Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam

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Activision sends word that Tony Hawks Downhill Jam for the Playstation 2 has landed in store shelves today. The Playstation 2 version has some extra skaters and a new two player battle mode.

Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam threw out all the series' rules when it debuted on the Wii back in November - the real-life skaters were replaced with cartoonish badasses, and the free-roaming action was replaced with rapid downhill races in locales from Los Angeles to Machu Picchu. The result was one of the better games to bear Tony Hawk's name, and it's coming to the PS2 next month. It's not coming empty-handed, either; while it's losing the motion-sensitive controls, the game is making up for it

"Whoa, bro, that hill is too gnarly to skate." If you find yourself saying this often, don't worry, the first Tony Hawk game came out almost eight years ago. You're getting older so it isn't fear, just the wisdom of the ages that's keeping you from bombing that hill you used to skate when you were a few years younger. And besides, your right thumb just can't hit the X button like it used to. Now, however, with a month to go before the release of Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam on PS2, it's time to

Activision is bringing Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam to the PlayStation 2 this spring, which begs the question: will the previously Wii- and DS-only game totally stink without its motion- and touch-sensitive aspects? Activision of course says no. In fact, the company says it will be packed with the non-stop action offered in previous versions, while featuring four new single player events, three new multiplayer modes and three new playable characters who will contend in the ultimate skateboard racing experience. OK, but that racing experience on the Nintendo systems involved innovative controls. With a regular gamepad, will the game, even with those bells and whistles, be any fun or offer anything truly new?