Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS2)

• Platform:   PlayStation2
• ELSPA Minimum Age: 11
• Media: Video Game

In Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, players were introduced to the manual--a move that greatly revolutionisd the series' gameplay. This instalment introduces the revert, and while it isn't as significant an addition as the manual, it does add another layer to the already deep trick system. The game features solid graphics but a level of detail was sacrificed in order to make the game's levels so large. There are a few moments of frame skipping and polygon clipping, but these instances are rare and don't overshadow the stellar gameplay.

Career mode is as deep as ever, with eight objective-filled levels. In this single-player mode players traverse their way through some" find hidden videotapes and interact with level-specific objects. Two players can participate in the five multiplayer mini-games, which include "king of the hill", "horse" and "trick attack". In a PS2 first, up to four players can join Internet or LAN games through the use of the PS2 Network Adapter (to be released in the UK after the game) or a USB Ethernet adapter or USB modem; the connection is made through your own Internet service provider ("a wide range" of ISPs are supported, though at time of writing AOL isn't one of them) so calls are charged at your usual rate.

On its own, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 is a top-shelf title, but with its Internet capabilities there's no reason for fans of sports, action and platform games not to have this title. This game will satisfy them all. --Raymond M Padilla

Product Description
Tony Hawk brings you into his world yet again in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, with all-new features that'll have you shredding even more cement. Skate all new global locations--Paris, Tokyo, L.A., and Canada. Test your skills in 10 massive real-world levels. Perform hundreds of the raddest tricks and combos in obstacle-filled locations with cars that honk at skaters or slam on their brakes as you board past them.

Again, you can ride using the signature moves of Tony Hawk or any of the 11 pro skaters included in this release (it also includes Bam Margera of MTV fame). Or you can use the enhanced create-a-skater editor to choose female or kid skaters and select a varying range of features, such as hair, glasses, and tattoos, to customise their look. A variety of modes let you stick lip tricks, combos, nollies, and manuals, as well as shred like there's no tomorrow.

All-new goals and rewards promise to challenge you even more than in earlier games. The upgraded career mode, for instance, gives players more character-specific goals. Special effects include sparks, blood, real-time weather, and natural disasters. And for the ultimate, expanded multiplayer modes and a skate park editor deliver increased replayability.

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• PC & Video Games > Games