Tony Hawks Pro Skater

Some have called it the best skateboarding game ever made (we agree), while others have hit higher hyperboles by calling it the best game ever made, period. Sooner or later, Neversoft's vertical masterpiece was bound to hit other platforms. In all honesty, we were lukewarm on the N64 version, but the Dreamcast version of THPS has all us fingerboarders itching to ride. THPS for the DC will be developed by Treyarch and published by Crave Entertainment, who recently acquired the lucrative rights to publish this game on Sega's system. Very little has changed in terms of gameplay and control (that's good news)...the real improvement is the souped-up graphics. The game is set for release in late spring.

The reigning king of frantic, free-form action-sports gameplay was starting to look a little slow on the draw and low in the ollie, but then Tony Hawk's Underground came out and gave the series a needed boot in the baggy pants. How many aspiring game designers pitch their genius idea as " Tony Hawk meets X"? Just about every last one of them. Even the French. Ultimate moment: THPS3 was the first game to take PlayStation 2 online, so that's fairly ultimate. But it's trumped by Underground's put-your-face-in-the-game feature (PS2 only), which lets gamers create their own skating doppelganger.

Overview

Tony Hawk is the biggest name in skateboarding history. It seems like he’s been around forever; he’s been a professional for 16 of the 31 years of his life. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (THPS) lets you live the life of a pro skater on the rise. So choose a skater, lose your inhibitions, and get ready to bust out some big time aerials.

Gameplay

There are a few different single and two player modes in this game. In single player there’s a non-timed free skate and a career mode. The two player modes are horse, graffiti tag, and a battle game where you are encouraged to crash into and outscore your opponent.

The single player career mode starts by picking one of 10 pro skaters, each with special tricks and different attributes. You start out with access to the Warehouse level. Each level has five video tapes for you collect. When your collection total reaches a certain number of video tapes, you gain access to other city levels and competitions. There are six different city levels and three competitions that become available as you collect more video tapes. These tapes also add new boards for you to pick, which increases your skater's skill level.

You collect tapes by completing different tasks. The first tape is hidden somewhere within the level, tapes two and three are yours by reaching certain point levels within the two minute limit. To get the fourth tape, collect five letters scattered around the level to spell the word SKATE. You get the fifth by destroying, or grinding on five things in a level. These objects change per level, from boxes on the first level to lunch tables and police cars on others. The tapes get harder to collect as the levels progress. Some of the tapes are pretty challenging, but if you do get them all, you unlock a special character.

This game has lots of moves and even more combos. Point values really grow when you combine tricks, so tack on a few different grinds to the end of any trick and you’ll score big points. Point levels go down each time you attempt the same trick, whether you land it or not. Each skater also has special signature tricks that can be executed when the special meter turns yellow and starts flashing.

The levels are big and put together well. They are full of different surfaces allowing everyone to define their own lines. Sure, the game exaggerates the laws of Physics, but that's what makes it fun! I landed lots of 900's, but I also biffed on a lot of attempts. The crashes are great with your skater squirting blood from his head.

Graphics & Audio

The game has very good graphics, with textures and objects easily identifiable. The sound effects are amazing, every surface has a unique sound. Your wheels sound different depending on what you are rolling on: metal or wood ramps, pavement, concrete pools, or sidewalks.

The music isn’t as good. I thought that the soundtrack had potential with bands like Primus, Dead Kennedys, and Suicidal Tendencies contributing. There are a lot of songs, 10 of them, but I was disappointed with the quality of the tracks chosen. You can always turn down the game music, turn up the effects, and turn on your stereo!

Bottom Line

This game lets any poser bust a 900 degree method air. I liked being able to pick different boards and wheels, it would’ve been cool to be able to pick different clothes. The career and two player battle modes are fun. This game will appeal to both skaters and couch skaters. The graphics are very good and so is the gameplay. If you’re looking for a damn good skateboarding game, on any platform, start here.

Those of you out there old enough to remember (or maybe even owned) those fat old Powell Peralta decks with your huge Rat Bones wheels will easily recognize this game's authenticity. Sega's Top Skater notwithstanding, there's been a total drought of good skateboarding titles from the glory days of Atari's 720. Unfortunately, it's been too easy as of late for gamers to lump all snowboarding and skate titles into one generic garbage pile (trust us, we know). Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is one skate game that must not be overlooked. It's quite possibly the first skateboarding title to come along that wilj really push the design of all future boarding games.

To ensure that THPS looks as good as it plays (we'll get to that later), Neversoft employed extensive motion-capture techniques for each and every trick. Everything from your by-the-book kickflip or frontside grind, to a 720 Benihana is gracefully recorded for maximum realism. An important part of why THPS feels so responsive is because each move or animated sequence seamlessly transitions into each other without so much as an awkward stutter. Combine these visuals with the game's partiality toward extremes and you have THPS; it walks that fine line between believability and playability.

A good rule of thumb in THPS is, if something's there, you can skate on it. Feel free to ollie onto benches, curbsides, over garbage cans, rails and anything else you might see at a school, in a mall or at a skate park. There will be a total of nine courses in the game, each with a different emphasis, whether it be street style, vertical, both combined or downhill tracks. Secret paths and bonuses also prolong the replay value of THPS.

As for the skaters, Tony Hawk is joined by eight other professionals, including Bob Burnquist, X-Games gold medalist Bucky Lasek, Rune Glifberg, and other notable tricksters of the street. Each one is rated in four different categories: ollie, speed, air and balance. Since the ratings correspond with real-life specialties, those known for their street finesse will possess better balance for grinds and ollies, while ramp monsters like Tony Hawk and Bucky Lasek get the most out of your vertical hang time. Each character will also have signature moves which are key to winning competitions. Successfully complete a chain of tricks and you fill up your "special" meter and score big points.

Linking moves to form aerial combos is the name of the game. The best part about THPS' gameplay is that you have complete freedom to string together any number of tricks to customize your style. You'll find yourself devising new ways to squeeze in every move in the book before coming back down. Get too greedy and you'll find yourself wimpering on the pavement. These wipeouts are some of the most cringe-inducing sequences we've ever seen.

If Neversoft can clean up the clipping problems with the in-game camera, THPS will be a near-perfect skateboarding experience. We can't wait.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, recently released on the PlayStation, could very well be the sleeper hit of the year. It was hailed by many (including the Review Crew) as the best skateboarding game they've ever played. The popularity of Mr. Tony Hawk is gradually increasing, so now Activision is making sure that N64 gamers don't miss out.

For those of you not familiar with the greatness that is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, here's a brief rundown of the game. Pro Skater features nine real-life skateboarding professionals like Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist and Bucky Lasek. There are a total of nine locations to skate, including abandoned warehouses, New York malls, downtown Minneapolis and the streets of San Francisco.

The most addictive part of the game by far is Career Mode. Pick your skater and begin your tour of the various locations. By performing various tasks you can collect "tapes," which unlock new boards (increasing your stats) or new levels. If life on the tour is too much pressure. Free Skate mode gives you all the time in the world to improve your skills.

The port is being done by Edge of Reality, previously known for their work on Monster Truck Madness 64. From the look of this early build, the game is coming along quite nicely. It now runs in a slightly higher resolution, and the frame-rate is noticeably smoother compared to its PlayStation cousin. Most surprising of all is that Edge of Reality managed to cram some of the songs on the PlayStation soundtrack onto the N64 cartridge, lyrics and all. The sound quality is lower, naturally, but it is still an impressive feat.

The only problem that may arise in this version is control. The C buttons on the N64 controller are used for pulling off tricks, but because they're so close together it's a bit trickier (excuse the pun) to pull off the desired trick. Also, the analog stick doesn't seem as responsive as the PlayStation's Dual Shock stick.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater for Nintendo 64 will be out in March of 2000, and looks to be an excellent port of an excellent game.

The most bad-ass skater in the world finally has his own bad-ass game! Tony Hawk's Pro Skater gets ready to grind onto the PlayStation this October.

Trick Daddy

Tony Hawks Pro Skater is a trick-crazed game where virtually everything in the environment is skateable. You can slide down rails, jump off a school roof, and even perform sick stunts in empty swimming pools. The game sports nine non-linear levels, and each area features secret paths, ramps, and hard-to-reach spots that pay off big time with some super moves and unbelievable tricks.

Skaters will also be able to pull off move combos on the fly and improvise in the air by spinning any direction as they bust methods and tail grabs to score the most points in the round. Beware of bailing, though--your skaters skin will actually show their pain as scabs, skin peels, and road rash become visible on each skater's body!

Extreme Sports

The game features nine professional skaters: Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist, Bucky Lasek, Chad Muska, Kareem Campbell, Rune Glifberg, Jamie Thomas, Andrew Reynolds, and Geoff Rowley. Each skater not only has his own skating style, but also features a unique trick set and signature moves.

Pro Skaters single-player modes include Practice, Career, and Single Session, and the game contains a number of two-player split-screen contests such as Trick, Graffiti (everywhere ypu perform a trick is painted the color representing your character), and Horse. Even though Tony Hawks Pro Skater is still in the early stages of development, it's already extremely impressive. Skaters should definitely keep an eye out for it when Tony Hawk thrashes into stores this fall.

The most famous skater of all time is finally getting his own game as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater looks to speed onto the PlayStation this fall. The game sports eight pro skaters, two-player split-screen competition, and hundreds of moves and combos, including rail grinds and ollies. Pro Skater's real-world environments and courses, which range from a freeway to a shopping mall, feature not only breakneck action, but also secret areas, shortcuts, and hard-to-reach spots that pay off big with sick stunts and tricks. Hopefully, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater will live up to its superstar spokesman's reputation for awe-inspiring moves and skateboarding greatness.