ESPN X-Games Skateboarding: Can Konami grab X-Games the gold from the Hawkman?

Author's Rating:

Pros: Great presentation; good soundtrack; official X-Games license; imaginative stage locations

Cons: Game control not as tight as Tony Hawk; some graphics glitches; weak X-Games mode

The Bottom Line: 
ESPN X-Games Skateboarding is better than you might think, but it's not exactly a Hawk killer.

Author's Review
Since Tony Hawk's Pro Skater first appeared for the PlayStation back in 1999, skateboarding video game popularity has risen higher than the walls of the highest half-pipe imaginable. ESPN has had a little something to do with the rise in skateboarding's popularity as we know it, via the X-Games, a yearly extreme games competition that includes some of the best skateboarders around, including the Hawkman himself. Tony Hawk first landed his famous 900 trick during an X-Games competition last year. So, Konami is trying to take some of the best that the Tony Hawk games have to offer and put it into a slick X-Games presentation style, much like ESPN telecasts. How does ESPN X-Games Skateboarding fare against Tony Hawk? Let's drop into the review vert ramp and take a look.

Graphically, Konami does some good things... and some bad things. While the graphics are generally clean and look very sharp, there is some noticeable draw-in from time to time, and the frame rate can unexpectedly stutter at the worst possible times. Literally, the game can go from a silky-smooth 60fps frame rate and drop to a 20-30fps rate... for no apparent reason. The skaters on-screen look like their real-life counterparts, including Tony Hawk defector (and master of the Burntwist) Bob Burnquist, and minor details like cleanly showing deck designs while in air and showing clothes flapping in the breeze are nice touches. The locations in which the stages take place in the game's Arcade mode are also pretty imaginative, including a museum, ancient ruins, and even a replica of the RMS Titanic (for all you James Cameron fans). The half-pipe and the skate park for the game's X-Games Vert and Park competitions are fair replicas of actual competition venues. Overall, the graphics are quite good and, aside from the nagging frame rate problems, enhance the gaming experience.

One thing that many "extreme" games have in common is a great soundtrack, and ESPN X-Games Skateboarding is no exception. From well-known groups like Linkin Park and Sum 41 to lesser known acts like American Hi-Fi and Voodoo Glow Skulls, this soundtrack rocks from start to finish and really adds to the game's overall atmosphere. Some gamers may complain about the overuse of Sum 41's "Fat Lip" (which has received more than its fair share of airplay in gaming soundtracks lately), the song still fits the action here. There's also a decent remake of Tommy Tutone's "Jenny (867-5309)" that shouldn't be missed. As for the game's sound effects, they are adequate, although not as crisp and clear as in the Tony Hawk games. The announcer for the X-Games competitions is adequately close to the real thing, but aside from throwing out trick names, doesn't add a great deal to the game.

So... how does ESPN X-Games Skateboarding play, you ask? Well, while the similarities to Neversoft's famous Tony Hawk game engine are apparent (such as scoring and basic button layout), there are a few major differences that will take some getting used to. For example, pushing your directional pad left or right will not rotate your skater while in mid-air for spin tricks (like 360s, 540s, and the like); rotations are now controlled via the L2 and R2 buttons. The rotations are also controlled, meaning that players have to know when to let off the rotation button in order to allow skaters to complete the spin and land a trick correctly. There are also four distinct trick buttons for grinds, grabs, flip tricks, and air tricks-- that's one extra button than Tony Hawk vets are accustomed to. It takes a bit of practice, but with time, the controls will become easier and more second-nature. It can be frustrating at times to ollie in the right spot in grind a certain object, and using the directional pad to gain speed rather than holding down the ollie button can also hinder things for the first few play sessions. There is also a familiar special trick meter, but the difference here is that the meter has three tiers. As each tier fills, a "special move" (which varies from skater to skater) can be performed once for extra points. If you completely fill the meter, an extra-special (and extra high-scoring) move can be performed. Once the play control nuances are mastered, however, things will feel familiar. Each stage has plenty of ramps, pools, gaps, and grindable objects just waiting to be tested. Combos are ever present, and will be necessary to learn in order to advance through the game's Arcade mode.

There are two general game modes, which I have already eluded to in this review: Arcade mode and X-Games mode. Arcade mode is very similar to what you've seen in the Tony Hawk titles: complete the level objectives to unlock bigger and better things, like new levels and hidden decks for your skaters. While some of the objectives are fairly straightforward (like high scores), others will require some searching or experimenting (like 10-trick combos and finding certain checkpoints). The only rewards in Arcade mode are new decks and a tougher Arcade mode if you complete ALL of the objectives in each stage. As for X-Games mode, it's just like you see on X-Games broadcasts on ESPN. In each competition, you get three timed runs to earn a score based on run difficulty, technical merits, and... few bails. The highest score of the three runs is the keeper-- and can earn you a medal if it's high enough. I personally haven't scored over 80 yet, even with flawless runs. Now, this could be tough judging, but it also pushes me to do better each time, even after winning X-Games gold. The problem with the X-Games mode is that it's pretty shallow; while it does a good job of emulating the X-Games competition experience, you get little out of it... even for winning. If there were more hidden goodies to find in this mode, it would add much-needed replay value to these events. While I personally like the X-Games mode (I'm a huge vert junkie), there's just not a lot there for most gamers.

The bottom line here is this: ESPN X-Games Skateboarding is an above-average effort, but it doesn't challenge Tony Hawk for the skateboarding title. For me, there was a lot to like here, but for many gamers who have been accustomed to the Tony Hawk games over the last couple of years, there might not be as much. I would highly recommend at least a rental, in order to see the cool Arcade mode stages and to at least experience the X-Games competitions. If you have an open mind, you might like what you see, hear, and play... and it might just be enough to hold you over until Tony Hawk 3 drops in.