Ski Racing 2006 – Featuring Hermann Maier is an alpine racing game developed by Coldwood Interactive and published by JoWooD Productions in 2006 for Windows. Conceived as an improved follow-up to the previous year's title, it focuses exclusively on competitive skiing and the thrill of racing at full speed down some of the most recognizable courses on the international circuit.
The game features neither a traditional plot nor a narrative campaign. Its gameplay centers on athletic progression: creating or selecting a skier and competing in a full World Cup season, aiming to improve times, beat licensed rivals, and climb to the top of the rankings. Hermann Maier serves as the game's main draw and central figure, joined by other real-world racers and courses inspired by actual alpine events, including locations such as Kitzbühel, Wengen, and Val d’Isère.
Competition is divided into four disciplines: downhill, super-G, slalom, and giant slalom. Each d...
Ski Racing 2006 – Featuring Hermann Maier is an alpine racing game developed by Coldwood Interactive and published by JoWooD Productions in 2006 for Windows. Conceived as an improved follow-up to the previous year's title, it focuses exclusively on competitive skiing and the thrill of racing at full speed down some of the most recognizable courses on the international circuit.
The game features neither a traditional plot nor a narrative campaign. Its gameplay centers on athletic progression: creating or selecting a skier and competing in a full World Cup season, aiming to improve times, beat licensed rivals, and climb to the top of the rankings. Hermann Maier serves as the game's main draw and central figure, joined by other real-world racers and courses inspired by actual alpine events, including locations such as Kitzbühel, Wengen, and Val d’Isère.
Competition is divided into four disciplines: downhill, super-G, slalom, and giant slalom. Each discipline requires a different approach. In speed events, maintaining a clean line and controlling jumps is key, whereas technical courses demand precise turn-linking to navigate the gates correctly. Handling relies on trajectory control, edge usage, and a special acceleration—or boost—feature that can help regain speed or prevent going off-course.
Key options include single races, training, and a season or career mode that encompasses numerous events, turning every run into an opportunity to perfect one's line. It also includes multiplayer competition—via LAN or the Internet—along with tools to customize race parameters. An event editor allows players to adjust gate placement and configure penalties, offering an interesting way to create either more accessible courses or particularly demanding challenges.
Coldwood Interactive aimed for a more accessible and manageable gameplay experience than that of its predecessor. The controls are relatively easy to learn and forgiving of mistakes, though mastering the courses requires memorizing turns, jumps, and changes in pace. The presentation combines snow-capped mountains, spectators, fog effects, and varying weather conditions with a convincing sense of speed. It may not be an incredibly deep simulation, but it offers a straightforward, entertaining experience for fans of alpine skiing, time trials, and arcade-style competition with realistic aspirations.
