Game title: "Skate"

Platform: Xbox 360

Studio: EA

Rating: T for Teen

Score: 8/10

THE REVIEW

Gameplay: Skateboard games live and die by their controls. If something doesn't feel natural, as natural as moving a person on a skateboard can feel with a joystick, then it will never appeal to the masses. EA did a good job of finding a way to make skateboarding fun with two sticks and a couple of buttons. Left stick moves your skater while the right stick controls the moves. For those who are less coordinated, this might take some getting used to.

There is a lot of left, right and shoulder buttons to make the most of your moves. It sounds easier than it is. If all you are looking for is a simple ollie, then up and down isn't going to stop anyone from kicking out moves — but when you are trying to compete with bigger and bigger tricks it can get quite difficult. Let's just say it's easier to describe what to do than it is to actually pull off.

"Skate" revolves around the make-believe city of San Vanelona. It's a massive city that offers lots of opportunities to have a blast. There are the usual annoyances — like people walking around and security guards. The city is so big that you can play "Skate" for hours and hours and still find something cool to do.

You can go into career mode if you are looking for another challenge. Career mode is the usual video game cliche: You start out at zero and try to become famous and get on the cover of two skate magazines. You saw that coming a mile away didn't you? The competition isn't terribly hard, but it adds extra gameplay.

Graphics: Let's do the natural thing and compare "Skate" to "Tony Hawk." "Skate" is on par with "Tony Hawk." Some of the coolest features are the realistic animations—even with the occasional glitches. The skaters look very good and when they fall, after missing a trick, they hit the pavement with such realism that it'll make you wince.

Audio: The soundtrack is great. EA is always one-upping the competition with their great soundtracks. Even better are the sounds of the city and of your board. You get grinds, slides, and the clack of your deck coming back to earth. And if you pull off a good trick someone will tell you about it.

THE WRAP-UP

Parent's take: If your kids are fans of skateboarding and watch things like the X Games, then they'll be excited by all the pro skaters: Danny Way, Mark Gonzales, Rob Dyrdek, Mike Carroll, P.J. Ladd, Chris Cole, Jason Dill, Pat Duffy, Jerry Hsu, Paul Rodriguez, Dennis Busenitz, Alex Chalmers, Chris Haslam, Colin McKay, John Rattray, Ryan Gallant, Ryan Smith and Terry Kennedy.

One note: The game isn't as easy as "Tony Hawk.

Final word: "Skate" is far more evolved then the first "Tony Hawk," but it still has a ways to go. "Skate" is already a major competitor for the "Tony Hawk" franchise — next year it'll surely be a major force to be reckoned with.