Tony who? (Tony Hawks Pro Skater (DC))

Member Name: Sick Boy

Product:	Tony Hawks Pro Skater (DC)
Date:	30/11/00 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fanatstic gameplay and thoroughly enjoyable for anyone.

Disadvantages: It's probably worth buying the second one instead.

Everyday I sit on my arse and gaze out of the window, watching the cool people ‘nolly’ and ‘grind’ their way down the street without a care in the world. Unfortunately, hermits like me will never be accepted by these laid back, lower-middle-class types. Oh well, guess I’ll just have to make do with Tony Hawk’s Pro-skater.

Yes, those of you who find yourself scraping knuckles and, oh no, grazing your knees each time you try a 540 heelflip followed by a BS boardslide (I don’t know if these really exist, I just got them off the game) can now perform all the tricks you never could in the safety of your own smelly bedroom.

Choose from several apparently famous skateboarders and take them around abandoned warehouses, shopping malls, skate-park competitions and a number of other jump and grind laden sceneries. These levels aren’t exactly vast, but there are so many tricks and bonuses to each of these levels it could take some time to master them.

Points are scored through tricks whilst jumping or ‘grinding’, i.e. scraping the board along a rail or wall, waving arms manically in attempt to balance, There are a vast range of tricks, and obviously the harder of these score more points than others. There are many bonuses on each level, such as special jumps, which can multiply your score. Some of these are quite hard to find or actually reach, which gives the you a variety of reasons to go back to a level. Each level also has a number of objectives, such as reaching a certain high-score, which earns you tapes. These tapes earn you the right to skate around new levels and use new and different boards, which frankly you can’t see when playing and are just are novelty.

The game is quite large and can take a lot of repetitive yet enjoyable play to complete. However, once all tapes have been discovered I cannot see much reason for starting it all over again. When the game is
finished the only entertaining aspect left is the two player option. Having said this, it is a hell of a two player option.

The idea is very basic; play one of three different games in a skate park of your choice. The fist of these is ‘HORSE’; the two players take alternate turns in which they have ten seconds to perform a trick in a sudden death style competition. One player must beat the others score to win the point, whereas the loser receives a letter of HORSE, or whatever word you choose to replace it with. This sounds simple, but can instigate intense confrontations and unhealthy competition. The remaining two are just as basic and just as fun, and the final say in just who is the best out of your little gang of wannabe Tony Hawks.

The brilliant gameplay is aided by a simple control system, a constant learning curve and good graphics, and in combination this game shows no faults other than it’s lack of ‘go back and play again’ appeal. It is simple game playing fun, and needs no requirements for enjoyment other than ownership of a playstation or a PC. Recommended to all.

Summary: