Tony Hawk gets a new skateboard

Now just how am I supposed to perform a 360 inward heel flip with this?

(Credit: GameSpot)

This article was updated on 5/19/09 to add the info that you actually CAN "ride" the board. Thanks Cravers for pointing this out.

The last Tony Hawk game I played was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 on the Dreamcast. Getting good enough to pull off trick after trick in succession in that game was close to gaming nirvana for me.

Since then, the series has had its ups and downs and with strong competition from EA's Skate series, and Activision--publisher of all things Tony Hawk--needs to find new ways to get players excited again about the once dominant Tony Hawk brand.

Hopefully for them, they've succeeded. Tony Hawk Ride, the latest entry in the franchise, will be available for the 2009 holiday season for the Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3.

Also being released is a unique controller for the game that comes in the shape of an actual skateboard deck. According to Gamespot, the board peripheral will use "a combination of accelerometers and motion sensors" and will require no other controller.

Hmmm, I'm assuming that you'll control this with your hands, but then what's the point of shaping it like a skateboard if we can't "ride" it? Update: I assumed incorrectly. You will control the game by riding on the board. Thanks again to the three Cravers that pointed this out to me. Last time I saw something like this was in the arcade games Top Skater and Air Trix.

Each game was controlled via a stationary skateboard attached to the arcade machine. Each time I tried playing, well, let's just say the skateboards didn't function optimally. Probably had something to do with the endless supply of Dave and Buster's clientele straight from a buffalo wings platter trying the game out.

Hopefully the controller for this game will be made from sterner stuff. Look for more information on the official game site on June 2.

[lazy-bum]

You know Eric, I often wonder how much effort you put into your articles. They're consistently terrible (honestly). How hard is it to Google Tony Hawk Ride? Hell, you don't even have to use Google, just search a few of the other tech blogs. You could easily find a picture of Tony Hawk riding the board. Does that answer your hmmm? Are you trying to write something informative at Crave or just using this forum to wonder aloud about all the things you don't properly research?

[efranklin]

Thanks for the constructive criticism (honestly). I appreciate it. Seeing people riding the board does indeed answer my question. Thanks. To answer your last question. I little bit of both.

[jrshorti]

I agree, I read this story on Engadget late LAST week and have already seen video of Tony and other riders use the board in-game (with out their hands). I have noticed that CNET reporting has been a few days late compared to other tech blogs, anyone else notice that too?

[efranklin]

I'll soon be updating the article with the info that you can ride it. Also, you may have read it last week, but not everyone that comes to Crave, visit other tech blogs. I appreciate your feedback though and will try to be quicker about these things. Thanks.

[original_gamester]

This video [ http://www.gametrailers.com/gametrailerstv_player.php?ep=59&ch=1&sd=0 ] shows Tony Hawk explaining how to use the board. Yes, you ride it.

[efranklin]

Awesome. Thanks for linking the vid.

[wojx]

lol @ this writer. I coulda spend 5 minutes and got more info for this article and had better reporting.

[rjpdx]

I'll echo the others' comments. If I can work 50+ hours each week in a job that doesn't involve cruising the web for news on video games and still manage to know more about the subject of the column than the author, someone needs to be fired.

[efranklin]

If only my job had something to do with video games...

[DMBoricua]

Haha oh, ouch. Atleast theres something different to read on CNET, Tony Hawk and this weird skateboard, that, from looking at the image has no wheels. And that you're able to ride it. Ok yeah, I didnt try to sound like I dont know anything from this article, really. It is something different.

[rjpdx]

Really, technology doesn't have anything to do with video games. Interesting. Less arguing about semantics and more research, turbo.