New skate terrains you’ll get include the Skate Hanger in Montana, a new Schoolyard to rip up, a fun sk8park in France, a street/vert area in Philly town, an insane ramp setup in a bullring in Mexico (watch out for the bull, you’ll hear him before you see him), the Big Apple NY, Venice Beach, and a street course in Ventura, CA. Also, there are a couple of secret skate arenas to find if you can, the Big Bombdrop ramp to water gap, and the other was a cool park/street area called Skate Heaven, but I call Sk8Hell. Try out the New Park Editor level to design your own style of terrain, build a park, a bowl/pool setup, or a bitchin’ street course. Be sure and have a big Memory Card so you can save all those great sessions and awesome skatespots you’ve built. If not, then it’s a long way back to the Pro Vert Finals.
Just as in TH1, you’ll have to make your way through the Career Mode collecting cash, gold medals and trying to find all the Gaps there are in each level (there are a lot of them). There are plenty of boards to buy in the Skateshop, and the skaters all have different clothes/shoes/etc.
Try and make a superskater in the Create a Skater level — you can make them thin or fat, give them a tan, dress them funny or not, give them your hometown, make them street/vert or all around friendly, make them old or young or in the middle (sorry no crutches), give them a funky hairdo — then pick out a skate and go rage. Be sure and have lots of cash on hand so you can buy some new hot tricks that will get you more points and wins, just go to the trick selection area and make your pick, there is a huge selection, but be warned, they are spendy.
In multiplayer, the games the same with Graffiti–a form of tag on obstacles, Trick Attack–to see who can put together the sickest runs, HORSE–where you do a trick or combo move and your opponent has to match it or he/she gets a letter, spell HORSE and your out, and Tag–where you’ll be in a timed run trying not to be IT. It’s still only a two–player game — too bad they didn’t put in a Link Mode so you could play up to 4 skaters and have an insane slam session. There is also a Single Session level where you must set up a high score in 2 minutes to open up other levels and advance.
Graphics were better this time around with cleaner looking courses and facial expressions. The
soundtracks were a lot better with more insane tunes by bands such as Lagwagon, Bad Religion, Millencolin, Naughty by Nature, and the Swingin’ Utters, just to name a few. There was more variety in your audio choices for ragin’ runs at the local sk8spot. Don’t like the band, then load up some tunes on your MP3 player and listen to your own tracks.
Activision tightened up the game a little more in this sequel, so it was a bit more difficult trying out some of the harder tricks and combos. Even so, this was one of the best boarding game I’ve ever played. This game is much more addicting them TH1 ever was. Hope you have lots of free time or are a real nightowl. I’m glad Activision didn’t just slap together and publish another weak sequel like so many others have done — working with Tony I knew the next edition would be even better. I was right!
Rippin’ skaters, better game! Try and finish without cheating, OK? If not, call me and I’ll give you the Big Cheat!
"Into boarding, are you? Well, you should know you have now come to the right place — Mike Chantry indicates this new boarding sequel from Activision is tighter and better — in fact, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 has won FGN’s GRAND GAME AWARD!"
