Go Fanboy - Everyone Has A Favorite

Activision is rarely a company to make mistakes in the video game industry, since they've been around for so long. I mean, these guys produced the Pitfall games back on the Atari 2600, for crying out loud.

But, indeed, a mistake they did make when they opted to let Crave bring their acclaimed skateboarding title Tony Hawk's Pro Skater to the Sega Dreamcast. The game conversion ended up being one of the tightest around, courtesy of the folks at Treyarch, and Pro Skater became one of the best-selling titles for the system. At least Activision would have a chance to make up for their missed opportunity with the sequel, though, right? And, man, have they ever made up with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2...

I reviewed this game back on the Sony Playstation and gave it an absolutely perfect score. Why? Because, somehow, the programming team over at Neversoft have made an even more triumphant effort than the original, with more tricks, more options, and more fun than ever before. It IS possible to top the original Pro Skater, believe it or not. Now the game has surfaced on the Sega Dreamcast, courtesy of Treyarch once again. So, is it as perfect as the Playstation port?

Yes, and even more so. Here's the breakdown...

Visuals:: Perhaps I was too kind to the Playstation version...heh. While it still doesn't run at a 60-frames per second style speed like Top Skater (it could happen with Pro Skater 3, perhaps?), Pro Skater 2 still looks fantastic in every aspect. The game speed, which runs steady at 30 frames per second, is still great, particularly in the game's improved two-player mode. Wow...shredding against a friend hasn't looked this good since the first Pro Skater.

There's also more detail all around, from the cracks in the pavement in Venice to the school bells in the school level to the facial details on Hawk and company. Nicely done. The environments look better than ever before and the lighting effects blended in with them make the game that much more stunning to look at. Throw in some schnazzy video clips, nice replays (nicer than the original!), a steady camera angle (no confusion here), and well-constructed intro menus and you have a well-rounded visual package that should truly be a skateboarder's euphoria. Truly a Tokyo leap over the first game, but still with enough Pro Skater-ish taste to keep the fans happy.

Audio:: The first game featured a good alternative soundtrack and sound effects, but really didn't give you too much control over it, you know? You had to practically keep going in and out of the game to get your favorite song to come on. Not here. Activision wisely incorporated a selection mode where you could pick your favorite song to go to.

And what a great soundtrack we have, too. Tunes from Public Enemy (featuring Anthrax), Rage Against the Machine, and Powerman 5000 will truly make your day with this game, and you can go right to your favorites with ease. The sound effects remain on the money, with different pavement sounds for each surface you're skating on, excellent effects for particular tricks (the sound of particular rail slides simply rock), and the occasional groan and cute little "splat" sound from a poorly executed landing. A nice step up from the original here as well, if merely just to hear Rage Against the Machine scream, "TURN THAT **** UP!" in the middle of a 900.

Gameplay/Control:: That's what made the original so damn catchy, the concept of original gameplay that really gave you control of your skateboarder instead of drifting off into snoresville (like THQ's recent release, MTV Skateboarding, did). The sequel incorporates the same style of gameplay very nicely, plus adds a very helpful gameplay factor to make it come even more together.

The control of your skaters is dead-on, from the spins to the grabs to the rail slides, and balance comes into play for each individual skater like a snap. The gameplay is as fun as always, as you can create combos with enough practice and soon be racking up scores into the high 200,000's and beyond. But let's not forget that important factor- the manual. With the manual, you can link combos together and practice your balance skills to make yourself an even better skater. It's a simple tap of up-down (for a rear-wheel manual) or down-up (for a nosebone manual) to get rollin'.

I know some of you may not see the big thrill behind the manual, but, trust me, you'll be using it more and more and your game will become better for it. Neversoft is to be commended for keepin' it real while keepin' it as fun as it's always been, if not moreso.

Extras:: And now, for the coup de gras. Just like the original, there's a lot to keep you busy here. Each of the game's eight levels features enough "missions" to earn cash for, and that's where you unlock more goodies, like new levels, outfits, and secrets.

There's also hidden characters galore, like Spiderman and the return of the infamous Officer Dick, who's even more ferocious than ever before. (Yes, you heard that correctly- he's got a few mean tricks up his sleeve.) If that's not enough, the "moon" level, which is unlockable after a few successful runs, is out of sight, with unbelievable trick opportunities and limited gravity. Wow! And I'm not even done yet. The two-player mode has lots of potential, as you and your friends can get addicted quite easily to wracking up the high scores.

Then we have the main thing that gives Pro Skater 2 unlimited replayability- creation. Yes, you can create your own skaters and skate parks from scratch, then save them to your VMU and take 'em to a friend's house to show off. And you can free skate all you want in the Free Skate mode to perfect your art. So, yes, if you see the Drunkard and Platedropper flipping 540's with ease, you aren't dreaming. That's creativity in motion.

Overall:: Another 10 rating for a game? That's like the second one this week! But this is easily well deserved, just as Jet Grind Radio was. With the right amount of originality, fun, challenge, and atmosphere, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 tops the original a hundred fold and is yet another essential title for your growing Dreamcast collection. If the game's well-hidden secret characters and levels don't keep you up at night, the Create-Your-Own items will. And to think, Pro Skater 3 is coming sometime next year...imagine how much better this kind of experience can get. Holy crap!