Tony Hawk Underground

Tony Hawk Underground (THUG) departs from the usual Tony Hawk Pro Skater series quite a bit. It still has the huge tricks, the combos, similar controls and feel, but it plays more like an role playin game than the older Pro Skater games. The game pulls players into the world of becoming a pro skater. You start the game as an amateur skater with no sponsors, and as the game progresses you add sponsors, learn new tricks, and meet famous pro skaters. It's a fun and creative game.

The create a skater section is fun, with a lot of possibilities, and you can even create and name your own tricks! The character building in THUG is more than a lot of fun – it's most of the game. For those players who liked the old Pro Skater games where you can pick up a controller, pick your favorite pro, and play – you might want to stick with Tony Haw 4 for now.

This also reveals another one of THUG’s weaknesses – there isn’t much replay value. You might, just for fun, play through a second time after beating it the first, but probably not. Not much changes. You might get different sponsors, but the game play and story stay the same.

Another frustration with THUG is that the multiplayer only supports two players. We have Play Station to thank for this. Sure, you can play with more people over a system link, but of course you have to have extra TVs, extra copies of the game, and your friends sit across the room from you. The fact that Activision makes all the Tony Hawk games first for the PS is infuriating – if you want to play with your friends, 4 players, on ONE television, you can’t do it with THUG. You can’t do it with Tony hawk 4. Or 3. Nope, you have to go all the way back to Tony Hawk 2! It’s ridiculous.

But, besides those problems, THUG is a remarkable game. It adds aspects such as being able to get off your board and walk. Crazy idea. And it balances out combo points even more. The game is smooth, fun, and has great graphics and music. Try it out.