An original sports game for playstation.  Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater can be played in many other platforms like gameboy, Nintendo, Xbox, Nokia n-gage, and now, it has a personal computer version.  Activision has made it possible for PC gamers to play this game both in the demo version and in its full version.  Demo version is free and has many limitations but interested players can buy this game for its full version.

Description of the Game

Designed and developed by: Neversoft Entertainment

Published by: Activision Publishing Inc. and Aspyr Entertainment

Category: Sports

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater PC version started its release in 2000 with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2.  Now, it is in its fourth version.  Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater has 3D graphics.  The background, sounds, graphics, and moves look realistic.  You can use your keyboard to control the skater or you can use a game controller that is compatible with your PC.

The controls from your keyboard are the up, down, left, and right arrow keys.  For other functions, use your keypad at the rightmost portion of your keyboard for controlling your skater’s movements.  If you’ve downloaded this game successfully in your computer, a more detailed instruction is included in the readme documentation of the game.

For a more interesting gameplay, you can press 2 functions simultaneously.  For example, if you want your skater to jump longer, press the right or left arrow key together with keypad 2 (on the rightmost part of your keyboard).  If you want your skater to jump higher, press the up arrow key together with keypad 2.

You can watch your game after you’ve played it by choosing Instant Replay in the menu of your game.  The demo version does not save high scores and you only have one venue to skate in.  Aside from that, you only have 3 skaters; Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist, and Kareem Campbell.  By upgrading to the full version, you’ll have over 9 venues for skating, create your own park, keep high scores, and you can choose over 14 skaters.

System Requirements

1.       Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP

2.       800 MHz Pentium II or equivalent or higher

3.       256 MB RAM or higher

4.       GeForce 2 video card or similar

5.       DirectX 8+

If you experience any problems during startup of the game, choose the lower resolution of the game and uncheck the special effects from its configuration menu.  This should eliminate problems in loading this game.

Download the GameZone (GZ) downloader which is about 355kb

After completing this download, you can now launch GameZone downloader that will enable you to download the file even with interruption. You can resume downloading whenever you’re ready.

In most of the other files I’ve attempted to download, they’re not resume supported which makes it almost impossible to download as they can be finished in over 10 hours if using dial-up connection.

Brief History of Tony Hawk

Born Anthony Frank Hawk on May 12, 1968.  He is the first skater to land the 900.  It is a trick in skateboard which consists of two and a half rotation or 900°.  He is the first recorded skater to do the trick.

Among his business interests are:

1.       Birdhouse Projects – a skateboard company

2.       900 Films – a film and TV production company

3.       Hawk Clothing – apparel and footwear products

4.       Armitron Watch Company

5.       Teamed up with Activision for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Video Game

Tony Hawk wrote an autobiography with Sean Mortimer entitled Hawk: Occupation: Skateboarder and his second book entitled Between Boardslides and Burnout.  He created the Tony Hawk Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists low income communities to build skateboard parks.

He has a few movie and TV appearances.  He has appeared in xXx and CSI Miami to name a few.