Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

With Nokia's N-Gage now in stores, we're assured that no, there definitely is no escape.  Just open your hands, grab the game off the shelf and embrace the invasion.  You know you want to.

We've all played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater to death, so another version may not sound too exciting at first.  But there's a big reason to get excited: this is the first time that you will ever play it in full 3D on a mobile game system.  No semi-3D camera angles.  No pseudo-3D effects.  Just pure, full-3D action!  The same 3D action that engaged you on the PSone, and has now N-Gaged me on the N-Gage.

The 10 courses are awesome.  It was so cool seeing the Warehouse on the N-Gage, followed by the School and Mall courses.  As any Tony Hawk fan knows, each course is unique.  Nine of the ten courses are huge (the exception being the Warehouse, which is a great course, but is the smallest of the bunch).  They're packed with hidden secrets that gamers loved to discover on the PSone, and will be overjoyed at the chance to do it all over again on the N-Gage.  The first hidden tape is pretty easy to find, but the second one will definitely take some exploration.  And since this game is time limited (just as the first Tony Hawk was), it'll take even more skill to complete each goal.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater has excellent controls.  At this point I'd have to say that this game controls better than any other title available for the system.  N-Gage has an excellent, highly-responsive D-pad that makes performing all of those tough combos a little easier than you'd expect.  The default button layout is akin to that of the PSone, with the jump button placed right underneath the button used to execute grinds.  Tony Hawk can turn on a dime, and once you get used to the keypad, the game will feel just like it did on the PSone.

Not only does this game play nearly as good as the original, its graphics are remarkably close to matching the PSone.  The backgrounds are covered in polygonal detail never before seen on the small screen.  The frame rate is almost always consistent, and the camera effects are really amazing.  The camera follows Tony Hawk wherever he goes without failure.  It's technological milestones like these that make N-Gage a great system.  It opens the door for so much more than what we currently have for mobile gaming.

N-Gage's primary game-related phone feature is the N-Gage Arena.  The N-Gage Arena is an Internet portal with additional game content.  The additional content comes in several different forms, including strategy guides and shadow racing.  The strategy guide feature is very cool.  You can watch video clips that show you exactly where each hidden tape is.  Some of the videos reveal impressive combos, while others point you in the direction of each S-K-A-T-E letter.

If you don't know what shadow racing is, don't feel bad.  The words "Shadow Race" have been tossed around the Internet more times than anyone cares to remember, but rarely did anyone bother to explain what it is.  Shadow racing is online play without simultaneous competition.  You can perform tricks to increase your speed, but the goal is to get from check point to check point and ultimately the finish line before your "shadow" opponent.  In reality, the shadow is a real person, except that he/she is not racing you in real-time.  You're only racing your opponent's fastest time.  Whatever you see your opponent do is what he/she did originally to get the score that has been acquired.

When logged into the N-Gage Arena, you'll see a list of players who are also logged in and are currently playing the shadow race mode.  Beginning players are given 100 points to start.  You'll win 10 points for beating a beginner.  However, if you decide to take on a more experienced player, you could win 20 points, 40 points, and beyond.  It all depends on how many points the top players have, and how fast their fastest times are.  Should you lose a race, you'll lose 10 points.  That's not a big drop, but if you take on too many players with better skills than you, your high score won't stay very high for long.

It would have been really cool to have simultaneous multiplay, but the N-Gage Arena is still very cool.  Shadow racing gives you another excuse to show off your great Tony Hawk skills to complete strangers.  If you really want to show off, you can use the keypad to type in a taunt message to all your losing opponents.  Of course, should you lose to them, they can return the favor.

When you pick up an N-Gage this Christmas, don't make the mistake of missing its best title.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is the port that everyone has been waiting for.  You may be intimidated by the N-Gage's enormous price point.  But when you see all of the features it offers, and when you see just how incredible Tony Hawk is, you'll begin to understand why it costs so much.  The N-Gage Arena is a great addition.  It's safe to say that everyone who has an N-Gage will be going online with it, so there's no reason why you shouldn't check out the Arena.  Shadow races last for no more than nine minutes, making it a great way to kill time while waiting in line at the airport, the bus stop, or even a supermarket.  Beware of those grocery shoppers though – once they see you with an N-Gage, they might not let you leave!

Gameplay: 9
Needy gamers don't you squawk, just sit down and play Tony Hawk!  The gameplay is the best in extreme skateboarding, with Tony Hawk's trademark tricks and combos ready to be performed by eager gamers.

The 3D gameplay is very smooth.  You'll be a little stunned at first, amazed by what has been done, impressed by the execution.  The courses are exact replicas of the PSone's courses; nothing has been changed or reduced to fit the needs of the N-Gage.

The N-Gage Arena is very sneaky.  You say to yourself, "I'll just play a game or two, then I'll get back to business."  Before you know it, your business is the game, your productivity drops, and addiction sets in.  It's only a score, but I can't stand to see it drop.  I can't stand to lose a competition, so I end up going back to the game just to further increase my score!  It makes me thankful I don't take a bus to work, because if I did, I'd miss my stop every time.  The game is just too engrossing.

Graphics: 9
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater sets a new standard in mobile gaming.  The graphics are unlike any you've seen in a mobile game before: they're crisp, clear, and in full 3D.  Even the pro skaters have realistic details, not to mention their superb animation.  N-Gage has changed mobile gaming forever.  It's going to be hard to go back to the second dimension after playing this.

Sound: 7
Not Tony Hawk's best.  The series has had a mixture of music over the years from both popular and no-name artists.  The artists in this version are above the no-name status, but they're not something you'd see on MTV, and it's even less likely that they're in your music collection.  Luckily, the N-Gage lets you listen to music (MP3 or radio) while playing, so you can drown out that in-game sound and play your own tunes.

Difficulty: Medium
Maybe it's because I've played every Tony Hawk game (along with every other top-tier extreme sports game), or maybe it's because they've cut down on the challenge.  Either way, this game feels easier than it did on the PSone.  Not a lot easier, just easier enough to beat it a little faster, and with a little less stress.

Concept: 8
You wouldn't go into a deli and say, "I want the exact same sandwich I ate five years ago, only this time make it small enough to fit in my pocket."  However, gamers have done this with games.  Everyone wants their favorite games to be mobile.  That's why Activison's first N-Gage release is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.  It's the same sandwich, only smaller.

Multiplayer: 8.5
With bluetooth, you and a friend can engage in some serious multiplayer gaming (assuming both of you have an N-Gage and a copy of the game).  Without more than one unit available, you can always compete in online shadow races.  It's not the most innovative thing, but it sure is addictive.

Overall: 9
A classic then, a classic now, a classic forever.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is the game that started it all.  The genre has changed a little since then, but you can't deny the urge to go back and play through the original again.  Now you can play the game wherever you go.

For the most part this game is a carbon copy of the PSone version.  The graphics are virtually the same, with maybe a little more fade-in (the background is black until you move towards it).  But it's a minor flaw – most players won't even notice a difference.  The only reason I did is because I analyze a game until it can't be analyzed anymore.  If I'm still having fun when the analysis has been concluded, I know I've got a good game in my system.  Such is the case with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.