Ride, Tony Hawk, Ride!

Editor's Note: Patrick Bonk -- great gaming name, by the way -- explains why he feels Tony Hawk: Ride just might be the game that gets him back into the series he once loved so much. And actually, I'm hoping for a similar bounceback for this once-proud series. -Greg

It's funny. Out of all the things that could and did capture my imagination at E3, I did not think that Tony Hawk: Ride would have stuck with me the most. I remember when I first heard about a Tony Hawk reboot with a skateboard peripheral, I wasn't interested in the least. Now, after seeing the Microsoft press conference and Tony Hawk's all-too-brief presentation of the game and its unique peripheral, it is firmly on my radar, all $120 of it.

Though it has been a few years, I once was heavily into Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games. In fact, even though I have been a gamer for over 30 years, I don't think it would be a stretch for me to say that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 were the games that truly ushered me into "hardcore gamerdom." I played and played those games until I literally hurt from the strain I was placing on myself trying to better my runs. And though I hurt, it hurt so good that I kept coming back for more. Tony Hawk was owning my gamerspace.

Once the third and fourth iterations hit, I found myself loosing interest in the series as the games began to feel less and less like the games I fell in love with. I had a brief fling with Tony Hawk's American Wasteland on the DS a couple of years ago, but other than that, Tony Hawk has been a gaming wasteland for me.

So why Tony Hawk: Ride? If I am to examine my personal sensibilities toward the series and superfluous peripherals it would seem that I wouldn't give this game a second glance, especially in a year where its later half is choked with must-have, must-play games. I do not know how to express my interest other than it looks like fun and I want to play it. Now that can change if the game comes out and it is a complete dog, but I suspect that will not be the case. My wish is that Ride will take me back to that place in the late '90s when I discovered how much fun a skateboarding game can be.

Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox

Twitter: @superghost

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Brad Guise

June 05, 2009

good article dude. I checked out your blog as well and I like the style you use with the achievement pics.

Patrick Bonk

Thanks for the feedback Brad! I am glad you enjoyed it. I do really hope THR 'works', because if it doesn't I am not sure what they will do next(Project Natal?).

I have been doing achievement spotlights on my blog for some time, I have used a different style previously. Next one will be Halo 3.

Anton Bartolic

June 06, 2009

Interesting read. I definitely agree that the first few THPS games had there place, but as far as I'm concerned, everything since Underground has been uninspired to say the least. Maybe this is what the franchise needs. Still, I can't help but feel like the new skateboard peripheral has at least some gimmick potential.