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Bode Miller Alpine Racing Preview
Written by Señor Cha Cha on Tuesday, November 29, 2005
When it comes to alpine skiing Bode Miller is the Tony Hawk of the winter games, and we preview his upcoming mobile game here!
When it comes to alpine skiing Bode Miller is the Tony Hawk of the winter games. The guy's won just about every title there is and has more medals than most athletes the world over, but the one thing he doesn't have is his own videogame...wait for it...UNTIL NOW! Courtesy of NBC Sports and Abandon Mobile comes Bode Miller Alpine Racing. This addictive downhill skiing game is set to fire up millions of cell phones during the 2006 Winter Games, and if you love the sport, you may want to check it out.
Abandon decided to focus on the events Bode Miller excels at, those being Down Hill, Super-G, and Slolom, each of which contains four different courses (Meadow Crusin, Eagle Pass, Lake View, and Devil's Canyon), so unlike other cell phone games you'll be receiving quite a value here. They've also packed it with five styles of skis as well as a subdued yet stylish NBC Sports presentation and still shots and comments from Bode.
But what's especially impressive is how the developers have managed to capture a small taste of what it's like to actually ski and transferred it to the phone. From the very beginning you'll have to launch from the top of the mountain, and how well you do this will affect your overall time. Abandon's crafted a little mini game for launching and it's definitely a bit tricky. On the left side of the screen are three empty circles stacked on top of one another, and moving up and down is another circle. The object is to press the button just as the moving and prone circles meet (meaning you've got to get it right three times). It's definitely a lot harder than it may seem, but with some practice you'll be launching like a pro.
While traveling down the mountain you can go into a tuck by pressing the OK/Home key or 2. It'll make you go a lot faster, but you'll be draining an energy meter, so it's a good idea to use it sparingly, especially since you'll need to navigate past some hazards such as colored markers and what appear to be rocks. There are also lots of sharp turns, so while most races only last between 60-90 seconds, you're going to be doing a lot during these brief periods.
Unlike other cell phone games that force you to commit to a single control scheme, Bode Miller Alpine Racing has two. Not only can you maneuver your skier using the directional keys (which I prefer) but also the numbered pad as well, a decision that should please you if you've got big hands.
Similar to the other NBC Sports games there are eight plus countries to choose from including Russia, the US., Sweden, Germany, Britain, and Korea. There's also an NBC Sports announcer that delivers textual comments, animated crowds, and an Olympic style awards ceremony.
Bode Miller Alpine Racing isn't my favorite NBC Sports game (Figure Skating takes that prestigious honor) but I still think it's pretty enjoyable. The 2D visuals look good given the platform, and it's a good way for skiing aficionados to enjoy their favorite sport when they're away from the mountain. Look for it and all of Abandon Mobile's titles during the 2006 Winter Games that begin airing February 10, where they will be heavily advertised on both television as well as NBCOlympics.com. However, if you don't want to wait that long you'll be able to download all three games (Speed Skating being the other one) in January.
