Review: Hey look, Tony Hawk’s on a bike! Hey, wait a minute, that isn’t Tony.
Before I start defining every single detail about this game, let me get something straight with everyone: If you’ve played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 or 2 – and to be honest, who hasn’t? – then you’ve basically played Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX. It’s even advertised on the game’s cover art for God sakes, “Featuring the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Game Engine”. The scary part is that it still works. This game shows just how solid that gameplay engine really is. Whether it be on a skateboard or bicycle, this game is tons of fun. Oh yeah, prepare yourself for many Tony Hawk comparisons.
If you’re a gamer then you’ve come around to playing Tony Hawk. Whether your friend has it, you bought it yourself, or even got it as a gift. Then again, there’s always some weirdos out there who have never played the most popular franchise from the past few years. Well, these next two paragraphs are just for you freaks, it’s about the gameplay. It’s simple really, grab your favorite biker, of which Mat Hoffman has 8 real life professionals, and go at it in a full on trick-fest. Each park is full of ramps, half-pipes, rails, and anything else you can use to get your trick on with. The great controls have always made this game a joy to play. And guess what? It’s laid out just like Tony Hawk’s. The Hell you say?
Yes, the Hell I say. You have your jump button, grind button, and two trick buttons. Pressing in any direction while grinding or doing a mid-air trick will do a unique move, leaving for hundreds of different moves and combinations. And just like in Tony Hawk 2, you can pull off the manual maneuver that will help in linking multiple combos. If anything, this engine has always been pretty deep, not to mention extremely fun and addicting. Of course, since this is on a bicycle and not a skateboard, the moves are going to be totally different. All of your favorite tricks are here bike fans, “Supermans”, “Flares”, “Tailwhips”, and a slew of Mat Hoffman created fantasy ones. Don’t forget about your individual signature moves as well.
Not only is the gameplay a mirror image of Tony Hawk’s, but almost everything else is too. The menu system is basically the same, there is the option to do a free skate or career mode, there’s the same exact 2-player modes, and you can built your own “dream course” with the park editor. Hmm… you sure this isn’t Tony Hawk?
When I went into this game, I knew what to expect on the visual side of things. Basically, just a smoother, more polished version of the Playstation game. And I was right. While it doesn’t in any means take advantage of the Dreamcast’s abilities, it doesn’t disappoint either. I was however a little upset with the sound. Now the main draw in for the Tony Hawk games have always been the killer soundtracks to jam to while you skate. The likes of Primus, Rage Against the Machine, and Papa Roach have all graced the games. Unfortunately, Activision seem to have dropped the ball with this game. There isn’t a single song here that I care for. Where’s the inspiration people?
