The Wii controls weren't really designed to handle a game like this, especially one with so many different little techniques. Frank Provo With the core developers of the Tony Hawk franchise off and skating on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the other console versions have been turned over to different developers. The catch is that there just isn't as much of it on the Wii and PlayStation 2, and the levels feel a little empty as a result. Proving Ground is a cloudy, early Winter's day, with the worst of Autumn's drizzle over, but before it's become snugglingly cold. The game is a port of the next-generation versions and includes many of the same environments, goals, characters, etc. A great game, but could be better. The gameplay is fun and … Whatever you say about the previous game, Downhill Jam, it did at least offer a solid multiplayer mode with a good selection of match types suitable for as many as four players in both local and online connections. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. But it never feels quite right when you're aggro kicking for more speed by continually lifting the Remote, or when shoving both halves of the controller forward to perform an attack. Wall slides, wallplants, and spine transfers also let you change course without breaking your trick chain. GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. Matches played online over Wi-Fi are a little jittery but totally playable. Tony Hawk's Proving Ground is a disappointing entry in the series, especially when compared to such an innovative title as EA's skate. You can take on goals in different orders, but it doesn't feel as if there are very many of them. Taken side by side, the Wii version looks a bit cleaner around the edges. Tony Hawk's Proving Ground lets your create your own skater, and manage their character, story and style from start to finish. That means you're left with a third-rate Tony Hawk game that uses some of the elements from the main versions. It isn't very realistic, but it sure is entertaining. A neat part of this game's story mode is that you actually get to outfit one of the parks with ramps, rails, and other structures of your choice. When you fly off a roof then trigger a photo opportunity, you have to draw lines and circles on the touch screen to perform gesture tricks. For example, if you're told to follow the camera crew around, you'll get more money for performing 15 tricks on cue than you will for 10. As always, if you simply want to pick a pro skater and forgo the story, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground offers the standard timed classic mode that has been with the series since its inception. The last option, the temper tantrum, is a bizarre ability that's taught to you by Bam Margera in the story mode. Also, it's weird that there are "levels" to begin with. Every time you accomplish a certain number of tasks, you'll unlock a new skate park and another pro skater will start appearing in all of the parks you've opened up to that point (giving you additional challenges to complete). on October 23, 2007 at 6:07PM PDT. This is the PS3 version of the game. Jeff Gerstmann has been professionally covering the video game industry since 1994. Introduction: Tony Hawks proving ground is a skateboarding game that lets you feel and experience what it's like to be a pro skateboarder. Skate fans will also appreciate the brief video clips showing the game's pro skaters in action doing what they do best. This flaw is just the beginning. As you manipulate the D pad and ride your board around one of the game's expansive 3D skate parks, you'll notice plenty of edges, rails, ramps, quarter pipes, or other interesting surfaces with which to interact. As with many multiplatform games, the different versions operate on multiple tiers. … There are also unique types, such as horse and red light/green light. © 2021 GAMESPOT, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Jeff Gerstmann To that end, the lesson tutorials and the challenges the pro skaters give you in the story mode will gradually lead you through the basics to the finer points of spooling out massive combos. That experiment must not have been popular with the powers that be because the newest game, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, takes the series back to its open-ended roots. Log In to add custom notes to this or any other game. However, the controls are laid out logically and never feel unwieldy. Work on Tony Hawk's Proving Ground began six months earlier than usual, because Neversoft wants this to be a benchmark in the series. Tony Hawk's Proving Ground – Review Wii . I continue my look at the Tony Hawk's franchise with Tony Hawk's Proving Ground. It merely takes time for every button's purpose to become ingrained. Special tricks are high-risk, high-reward tricks that can be performed while grinding in midair or during a manual. Basically, if your style meter is full and you're about to land on your face, you can distract the judges with a tantrum to hold onto the points you'd otherwise lose. You can also try to outscore other players in the wireless or online modes all while exploring the surrounding environment and performing tricks at your own whim or pace. Without a doubt, the best thing Proving Ground offers over Downhill Jam in terms of online functionality is integration with the game's official Web site. You'll hear tracks from Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and Smashing Pumpkins, among others. Unfortunately, most of the animation appears to be recycled from previous games and doesn't look so hot. 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