Considering the success it has enjoyed on the sitting room-bound PS2, it’s only natural that the Tony Hawk franchise, published by Activision and developed by Neversoft, should make an appearance on the PSP launch roster.

The series has evolved at every iteration. While earlier games perfected the trick system and environments, the time came when further refinement was nearly impossible. A new direction was found, and the first Tony Hawk game bearing the ‘Underground’ subtitle challenged ... more >>

Considering the success it has enjoyed on the sitting room-bound PS2, it’s only natural that the Tony Hawk franchise, published by Activision and developed by Neversoft, should make an appearance on the PSP launch roster.

The series has evolved at every iteration. While earlier games perfected the trick system and environments, the time came when further refinement was nearly impossible. A new direction was found, and the first Tony Hawk game bearing the ‘Underground’ subtitle challenged players with mission-based gameplay to supplement the twitch gaming trick action. For the first time, you controlled your favourite skaters on and off the board, and the series progressed beyond just allowing players to star in their own skate video. Last year Underground 2 on home consoles exceeded expectations once again. Now a ‘remix’ of the popular title comes to the brand new PSP.

The main single-player game this time around sees two teams of skaters, Team Hawk and Team Bam, competing in the World Destruction Tour, a no-rules road trip that pits groups of world-class skaters, all of which are playable, against one another. As with the first Underground game, this skating adventure affords players an unprecedented level of customisation and a comprehensive library of grinds, manual and special tricks. Skating acrobats can now take advantage of projectiles, vehicles and a new Focus Control element.

Off the board, players can interact with any number of hip NPCs, as well as partake in a graffiti-em-up mode that has players decorating the game's 15 levels with their own designs and custom tags. There are obvious Jet Set Radio influences, but its fun nevertheless.

Alternatively, those particularly fond of the first three instalments can go old-school in Underground 2's Classic Mode, a game that sees a return to goal-based skating and that has players collecting S-K-A-T-E letters, finding secret tapes and beating sick scores against a two-minute countdown. The multiplier score system remains intact, as does the ability to link moves together through a simple 'revert' trick. It's a game of pure skill.

This PSP version has the same graphics, gameplay and levels seen on the PS2 version. The handheld also gets four extra levels – Kyoto, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Santa Cruz. The game makes full use of the PSP’s wireless capabilities, and there are 10 different wireless games in which up to four players can compete. The PSP sets out to be a PlayStation 2 you can take with you, and a Tony Hawk title brings it closer to that goal.
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