Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Reviewed by Tim Palumbo
If you own the PSX version as I do, your probably wondering why on
Earth you'd want to get the GBA version when there is no way it could
possibly live up to the PSX version. You're wrong. Although in some
aspects it doesn't meet up to the PSX version, in others it surpasses
it. A good reason to get this game would be the differences. Look at
them, and don't say 'It's all the same'. It isn't. It has a new level, new
gaps, a new character, and major differences in some levels. It
overall is actually tougher do to the view. Think of the game as a
new challenge, not a repeat of the same game. Although in modes it
lacks a bit, in fun it is great. Try some cheats in Free Skate and you
can have lots of fun. Also, it's portable and has some good music.
Here are the DETAILS!
Graphics- 10
Although graphics don't matter to a real gamer, this game has them.
It pushed the limits of the GBA's hardware and gives you the feel of
skating like the PSX version did.
Sound- 10
The sound quality for this game is great. You'll hear some of the
familiar tunes of the previous versions and some new ones as well.
You'll enjoy skating to these tunes.
Challenge- Depends
The challenge of this game differs depending on how well you can
adapt to the new controls and if you've played the previous versions.
I have played both previous versions so placements of certain key
objects of the game were easy to find. However, the new line gaps
were a challenge to all of us experienced players. In order to get
the secret character we needed to be able to get these lines, and
that required skill and the ability to be able to find them.
Replay- 7
This game has some nice features. You'll love playing in the various
modes provided by the cheats. They are so much fun, such as a combo
of moon physics and slow-nic. It's fun going super high at super slow
speeds. Try it. Overall, however, the game lacks in replay. It doesn't
have the multi-player feature at all or the create options like the
PSX version did.
Control- 8
For such a small system, the controls are quite easy to get used to.
The R and L buttons were nice add-ons, and help a lot in this game.
But sometimes you'll mess up with those buttons and press L when
doing a grind and then bail. They're just as easy as the PSX controls
in all respects.
Gameplay- 10
You get a lot for a little when it comes to this game. Having 13 skaters
and 7 levels, you'll be using a lot of batteries to finish this game. Also,
with multiple gaps to find, you'll be stuck. To get the two secret skaters
you'll have to find them all, including the ones in the secret level. You'll
spend as much time on this one as you did in the PSX version.
Overall- 10
You'll spend lots of time on this game. It takes some getting used to, but
you'll eventually love it. You'll enjoy the nice tunes, and love the sweet
graphics. Enjoy this great game!