Tony Hawk made his way to our house with his new video game, Tony Hawk – Shred with the motion-sensing board controller. Both the boys played, and I even gave it a shot myself to see what all the fun was about.
For the kids this game was a huge hit, and I think the reason is the board itself. My boys are on the younger side (almost 5 and almost 7), and the fact that they were able to step on the board like they were really skateboarding and snowboarding was exciting for them. Also they loved the fact that the tricks and courses were a little over the top. Breaking through glass, going through a dragon float, and riding high in the air on metal instruments (shown above) had them laughing and saying “cool” quite a few times. The bright colors and wacky venues make for something that keeps the kids’ attention.
From my take though, the game did not elicit the same effect. I found the animation smooth, but the over the top colors and over the top areas take away any immersion factor–for an adult it did not feel like we were actually skateboarding or snowboarding. I found the snowboarding backdrops a little bit more tame, and it was my favorite of the two, while the boys were fans of the skateboarding. The board itself is sturdy, and I felt very comfortable on it; I just do not know if I felt the kind of control that I was looking for. The game itself funnels you through the current area you are in, so your focus is on the tricks; I would have enjoyed it more if it felt a little less forced. For the boys, though, I think this is something that worked well for them, as it kept them more focused on the tricks and no worrying about going off track.
This is game that is geared to the younger audiences, and my two boys really enjoyed the skateboard controller feel on the PS3. With new Kinect games coming out and the fact that the Wii already had the balance board, I wonder if the controller is a little dated, though. The price also has to come into play when talking about the game, because without the board, the game is not all that special. I guess at the end of the day, two young boys laughing it up while pulling off skateboard tricks may be all that matters, but for me the unrealistic tricks in a rail environment with a realistic skateboard accessory did not do it.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
An all-new Tony Hawk experience created for a younger audience, Tony Hawk®: SHRED allows kids to “GO BIG” and feel the exhilaration of skate and snowboarding like the pros using the game’s innovative, motion-sensing board controller right at their feet. With coin-op, arcade style gameplay and pro athletes, including Chaz Ortiz, Lyn-Z Adams, Travis Rice, Torah Bright, and the godfather of skate himself, Tony Hawk, SHRED is packed to the brim with larger-than-life moments, huge jumps and gaps, incredibly steep drops and decents, and a veritable goody bag’s worth of motion activated, jaw-dropping tricks – enticing kids to get off the couch, be physically active and get immersed in the action.KEY FEATURES:
• GO BIG OR GO HOME SON!!! – Tony Hawk: SHRED gives kids the chance to fully experience the thrill of supersized skate and snowboarding, where the bigger the feat the better the fun – tricks that are impossible to do today, but could potentially be pulled off 20+ years from now as the sports evolve! SHRED’s intuitive board controller captures every bit of sugar induced kid energy, allowing them to jump on and immediately perform over-the-top tricks, master massive drops, pull-off awesome grabs, and ride-out super long grinds right from the family room floor!• NOW WITH 100% MORE SNOWBOARDING – Whether riding on cement or snow, Tony Hawk: SHRED has it covered. SHRED’s innovative, motion-sensing board controller was never designed with just skateboarding in mind, and now young aspiring snowboarders can feel the ultimate rush as they shred down steep mountain peaks, launching off huge kickers and pulling off crazy spins, flips and grabs! Featuring pro riders Travis Rice – 2009 X-Games Gold Medal winner, Louie Vito – 2010 Euro X-Games Bronze Medal winner, and Torah Bright – 2010 Winter Olympic Gold Medal winner, kids can jump on SHRED’s board controller and go crazy in a whole new way, performing the biggest snow tricks imaginable in iconic frosty locations like Whistler, the French Alps and Beijing.
• DON’T SIT…SHRED!!! – There’s no lounging around with Tony Hawk: SHRED in the family room! With SHRED’s amazing motion-controller board and enticing GO BIG gameplay, kids will be off the couch and into the action in no time, using their boundless energy to grind through exotic locations and bust sick moves! Whether it’s younger kids raring to jump on the board to pull-off huge tricks, or older kids craving to go head-to-head against siblings and friends for the top score, Tony Hawk: SHRED offers a socially fun and physically active experience the whole family can enjoy together!
• SHRED AS A PRO…OR SHRED AS THE PRO! – While Tony Hawk: SHRED’s full pro athlete list includes skaters Tony Hawk, Lyn-Z Adams, Corey Duffel, Sean Malto, David Gonzalez, Geoff Rowley, Stevie Williams and Chaz Ortiz; and snowboarders Travis Rice, Louie Vito and Torah Bright, the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 versions of the game lets kids import their own Mii and Avatar characters – allowing them to BE the pros on-screen pulling off larger than life skate and snowboarding tricks. The Wii version of SHRED also features additional content, including Mii versions of all the pro athletes, exclusive levels, and a Wii-specific visual style all to itself – based from the 360 and PS3 versions of the game of course.
Developer: Robomodo (Microsoft Xbox 360 & Sony PLAYSTATION 3)
Buzz Monkey (Nintendo Wii)Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
Release Date: Fall 2010 (in time for the holiday season )
Platforms: Nintendo Wii, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft
SRP: $99.99 (Bundle Including SHRED Board & Software)
$59.99 (Software Only)ESRB Rating: “E” (Everyone – content that may be suitable for ages six and older.)
Note: Tony Hawk Shred was provided for review by Activision
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