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[radioheadrule83]

Just picked up Tony Hawks American Sk8land.

It took me a while to get back into TH mode for this one, but its finally clicked again. The first Vicarious Visions Tony Hawk for GBA was actually my first GBA game, so I love the "legacy camera" GBA tribute -- horrible to play with, but great to look at. The story sucks balls, but working towards building the skatepark is a nice idea, the voicework and music has also really impressed me. I just prefer to be set loose in a level free to achieve the targets/goals as I please (woohoo for classic mode then!)

The decal editors for drawing on your board, or doing grafitti templates absolutely beats the pants off of what Mario Kart offers, and I was completely happy with MK. Proper line/box tools are welcome, and the button that allows you to draw with two colours (inner/outline) really gives it a cool grafitti look. There's some real nice ones people are uploading at - http://www.american-sk8land.com/custom_data/ too. Why oh why doesn't Mario Kart's site have something like this? The scoreboards are pretty neat, but I already know I can't be half the dweeb some of those fecks high on that board are... oh well.

Its a shame this is only 2 player online given that they allow you to form/join "sk8 crews". It'd be cool to actually face off in a bigger game doing tricks against rival gangs. Still, 2 player is what I expected pretty much. I know everybody is missing the crazy horse / grafitti modes, but I know I'm still liking the game. So is anybody else?

Does GAF have its own "sk8 crew" yet? Or are we above that?

 

[Companion Cube]

If there is a crew, I wasn't invited.

 

[Mejilan]

http://frostitution.net/wifi/tonyhawk/

 

[jamesinclair]

I got the game the other day after exchanging Kong DS (agh!) for it.

I chose TH because 1) I wanted the game anyway, and 2) its one of the few $40 games.


And its worth it. A good soundtrack (different from the console versions), voice acting, great graphics, very little loading, large levels, and tons to do.

I havent gotten online yet, but I know you can upload replays, download new missions and boards and so on. Its a very complete game.

I havent played a Tony Hawk game since THPS3 so Im glad the story mode reminds you what an olie is (I remembered how to do tricks, but not that a=manual for example).

I also tried to legacy cam. Nice gimmick.


This game deserves more sales, VV did a fantastic job with it, one of the best DS games.

 

[AndoCalrissian]

With any luck I'll have this by the end of next week or the beginning of the week after. Haven't played a Tony Hawk since 2 (unless you count a half-hearted attempt at 3) but I'm really excited for this one!

 

[Downhome]

I picked this up tonight, and I'm very impressed so far. I just got online and I'm shocked at the lack of talk about this game, both here and everywhere else. I guess Mario Kart DS and Animal Crossing WW is getting all of the attention right now.

I'm not any good at this game yet either. It's been so long since I played a TH game, I feel like a complete and total newbie right now.

 

[VOOK]

I've got my Crew for my site, the URL for the Crew is here http://www.american-sk8land.com/skate_crews/show/57/

If any Gaffer's want to join, use the site then PM me on here.

Yeah this game has gone unnotticed by some but its still great

 

[Celeryface]

This game sounds really interesting. How does it play? Is it the same control style as Underground/AW?

 

[John Harker]

I just got the game a few days ago, and I'm TOTALLY impressed with it.

Yea, the story is retarted, and the goals are insanely simple, but you can tell VV put A LOT of effort on this version. It looks and plays FANTASTIC for the DS!

Hell, I think its the best looking game the system has to offer.

No loading, no slowdown, no hiccups, and good sound/aesthetics?

Sweet deal.

I can't BELIEVE it only sold 11k copies!
Man, VV is crying.

I'm down for joining any crews - I havent played online yet.

 

[Mejilan]

Only 11k?? That's fucking criminal! |:<

 

[Downhome]

How can that number be so low for a TH game? I don't understand that at all, especially since it's a damn good game. It's not like it's a pile of crap, not at all.

I hope that the art style didn't turn some people off of it. I, for one, would rather have this look than the normal TH look.

 

[Lyte Edge]

For those who have played both, what's better: Underground 2 PSP or American Sk8land? I'm thinking about picking up Sk8land today...

 

[The Main Event]

I think releasing it at the same time with one of the biggest DS game of the year (Mario Kart DS) with very little advertising (I personally never seen any commercials on TV) was a bad idea.

 

[TurtleSnatcher]

This game took a price drop the other day from 39.99 to 29.99

 

[Tain]

For those who have played both, what's better: Underground 2 PSP or American Sk8land? I'm thinking about picking up Sk8land today...

I'm pretty sure Underground 2 PSP is the console version with half the framerate and low-res textures. Having played the console version through and through, I have no desire for it.

That said, I loved Underground 2 on the Xbox. Tons of people hate the level design, but I loved having all of the THUG gameplay elements without the infinite grind exploits and thought the more vertical levels were cool.

Sk8land, however, is different enough from Wasteland for me to play, despite already playing a bunch of Wasteland. Online play is a nice bonus, the framerate is better, and while the graphics are worse on a technical level, it looks pretty damn nice overall.

I'd probably go with Sk8land, but its a tough call. I haven't played much of Underground 2 PSP anyway, so, uh, take that as you will.

 

[Kevtones]

11,000 copies

I played this in our store all the time and some kid bought my hold-copy. D'oh! Hopefully they send us more copies!

 

[jamesinclair]

How can that number be so low for a TH game? I don't understand that at all, especially since it's a damn good game. It's not like it's a pile of crap, not at all.

I hope that the art style didn't turn some people off of it. I, for one, would rather have this look than the normal TH look.

3rd party DS games never sell well in the US.



Hopefully, it did well in December, the game deserves it. Its the most complete DS game I know of.

 

[Lyte Edge]

I'm pretty sure Underground 2 PSP is the console version with half the framerate and low-res textures. Having played the console version through and through, I have no desire for it.

That said, I loved Underground 2 on the Xbox. Tons of people hate the level design, but I loved having all of the THUG gameplay elements without the infinite grind exploits and thought the more vertical levels were cool.

Sk8land, however, is different enough from Wasteland for me to play, despite already playing a bunch of Wasteland. Online play is a nice bonus, the framerate is better, and while the graphics are worse on a technical level, it looks pretty damn nice overall.

I'd probably go with Sk8land, but its a tough call. I haven't played much of Underground 2 PSP anyway, so, uh, take that as you will.

Cool, thanks. I used to own Underground 2 on PSP, but the UMD broke; casualty of moving, I guess.

So American Sk8land doesn't let you get off your board and run around? It's more like the older THPS games?

 

[M3wThr33]

Got it for Xmas. I love it.
I just got to Alcatraz. It's just like the one from... THPS4?

 

[jamesinclair]

This game took a price drop the other day from 39.99 to 29.99

Oh crap.

Question:

I exchanged Kong (39.99) for this game at EBgames not a week ago.

I have the receipt showing this exchange, any chance I could get $10 back?



"So American Sk8land doesn't let you get off your board and run around? It's more like the older THPS games?"

You can stop moving, and youre animated as getting off your skateboard. You can then use the touch screen to look around. You cant move though without bording again.

 

[Downhome]

I was shocked today when I saw it for $29.99 at EB and GameStop. I went to WalMart to use part of a gift card I have, but they still had it priced at $39.99 so I tried to price match, but no luck there. I bought it anyway, since it was gift card credit.

 

[John Harker]

According to the NWFC website, there are always 10k THSk8land players that play online, and average 5k a day.

Thats reaaally low compared to MKDS, but with only 11k sold in the US as of the end of November, thats a HUGE adoption rate.

So I guess thats something.

 

[JoDark]

Legacy cam is a great idea, but it's BROKEN!!! Should have just put the camera in the GBA location, and left it there. Oh well.

As for the game, this is the best Hawk in awhile. Excellent. DON'T miss the run around freaking parkour crap, it doesn't belong in Hawk.

 

[Mejilan]

I'm pretty sure that Legacy Cam is a fun little joke. If you want to play THAS on the GBA... you can. It was released as a classic GBA-style game as well... sans online mode.

 

[:Motorbass]

According to the NWFC website, there are always 10k THSk8land players that play online, and average 5k a day.

Thats reaaally low compared to MKDS, but with only 11k sold in the US as of the end of November, thats a HUGE adoption rate.

So I guess thats something.

On the official Site (http://www.american-sk8land.com/home/) The online-player-numbers befor christmas were around 600, now they are at 2,200 (at christmas they were 2,600). So I think it got a big boost.

 

[John Harker]

Does anyone know how well the GBA version sold?

I'm curious to see if it did better than the DS.
There were commericals for this one, at least.