This review originally appeared on Reviewcenter.com in 1999.

Although 989 Studio’s Cool Boarders 3 is a very good snowboarding game with great graphics and outstanding sound quality, it didn’t quite live up to its anticipations or expectations. After Cool Boarders 1 and 2 paved the road people were expecting more out of the third component of this trilogy. It’s fun to play, but unfortunately it’s also a letdown.

The improvement of graphics are what save CB3. No other snowboarding game can even be compared to Cool Boarders 3 without looking like a NES game. The tricks looked very realistic as well as the hills and the scenery.

Another great aspect of Cool Boarders 3 is the many modes available on the game, like downhill, half-pipe and slope style.

Downhill is a regular race down a hill that takes into account time and points. The half-pipe, which was drastically improved from Cool Boarders 2, is a great test of your ability to pull of crazy tricks and stunts. Slope style is basically a snowboarding park with many apparatuses filling the slope. All can be used to help perform massive trick combos and to get maximum air time.

There are only five hills to share over the three game modes, however.

There is also an avalanche mode that is probably the most unique part of the game. A helicopter drops you onto a hill, seconds before an enormous avalanche. Your goal is to get to the bottom of the hill without being flattened by boulders of snow.

Another unfortunate change from CB2 is that you can’t pick the background music. The same ol’ song plays through all the modes, on all the hills.

All and all, Cool Boarders 3 is a pretty cool game. The graphics are higher quality than most sports games and it is extraordinarily realistic. Cool Boarders 3 is a great game but I recommend buying it used or waiting until the price comes down — $50 is a little too much.