Publisher: Activision, www.activision.com
Ages: Seven and up
Parental Advisory: Edgy title that simulates skateboarding. Skaters can collide with objects.
Combine stunt-filled skateboarding with flight simulator-style graphics and great gameplay, and you have Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. This compelling skateboarding game lets you ollie, grind, and perform amazing skateboarding tricks like the pros. And from the graphics, to the imaginative areas, to the amazing gameplay, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 succeeds. This excellent PlayStation 2 game, which is the definitive skateboarding simulation, now comes to the Xbox.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 lets you perform skateboarding tricks in various arenas that contain goals that unlock new levels. There are goals based on scores, and others based on collecting or breaking things, or accomplishing specific tasks. Competition modes, on the other hand, test how well you can perform in a minute to win and open up other levels.
As with the PlayStation 2 version, I was impressed with the imaginative areas that were roomy and filled with creative elements and obstacles. The Xbox version comes with an exclusive oil rig level that isn't in other versions of the game.
The game offers an excellent control and trick system that gives you lots of flexibility. The game is something that novices can enjoy playing (the tutorial is particularly helpful), and there's enough here to keep experienced gamers playing for days on end.
Many of the same Pro skaters from the prior games are back, which include Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Kareen Campbell, Bucky Lasek, and more. The game gives you options to customize skaters by applying skin tones, hair, clothing, helmets, and more. As you play, you can also unlock hidden skaters who have their own wild tricks, and there's a skater that's unique to the Xbox version.
The graphics in this Xbox version of Tony Hawk are the best yet on any platform. Most notably, the detailed athletes move in more realistic ways as they perform tricks. And those falls, with the streaking blood that stays in place, are downright painful. Top all this with an excellent soundtrack that serves edgy music and realistic sound effects, and the game is a true winner.
Without a doubt, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 is the best skateboarding simulation to date that is now available for the Xbox. Those who have never played a Tony Hawk game, as well as those who have logged hours and hours on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, will find lots to like here.
