Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

"The amazing sequel that hit the Dreamcast."

Well, yes, I know ''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2'' has been out for the Dreamcast (as well as the PlayStation) for quite some time, but I wanted a more meaningful headline. Enough of the mindless intros, on to the review! ''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2'' is the sequel to the ever popular ''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater'' which was great alone. The game offered many things like different parks in different environments to skate in. Your goal was to earn tapes to unlock more parks and other places. If you took your beat to complete this game, you were awarded with a few secrets. There were also practice modes for those who feel they could use it, like me. ''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2'' is the name of the game, and it offers the same great qualities as its predecessor and more. This time, there are more skaters, more parks, more everything. That's what made this game great. The Dreamcast version alone, because of its smooth graphics and very simple control, makes this title a must-own for skateboarding fans and other gamers alike.

Graphics - 9.5/10: The graphics in the Dreamcast version are once again great just like the first game. You will find all the skaters that look like they do in real life. There are different levels with different themes which are very good. The backgrounds look very nice, and the design of the actual skating area which includes the smaller parts like ramps with their nice detail of wood design. Treyarch obviously knew what they were doing when you see the great levels that were created. When you are choosing your skateboard, you may appreciate the colorful designs brought to the game's existence. There are, in fact, a few glitches in the game, but nothing too serious. If you've played ''GoldenEye 007'' and notice the whole ''arm-though-a-wall'' story, you'll understand what I mean.

Sound Effects/Music - 9.5/10: From those who have played ''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater,'' you know by now that music was a big contribution to the actual game. Sure, you could skate without the music, but why would you? The first game featured music from bands like The Ernies, Goldfinger, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and more. I really liked the soundtrack for the first game because it gave that skateboarding experience with such cool music. This title features music from various artists such as Papa Roach, Naughty By Nature, Bad Religion, Powerman 5000, and more. This soundtrack also does good when it comes to contributing to the game. What I mean by 'contributing' is when they contribute to the feel you get when skateboarding, performing tricks, etc. listening to the music. Music affects people in many ways, just look at the art world. Music is art. And it does not lessen in value here, not unlike the music in the first game. The songs I've heard aren't great alone, but they are great as you set out to earn your cash. Now, the sound effects here are great as well. Everything is very clear. From the sounds of the skateboards against the rails, or your amateur self falling off the ramp, or even helicopter blades that go off when grinding on them. Even the wheels sound good as they shift over depending on the kind of ground you're skating on.

Gameplay - 10/10: Gameplay once again excels with the simple controls of the Dreamcast. They are all very basic indeed. Tricks aren't hard to perform, and there are much more than in the original game. The concept of the game is the same: You skate, performing non-stop tricks which are fun, while you earn money for your career. What do you use this money on? You can spend it on new tricks, stats, whatever. There are, thank God, new modes in this game as well. For example, the ever popular Create-a-player (skater) mode which allows you to create the ultimate skater. And what I mean by that is that it's never been done before, technically. There have been sports games where you could do so, but just seeing your own creation doing tricks like that will have yourself in awe. You can assign him tricks, and earn him some new boards and more. Increase his stats. Excuse the 'his' because, well I'm sorry, you can't create female skaters. Maybe there will be that equal addition in the third ''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater'' game if there will ever be such a title. The Create-a-Skater, while not revolutionary, is still cool because you're creating a skater. You can choose from hair style, to shirts to pants and beyond. Give him a name and a birthplace and you're set. You can also create heavy skaters. It's a miracle if they don't bust those wheels open. There is also the cool Park Editor, where you create your own parks for your skater to goof around on. There are just so many things to do with this mode. The fun never stops when it comes to park creating. The Free Skate and Single Session modes are back, which allow you to practice your tricks for the big moments in Career Mode. There are many more secrets to unlock in this game. Believe me, they're worth it. I won't mention under certain guidelines and plus I like keeping secrets. Some secret characters are back and some skaters for the first time. Physics are great in this game because they're nothing out of the ordinary. Great grinds and great air time to perform your tricks. There are more skaters in the game this time, and the legend known as Tony Hawk has returned (obviously). There are new levels which resembles those of the first game (the school, places like that and etc.). They are still good because they are longer and have more obstacles in them.

Replay Value - 10/10: This game will have you hooked for hours on end. There are so many things to do like creating parks and skaters, earning money and the game's secrets and new characters. The biggest challenge, however, is finding every single gap in the game which may seem impossible, but all you really need to do is dedicate your time. And hey, there's always saving.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/02/01, Updated 04/02/01