Activision has released their next Tony Hawk skateboarding game with the release of the Nintendo Wii. This series has always given me an appreciation for skateboarding, although I don't do it myself. Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (Jam for short) is a solid addition to the series with a few unlockable characters, gear and boards for them, and many many levels to beat and races to win. The game is a skateboarding game no doubt; but it IS a downhill race game, not a free for all skate.
One thing I liked in the past about the games was that you could get free roam of the levels and do basically what you want when you wanted to (Tony Hawk's Underground). You're not going to get that here. From playing it through for a while, you have to complete objectives such as mass destruction, pedestrian abuse, hitting checkpoints to add time, and of couse races with other boarders.
For a Wii game I expect the graphics to be good; and the game actually has pretty decent graphics. The intro cinematic was done well, and the characters were modeled well. I also loved right before a race, there would be a brief "MTV Style" interview with what they thought of skateboarding, themselves, the location they are racing in or about the other boarders. The graphics could have been a lot better, but that it just my opinion. What matters is gameplay here.
Controls are very easy to pick up but it takes a few runs just to get a hang of the game. You can push people, objects, and other boarders out of your way. Like the title suggests, every single race is downhill. There are multiple shortcuts and they will be handy when your up against other boarders in single races. Once you beat them, they are unlocked for you to use to further your progress in 1st player mode.
I have not played the game with other people, but I have heard reports (and I have seen) that the multiplayer is indeed lacking and suffering. Now it's a lot of fun for three or four players, but that's really about it. There is something about the game that does not make it the Tony Hawk game I am used to. It's not a bad addition by any means, but I did not like the "forced" gameplay options of battling my way up the skateboarding ladder. The levels were fun, the tricks were fun but could have been mapped better, and the soundtrack was pretty good. I'm a picky gamer but thats a trait you get after playing games your entire life. The game is good, it's a lot of fun if your into the Tony Hawk series, and it's worth a guranteed rental (I rented it, only 5 Wii games there!). Giving this game a rating, it deserves a 3 out of 5. Mediocre game, and it's worth the rent.
One thing I liked in the past about the games was that you could get free roam of the levels and do basically what you want when you wanted to (Tony Hawk's Underground). You're not going to get that here. From playing it through for a while, you have to complete objectives such as mass destruction, pedestrian abuse, hitting checkpoints to add time, and of couse races with other boarders.
For a Wii game I expect the graphics to be good; and the game actually has pretty decent graphics. The intro cinematic was done well, and the characters were modeled well. I also loved right before a race, there would be a brief "MTV Style" interview with what they thought of skateboarding, themselves, the location they are racing in or about the other boarders. The graphics could have been a lot better, but that it just my opinion. What matters is gameplay here.
Controls are very easy to pick up but it takes a few runs just to get a hang of the game. You can push people, objects, and other boarders out of your way. Like the title suggests, every single race is downhill. There are multiple shortcuts and they will be handy when your up against other boarders in single races. Once you beat them, they are unlocked for you to use to further your progress in 1st player mode.
I have not played the game with other people, but I have heard reports (and I have seen) that the multiplayer is indeed lacking and suffering. Now it's a lot of fun for three or four players, but that's really about it. There is something about the game that does not make it the Tony Hawk game I am used to. It's not a bad addition by any means, but I did not like the "forced" gameplay options of battling my way up the skateboarding ladder. The levels were fun, the tricks were fun but could have been mapped better, and the soundtrack was pretty good. I'm a picky gamer but thats a trait you get after playing games your entire life. The game is good, it's a lot of fun if your into the Tony Hawk series, and it's worth a guranteed rental (I rented it, only 5 Wii games there!). Giving this game a rating, it deserves a 3 out of 5. Mediocre game, and it's worth the rent.
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