Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (DS)
© 2006 Activision, Inc.
This fast-paced, single or multiplayer downhill skateboarding game integrates fun tricks with interesting locations. There are several ways to play. The best place to start is with the Lesson Mode, where you learn seven tricks, that you can use in such locations as Hoover Dam. In World Tour mode, completing goals like the Elimination Race and the Big Air Photo are the objective. Big Air Photo requires you to master moves such as grabbing floating camera icons above ramps or back flips over a bridge after grinding on a rail. The grinding maneuver requires being near a rail and a three-button combination which is fairly difficult. Jam Session is a downhill race where you have to knock over garbage cans and find a secret tape in order to win. There's also a Quick Race mode, where you can race against up to three opponents. We liked how you can customize your skateboarder by gender, skin color and apparel as well as skateboard customization including hand drawn or pre-made shapes and a large color palette. The variety of game modes, locations and music also adds to the depth. On the downside, our 14-year-old tester found multi-button moves such as grinding difficult to complete while moving at a fast pace and trying to avoid obstacles. Ramps come up pretty quick when you're going fast downhill so if you miss one, you can't usually get back to it due to the uphill factor. That said, we would easily recommend this game for a lot of fast-paced action.
$35, Nintendo DS
Teaches: following directions, fine motor, art/creativity
CTR Rating: 80%