Now I’m feeling pretty confident. I just finished my first challenge in Amped 2: the 3-Ring Circus. I only had three chances to get down the run and showcase my best moves, so I hit it hard and got down to business. I ollied onto the early rail and grinded down its length, popping off at the last possible second into smooth rotation. Already, I could see the fruits of my labor as I shot into first place. I attacked the first jump and caught big air, pulling off a 720 with a Melon Grab. Time and time again, I was nailing the tricks, some with style and smoothness and others with cool by-the-numbers accuracy. I took a few spills, but it didn’t matter—this one was in the bag.
Slowing the Pace After making a name for myself in the first event, I slowed the pace a notch and cruised down Bear Mountain to blow off some steam. I put the game into Free Ride mode and practiced my lip tricks, which were sorely lacking. I just couldn’t get the timing of the Y button down the first few times, though with a little elbow grease, I pulled off my first Nose Stall. It wasn’t fancy, but it was truly a marvel to behold compared to my earlier attempts. I pulled it off time and time again, until it became one more routine I could use to flash the crowd.
Aping the Pros As I progressed through the game, taking slope after trail, my first true challenge came in the form of one Bobby Meeks. There he was, taunting me at the top of the run, goading me into a game of “follow the leader.” Like a jackrabbit, he hopped from log to log, barking out insane comments, as if this was some sort of game. I mean, yeah it was a game, but did he have to kick snow in my face just for flying into a tree?
It took me a little while to catch that cocky sucker, but I was onto his act pretty fast. Matching his jumps and landings, I saw through his smarmy chatter and smacked him into his place! If I keep this up, I’ll be Legendary in no time.
Multiplayer Mayhem A guy can only gloat so much after beating a machine. Though the Xbox is the most powerful video game system on the planet, no matter how badly you beat it, a console isn’t going to buy the drinks or mow the lawn, is it? That’s where the multiplayer modes come in handy. A particular pal o’ mine just happened to be passing through when I plopped a friendly wager on the table.
“If you can beat my media score down Mt. Hood, I’ll mow your lawn for a month. If you can’t, you’ll mow mine.”
Not one to pass up a challenge-or free manual labor-he took the bait. He thought he was pretty hot, and he might have been good at those other “extreme” sports games, but he had no idea of the depth of the Amped 2 trick system. The camera guys on the slopes got bored with his repetitious flapping faster than a greased Scotsman. Score one for the home team! Perhaps I should have worked shrub sculpting into the equation …
Eat My Snow Now that I’ve unlocked all the trails, challenges, and sponsors, I’m a force to be reckoned with. Children fear my gamertag, as I’ve had a stranglehold on the top XSN Sports slot for weeks. Who out there is willing to challenge this king of the mountain?
