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Preview  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
- By Rob Schlicht


Tony Hawk. The name commands respect, not only in the world of skateboarding, but in videogames, as well. Since it’s inception, it’s been synonymous with great graphics, incredible control, and some of the best gameplay out there.When it moved to the GBC, a bit was lost in the translation, but Activison is bouncing back, with probably the single most impressive GBA game yet. Anybody who was disappointed by the Japanese launch should be quieted down nicely after the US one.

Due to system limitations, the game is no longer seen from behind your skater, but rather from overhead, in a ¾ view, which actually works very well. The parks themselves are prerendered, and looking great, while the riders are made of a few hundred polygons each. Although that may bring images of Stunt Trax FX to your head, dismiss them immediately. Due to another limitation of the system (the screen, to be exact), the riders look fantastic, with detailed animation, and rich colors. Most of what you found in the previous versions remains in this one, although a few things obviously had to go. There aren’t as many parks as in the original, and the licensed audio has long since been eliminated. Also, those of you looking to hook up two GBA’s may be a bit disappointed, as there is no link cable options. However, the game still has it’s single most important element, great gameplay. It’s scheduled to launch in the US on June 11th, and should be one of the top games in the US, technically and commercially.

- 5.1.2001