Publisher: Activision
Ages: six and up.
Parental
Advisory:
None
Take the premise and spirit of the wildly popular Tony Hawk games, and add Disney characters and settings to the mix, and you get Activision's entertaining Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure. This excellent title for families lets players skate as characters from Disney films that include "Toy Story," "Tarzan" and "The Lion King."
Disney's Skate Adventure plays much like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, but here, players skate as Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Simba or Tarzan and perform tricks that include ollies, rail grinds, spins and balance moves. The control and trick set are basically those from the Tony Hawk game, but simplified.
The characters from the films skate through their respective worlds. For example, Simba and Rafiki skate through Pride Rock; Young Tarzan and Terk through "Jungle Treehouse" and Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear and Woody explore Pizza Planet. The characters all feature their own moves and interact with other characters that reside in their respective worlds.
As in the Tony Hawk games, each level offers a series of goals that unlock new levels, goals and clothing. The game also offers intriguing skateboards that are themed to the characters' respective worlds-for example, bamboo rafts, frying pans and other items. Beyond the skateboard challenge, the game offers puzzles, secret areas and collectibles
Kids can also skate in a real-world inspired locale, "Olliewood," as their own customized skaters or as a member of the "Extreme Skate Crew," a 10-member team of real kids who were chosen from nationwide casting calls to have their likeness animated in the game. Both "Extreme Skate Crew" members and Create-A-Skater characters can skate through "Olliewood" as well as in environments from the films. The game looks great and does an excellent job of recreating the beloved Disney characters.
In all, Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure is a great family game that everyone can enjoy. The only downside is that those who already play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater will find the game too easy. But everyone else should have a grand time.
9/15/03 Daytrum.com Editorial Staff
