Activision Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2

Description: The original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was so close to perfection that the idea of dramatic improvements in the sequel seemed pretty far-fetched, but Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 offers so much more that it almost puts its predecessor to shame. The graphics.... Read More

Description: The original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was so close to perfection that the idea of dramatic improvements in the sequel seemed pretty far-fetched, but Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 offers so much more that it almost puts its predecessor to shame. The graphics are vastly improved, there are tons of new tricks to pull off, and the game has more secrets than the CIA. Even if you played the original to death, there's enough new stuff here to keep you occupied for months to come. Pro Skater 2 is all about customization. You can still play as one of the real-world skaters represented in the game, such as Steve Caballero, Elissa Steamer, and Mr. Hawk himself, but the real fun comes from creating your own skater and rising up through the ranks. As you conquer the massive skate parks included in this release, you rack up cash to be spent on pumping up your stats or adding new tricks to your repertoire. You can specialize in verts, concentrate on your street skills, or take a more balanced approach, and the addition of manuals will let you string together tricks from either category to rack up some amazing scores. The custom options extend to a complete skate-park editor that is easy enough to use that we were creating basic arenas in less than 15 minutes. It's a thoughtful addition to one of the most purely entertaining games ever released. --T. Byrl Baker Pros: Create-a-Skater option lets you decide on everything from the tricks you use to the shoes you wear Easy-to-use park editor allows for complex creations Beautiful graphics and smooth animation make this one of the best-looking sports games on any platform Cons: Getting the hang of manuals takes some time, but once you do, watch out Minimize