GENRE
	Extreme-Sports
	DEVELOPER
	Neversoft
	PUBLISHER
	Activision
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-2
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
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For the aged veterans of the series, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (THPS) 4 offers a plethora of new features including a vastly improved, open-ended career mode, and 190 new objectives ranging from mundane to controller-tossingly difficult. Even with these harder objectives, though, THPS4 doesn’t leave newcomers on their own, easing them into the action by making them learn the tricks as they progress through the game.

With all that is good with this game, does it warrant a purchase for those who own previous iterations? The answer is an overwhelming YES!

visuals

THPS4 graphics do their job: to provide a realistic environment in which the gameplay can shine. Subtle particle effects are sprinkled throughout the game, giving it a nice polished touch. THPS 4 also features tremendous draw distance. All scenery, no fog or pop-up!

audio

THPS 4 soundtrack contains a wealth of skating music and has even spawned its own separate CD. The tracks range from NWA's old-school rap to the Sex Pistols' British punk rock. This music fits the games mood perfectly. Unfortunately, due to the compression used to fit it all in on the GameCube mini-DVD, some of the higher pitch sounds seem like they were sampled at a lower rate. A minor gripe, though, and only noticeable after playing the PS2 version. The bail cries, screams, and yelps are dead-on and will having you covering your own nuts in sympathy.

gameplay

In the gaming world, the THPS series is best known for its outstanding gameplay. Once again, this game packs in all the kick flips, grabs, and grinds you can handle. The control scheme of this game feels very natural and the learning curve is surprisingly short. With a little bit of time invested in the game, you'll be racking up million-point combos.

The BIG change in this iteration is the level structure and how one goes about completing goals. The player is completely free to skate through the entire level as they wish. Challenges are aquired by stopping at certain people who are indicated with arrows. This system gives the game a much better flow than previous versions of the game where after 2 minutes of play you had to start at the beginning of the level. The levels in this game are much larger in general than those in the past, with 19 goals spread throughout each. Neversoft includes a menu that shows goal locations, and can automatically take you to a goal, instead of having you wander the level aimlessly.

Another big change is that you no longer have to complete the game multiple times for each individual skater. In previous Tony Hawk games it was a tedious task to go through the entire game over again. In THSP 4 you can use any character you want and any stat points or goals you earn are available for all characters. While you only have to complete each goal once, each Pro Skater has their own unique Pro-goal that is modeled after some real life accomplishment by that particular skater.

As you progress through the game you earn cash by completing goals or finding cash icons. This cash is used to buy and unlock levels, characters, cheats, and a number of other extras, of which there are plenty. The Create-A-Skater option lets you customize a character to your liking, and the Create-A-Park mode lets you build the skate-park of your dreams.

multiplayer

Even though the GameCube version of the game is lacking the online option of it's PS2 counterpart, or the system-linking abilities of the XBox, the multiplayer still offers an enjoyable experience with a wide variety of modes. These modes range from the standard Trick Attack (get the highest score), to Combo Mambo, in which the player who busts the biggest combo wins. My personal favorite multiplayer mode is "H-O-R-S-E," in which each player take turns trying to better the the previous player's score. The letters you receive can be changed from the default "HORSE" to any combination of 15 letters you can think of, thus leading to a friendly match of "PooEater."

overall

While for the most part the tried and true Tony Hawk gameplay is still intact, this latest release in the series gives it a breathe of freshness. Both the casual and hardcore gamer will enjoy its fun and addictive nature. While the Spine Transfer and Skitch move may not change the gameplay drastically, they offer welcome additions to any players Combo routines. Tony Hawk is a game that defined a whole genre, and anyone who plays this game can easily understand why.

9.3/10