As I stood there watching Tony Hawk launch his all-new skateboarding game in New York City yesterday I began to see why the team created this completely new experience for fans. Tony Hawk is no longer the twenty-something X-Games champion that he once was, he has aged and is married with a precious little daughter; his times of ruling the skateboarding world are slipping away (he still has skills). That’s why the development team created Tony Hawk: RIDE, an all-new take on the multi-million dollar, 10 year running video game franchise. RIDE takes everything you are familiar with in a skateboarding game and throws it out the window, creating something revolutionary that will change the way fans play this genre of games going forward. If you are just watching a commercial for Tony Hawk: RIDE, or checking out the latest screenshots, you may not even see what the big deal is; the fun comes from a well-made accessory included with every copy of the game. That medium-sized plastic skateboard is your ticket to an insane amount of fun, and a direct line to a casual market of gamers for the Tony Hawk series. This review is not for the hardcore gamer, it’s for kids and the casual gamer the looking for something new and enjoyable; Tony Hawk: RIDE brings a whole lot of fun to the rehashed video game market.
Everything up to this point that I have seen about RIDE has done little to cure my skepticism, a skateboard accessory just doesn’t sound like something that could work and for the past couple years EA’s SKATE has ruled the industry. I have to assume that this little board will do for skateboarding games what the guitar did for music games some time ago. Once I got to put my hands on the final skateboard accessory I could instantly see how much time and effort was put into the design, it feels solid – like it wouldn’t be easy to break. There are a number of sensors on both sides and ends of the skateboard, offering a unique way to virtually play the game. It basically gives full 360-degree motion to the player. Because the game is aimed at both the casual and hardcore (leaning more towards casual) the basic tricks are fairly easy to pull-off, but you can get serious with RIDE as well (360 Christ-air is one of my personal favorites). Lean down and place a hand over the front/back sensor and your on-screen avatar will do the same thing (grab), scoring you extra points or combo multipliers. Manuals and other well-known tricks are also easy to pull-off, and thankfully the game ramps up its difficulty over time, allowing for even the most novice skaters to become virtual-reality professionals.
To ollie (or nollie) just lean backwards or forwards on the skateboard – tilting it in one direction or the other; it takes a good bit of balance and practice to truly master but the game is addictive enough to warrant the time. A couple hours of playing and I had built up a decent sweat, burning off calories and earning achievement points at the same time is something us gamers are not used to. I got a chance to also watch a number of women (my wife included) and children spend some time with Tony Hawk: RIDE and I was blown away by how quickly they took to the gameplay, and the included skateboard accessory. My mouth actually dropped open a little bit when my wife pulled off a gnarly 360 flip trick, and then turned to me with a huge smile across her face. The game is only setup for one board at a time but does feature round-robin multiplayer for all the different modes. Speaking of modes is quite a bit of stuff to do in RIDE, including a progression-based campaign mode. Each of the locations feature trick mode, speed race, challenge mode, and more; sure to the gameplay sessions short but to productive (and addictive).
The online multiplayer in Tony Hawk: RIDE has a number of exclusive modes available only to the Xbox LIVE players, and each is more fun than the last; just make sure to practice at least the tutorial mode before heading online. The single-player gameplay, for the most part, revolves around you skating down a linear path; either pulling off tricks or trying to get from point A to point B in the shortest amount of time (of course doing tricks along the way). In the easier difficulty settings the game helps keep you on track, and is more forgiving when it comes to tricks or busting your ass. Even so it’s not perfect, there are some definite glitching and judging issues that show up; thankfully the game is not bug-ridden to the point where it ruins the experience. Tony Hawk: RIDE has some levels that are more “skate-park” like, where the option to free-roam and just pull off your own tricks at your leisure, personally I enjoyed the challenges the most but there is something here for everyone. The included skateboard is super-responsive, precise, and after a little bit of practice you will be spinning around, popping ollies, and just having a great time. Graphically the game doesn’t compete with some of the other skateboarding titles on the market right now, especially with what we know the Xbox 360 can produce in terms of visual power.
Tony Hawk: RIDE features a visual style that reminds me of some 80's music videos; not exactly edged drawings but not total realism either, it works for the game. The character models are great, and some guys who really know their way around a skateboard must have done the level design. Either way the visuals were not the main development focus of the game, for that all you need to do is spend some time standing on the skateboard. Even though they may not be top-notch graphics, they get the job done, as does the mainstream, alternative-inspired soundtrack. Tony Hawk: RIDE is not one of those typical games that would get my blood flowing, however this time I found myself popping my feet hours after I stopped playing. It’s one of those games that is great to have in your collection, if only for weekend get-togethers and alcohol-induced new-years eve parties. The game is by no means perfect, but what it does it does right, and it paves the way for a great addition to the Tony Hawk franchise – a skateboard controller. Tony Hawk: RIDE is a great gift for kids this holiday shopping season, it also works for the hardcore teenage gamer or casual fifty year old who wants to relive his heydays at the skate park. Don’t let the price tag scare you away ($119.99); this game comes in well worth the cost of virtual admission; blending video games and extreme sports into something socially fun.
Editor's Note: I am not recommending this game to everyone, Tony Hawk: RIDE was created for those gamers looking for something different, and casual. The game is played at it's best only on the casual setting, which for children or other casual gamers is the perfect setting anyways. I have personally watched large numbers of kids have a blast with RIDE - thus why I reviewed it in the way I did. This game will not appeal to those players looking for a "critically" perfect game, however if you want to have some fun over the holidays go by your local game store and pick it up.
