Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4

The fourth Tony Hawk game grinds the Game Boy Advance?find out how it fares against last year?s competition.

It?s Tony time again, and GBA owners won?t want to miss this year?s skating festivities. In a welcome twist, players can now freely choose mission goals like finding the Secret Tape or collecting C-O-M-B-O in one big grind, creating a less restrictive game structure. Better yet, THPS4 offers remarkable visuals; the expansive environments are impressive, but squint and you?ll spot sharp details, including fluid skater animations and even the bright red spray accompanying a gnarly bail. Like its GBA predecessors, THPS4 ditches the behind-the-shoulder camera for a fixed overhead view?a jarring but bearable sacrifice. Sound-wise, THPS4 includes the series? trademark audio effects, but the tinny background beats add little to the experience.

Most importantly, THPS4 accurately re-creates the series? addictive gameplay, so most classic strategies and combos are intact. After practice, the GBA?s tiny gamepad performs reverts, manuals, and special tricks with precision. Though this GBA port of Tony Hawk?s Pro Skater 4 packs a mighty gameplay punch, aside from the new missions and sharper graphics, it isn?t a massive upgrade to last year?s handheld skating formula. Still, Hawk fanatics will love the new tricks and the multiplayer link games, while newbies will appreciate the gradual learning curve. Even pint-sized, Hawk soars.

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