A new mechanic in On Tour compared to previous entries is the addition of skiing alongside snowboarding, though the gameplay of the two is fairly identical.

Players can now create their own characters, selecting his/her symbol, makeup, height, clothes and hair, in addition to whether they are a snowboarder or a skier.

Each completed event or challenge gains their character "Hype", raising their profile and moving them up the SSX charts, with the ultimate goal of reaching number one.

[3] With the focus now on custom-created characters, the original SSX cast is moved into the background slightly, appearing in various Shreds against the player, and available to play as when not on the Tour itself.

In addition to seven returning SSX veterans (Elise, Mac, Kaori, Zoe, Psymon, Nate and Allegra), three new characters make an appearance: Tyson, Sid and Skye.

According to art director Rich Curren, the goal of this change was to capture "something that was more reflective of snowboard and youth culture at the time: the second coming of rock.

In addition, when performing "Monster Tricks" during an event, the music will fade away, to be replaced with the sound of the wind whistling as the player cuts through the air.