track mastering that promises to entice players back to the slopes season after season. Extra kudos to the designers for the beautifully realistic sound effects--scraping along icy sections of the track is, literally, a tooth-grinding experience. --Eric Twelker

Pros: One of the best snowboarding games on any platform Gorgeous graphics and environmental sound effectsRealistic character and environment physics Cons: Game engine slows down in graphic-heavy sectionsOpening "locked" tracks requires advanced 'boarding skills, patience, and a love for the sport