boarding and blading

There's just no getting around it these days. Any of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater games and especially this last installment deserve your money and attention NOW! For those of you new to the concept crawl out from the rock you've been hiding under for the past 3+ years! For those familiar with the platform here's what's new: new tricks, special tricks, more skaters, better more skatable environments, a park editor that lets you create your own park, harder more challenging goals. There are also some cool hidden characters like DARTH MAUL, WOLVERINE, OFFICER DICK, etc. This is definitely a game that will keep you occupied for a long period of time (unless you use the cheats) and always fun to play no matter how many times you've solved it. All of these things= best game on Gamecube system so far! Buy it now!

The interactive skateboarding videogame legacy from NeverSoft continues, as Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2, and Microsoft X-Box see the latest and greatest installment of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater arrive. It is hard to believe that NeverSoft and Activision could improve upon its already extensive and highly addictive gameplay, but some how they have managed to. Skateboarders, get ready for the best skating game to date.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 is definitely not your ordinary skating game. The extensive gameplay can be summed up in two words, however: skateboard tricks. THPS 3 has included such a slew of moves that it can only be contained by the vast memory of the newest systems and technology. The aerial tricks are quite mind-blowing, and range from common airwalks all the way to special air moves such as the stalefish front-flip. Many street tricks are included as well, and kick-flips, 180 ollies, pop-shove its, and hard-flips are all at one's dispose. Of course, many new tricks have been added to THPS 3 as well. Multiple "old-school" tricks can be performed with ease throughout the game. For those not familiar with "old-school" tricks, basically, they are flatland tricks that involve minimal forward momentum, and use feet, and yes, hands as well. For example, a handstand on a skateboard is quite common within this genre of moves. Even reverts have been included in the game, and spinning one's board off of a vert ramp into a combo can be achieved with ease. All the familiar grinds, such as board-slides, 5-0's, 50-50's, tail-slides, and nose-slides, can be used as well. Moves can once again be linked together, creating a seemingly endless line of tricks. Whether one goes from a manual (skateboard "wheelie") into a board-slide, into a dark-slide, onto a one-wheel manual, or any other crazy combination, the possibilities are endless.

The skating environments are highly inspired this time around as well. All levels are almost 100% interactive, which means one's dream grinding an escalator in an airport can come true. Even the surrounding common folk talk to skaters, as the skaters attempt to impress them. In fact, two level goals include impressing some Canadians (not very hard), and impressing some cruise ship ladies. If one fails to impress the girls, they begin to laugh; but there is no need to worry, for once one nails that 900, they will be at one's mercy. These are just a few of the many interactive portions of the levels, and each environment, ranging from airports, cruise ships, foundries, and "suburbia", to Canada and Tokyo, is highly detailed as well. Not to mention, one can even make up his or her very own unique skate park with the skate park editor. Plus, if one ever gets bored of the single player mode (not likely), he or she can skate it out with a friend. The options in the multiplier mode include tag, graffiti (tag obstacles to win), HORSE, and King of the Hill.

THPS 3, in all its technicalities, is beyond impressive. The graphics are immensely detailed, and the skate-able environments are exceedingly believable. Skaters themselves are more realistic looking than ever, and there is no way one will mistake Tony Hawk for Rodney Mullen, or Bucky Lasek for Eric Koston. The game has an incredible soundtrack, including contributions from The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Ramones, and Zebra Head. The in game speech and ambiance, including an ice cream truck melody in the suburbs and intercom flight notifications at the airport, add even more to the game. Of course, as an added bonus to the overall game, skateboarding movies will too be available after you complete the game with various skaters. The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series has continued to amaze me throughout the years, and the latest installment keeps the strong legacy going.

-Corey Timpanaro

THIS GAME IS HARD to control ( the characters ) and the music stinks and its a little boring but its cool because you can play as over 100 skaters including wolverine, Darth Maul, Kelly Slater, and a lot more!