Tony Hawk�s Pro Skater 3
- March 05, 2002 00:00 AM PST
The novelty of seeing polygons on the GBA has worn off. Can THPS3�s gameplay hold up?
Like its console big brothers, the Game Boy Advance version of Tony Hawk�s Pro Skater 3 features true 3D skating action with full polygonal models�but the portable version makes players pay for its innovation.The same thing that makes Tony 3 so impressive makes it difficult to play. The complex environments from the console games are here, but the small size kills the visual detail, and the 3/4-overhead perspective makes those levels much harder to navigate. It�s frustratingly easy to misjudge a jump or the placement of a �SKATE� letter, but practice, as always, will make perfect. The soundtrack is very similar to that of THPS2, so if it annoyed you then, it will annoy you now. It�s tough to pack complex movements into a few buttons and a small cross-key directional pad, but the controls respond well, right down to the new revert move. THPS3 also features a head-to-head mode with a link cable�very cool.
Ultimately, THPS3 on GBA is fun, but the small scale and leaps of faith really make you work for it. Then again, there�s a price to pay for pushing the envelope, and this is one of the few GBA series really doing that.
