Tony Hawk's American Wasteland

The Basics:
Platform: Xbox
Developer: Neversoft
Price: $49.99
ESRB rating: T (Teen)

Summary: Still the best skateboarding game out there, but the poor social behaviors presented make it best for teen players.

Note: Parent's should know that the game's story mode depends heavily on an "anti-establishment" sentiment. Players steal signature items from places around L.A. to build up the ultimate skate park, and attempt to run from the cops and security in order to do so. The can also make cash by spray painting graffiti on walls. In addition, the games outrageous moves lead to spectacular crashes, complete with blood. Finally, the game is online enabled, which means players can run into unpredictable language and behavior.

Families who do purchase and play this game may want to discuss why many games put the player on the other side of the law. Does this increase the appeal of the game? They may also wish to discuss how the fictitious moves of the game compare with the real-life moves that have inspired them. Is there any danger in this, or does it just make the game more exciting?

Further Breakdown:

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Best for ages: 13+
Playability: Very Good. It does take a lot of time a practice to learn the multiple button combinations for moves.
Graphics: Excellent. Clean and crisp, with only an occasional "clipping" error.
Entertainment value: Excellent. A solid story mode, map editor and multi-player mode all contribute to a lot of replay value.
Educational value: Very little.
Reading Level: 5+
KidScore Rating

Ages 3-7: Red
Ages 8-12: Red
Ages 13-17: Yellow
Violence Amount: Yellow
Fear: Green
Illegal/harmful: Green
Language: Yellow
Nudity: Yellow
Sex: Green

Review:
A long string of success has propelled the Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games into a mega-franchise. TONY HAWK: AMERICAN WASTELAND continues the series, with perhaps one of the best efforts in years.

Several modes of play keep players engaged. A solid story mode has the protagonist take the role of a "country bumpkin," just arrived in LA and attempting to make it big on the skateboarding circuit. The classic mode has players attempting to accomplish different goals, such as achieving a high score within a set amount of time. Finally, a multiplayer mode allows players to face off against one another in variety of small games, such as trick attack and king of the hill. Tony Hawk has always been about the skateboarding, but to mix it up a little, there are several BMX bike missions. Finally, to round things off, a map editor is included so players can make their own skate park designs. All-and-all the game is packed to the half-pipe with goodies.

While many of the moves are based off of real-life skateboarding tricks, it should be clear-or made perfectly clear, that this game has a healthy dose of fiction. Watching your player fall from a 30 foot building, bounce into a curb, blood splattering everywhere, only to get up a second later, throw their board in a fit of rage, and be back skating again requires some serious suspension of disbelief. It also requires some tough nerves: although there are few examples of outright violence, there is plenty of blood. With every serious fall, expect blood to be streaked on the pavement and splattered onto walls.

During story mode, players find themselves fitting in by being "anti-establishment." Although the game usually presents it "tongue-in-cheek", the protagonist often finds themselves on the wrong side of the law-from stealing random objects for their skate park to tagging walls with graffiti in order to make some cash. Overall, the attitude of the game seems to be that it's okay or even cool to break the law for the "cause" of skateboarding.

One last concern parent might have is with the lyrics of the background songs. While the songs tend to be indiscernible during most of the game, there are lyrics parents need to be aware of. For example, Motley Crüe's 1981 song Live Wire makes an appearance: " . . .I'll either break her face/ Or take down her legs/ Get my ways at will/ Go for the throat/Never let loose/ Goin' in for the kill/ Take my fist/ Break down walls/ I'm on top tonight . . ."

What's the overall consensuses? Despite the concerns, the game proves, hands down, it is the best skateboarding game out there. Teens and older will love the outrageous tricks and first-class gameplay that they have come to expect from Tony Hawk games; however, the blood, lyrics and social behavior's presented make it a poor choice for anyone under 13.