“THPS2™, The legend rides on.”
—Game slogan
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (often abbreviated as THPS2) is a skateboarding video game, originally developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. It is the second installment of the Tony Hawk video game series, and the sequel to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.
It was originally released for the PlayStation on September 20, 2000 and was later ported to the Nintendo 64, Dreamcast and for the first time, Windows and Mac. Adaptations for the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance were also released. In 2010, a cut-down port was released on iOS devices.
The game received an Xbox port called Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X, containing exclusive and returning levels from the previous game and a full-on remake called Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, which contains levels from the first two Tony Hawk games and new exclusive content.
The game was met with a tremendous amount of critical and commercial success for its new features. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 was the highest rated game of the decade from its release until 2010. It is the second highest scoring video game ever reviewed behind The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time according to Metacritic. According to GameRankings, it is the twentieth best scoring video game ever.
Gameplay[]
It features the series' trademark open-ended gameplay, in which the player (playing as a professional skateboarder) completes a number of missions which result in cash rewards. With money gained, the player can then purchase skill improvements and better skateboards. It was the first of the Pro Skater games to feature Create-a-Skater and Park Editor features, now a staple in the series.
Some levels in Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2 are designed for the player to complete a set number of tasks in two minutes. Such tasks include finding the S-K-A-T-E letters, high scores and finding a hidden tape somewhere in the level. Each of the non-competition levels contain ten tasks for a player to do. The other type of levels are competition levels.
Game features[]
Manuals[]
THPS2 introduced manuals - a ground breaking move that allowed players to connect different tricks in combo on ground. Default Manual and Nose Manual tricks were assigned to Up+Down and Down+Up combinations, which became standard in the series. Also special manual tricks appeared, such as the Casper, Anti Casper, etc.
Switch Stance/Nollie indicator[]
THPS2 focused a lot on skater stances so that the player had the ability to toggle between Nollie and Switch, which affects trick score. Switch toggle animations that look like such would later be known as Revert.
Balance Meter[]
While balancing in a manual, player can see a balance bar. The GBA version has a balance meter for manuals and grinds. However, the main games didn't provide rail and lip tricks until Pro Skater 3.
Customizable tricks[]
From now on, skater is allowed to setup his tricks, including signature moves known as Specials. More lip tricks were added. All tricks are customizable, except grinds.
Directional double tap tricks[]
These tricks require player to press the direction twice followed by the trick button, thus limited to 4 tricks per trick type. Grind tricks only featured 2 directional double tap tricks: Down+Down+Grind for Bluntslide and Up+Up+Grind for Nosebluntslide. Lip tricks do not have this modification.
Additional grind tricks[]
Default grind tricks are predefined in THPS games and in THPS2 it took its final form, introducing Feeble, Overcrook, etc. which will remain as the default layout onwards.
Cash system[]
Every goal in the career mode is awarded by some amount of cash. Also some collectible cash icons are located all around the levels. There is Tony Hawk's photo on the cash icon. Player is allowed to spend it on stats, tricks and boards. Maximum allowed cash amount is $150,000. However there is a cheat that gives $900,000 to every skater. This system would eventually see its return in THPS4.
Create-A-Skater[]
This new feature allowed the player to customize their own skater, in which features such as appearance and stance could be changed.
Create-A-Park[]
This feature allowed the player to create their own skateparks. It also came with several pre-made levels by Neversoft.
Big Drop[]
The "Big Drop" mechanic appeared in this game, but was dropped in later installments due to criticism from fans. It returned once more in THPSHD, being met with the same reaction. Despite the mechanic being introduced here, it would not be featured in THPS1+2.
Available Characters[]
- Tony Hawk
- Bob Burnquist
- Kareem Campbell
- Rune Glifberg
- Bucky Lasek
- Chad Muska
- Andrew Reynolds
- Geoff Rowley
- Eric Koston
- Steve Caballero
- Elissa Steamer
- Jamie Thomas
- Rodney Mullen
- Officer Dick (unlockable)
- Private Carrera (unlockable)
- Spider-Man (unlockable)
- Trixie (unlockable) (replaces 'Private Carrera'; available on the Xbox and Dreamcast versions)
- Mindy (unlockable) (replaces 'Private Carrera' and 'Officer Dick' only on the GBA version)
Fin K. L. band singers, exclusive to the Korean version:
- Lee Hyo Ri
- Ock Joo Hyun
- Lee Jin
- Sung Yu Ri
Levels[]
- Hangar, Mullet Falls, MT
- School II, Southern CA
- Marseille, France (not included in the GBC version)
- NY City, New York
- Venice, CA (not included in the GBA version)
- Skatestreet, Ventura, CA
- Philadelphia, PA (not included in the GBC or GBA versions)
- Bullring, Mexico (not included in the GBA version)
- Chopper Drop, Hawaii (not included in the GBC or GBA versions)
- Skate Heaven, Outer Space (not included in the GBA version)
PC & iOS Exclusive
- Warehouse, Woodland Hills, CA
- Chicago, Illinois
- Downhill Jam, Mojave County, AZ/Clark County, NV
N64 Exclusive
- Hoffman Factory, Oklahoma City, OK
GBA Exclusive
- Warehouse, Troy, NY
- Rooftops, Boston
Soundtrack[]
- Main article: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2/Soundtrack
Unlike the previous entry's emphasis on underground punk rock and ska for the soundtrack, the soundtrack of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 caters to a more hip-hop feel, while keeping the punk rock intact. 15 songs featured in the game, including bands such as: Rage Against the Machine, Naughty by Nature, and Powerman 5000.
Ports[]
Nintendo 64[]
Much like the previous game, the FMVs and blood are removed.
More changes were made; the pinup girl photos that appear on the loading screens were silhouetted, and the letters no longer have a bleed effect when failing a combo.
Game Boy Advance[]
This is the first of the Tony Hawk games to be released for the Game Boy Advance, where the games on that system would be played in a 2.5D isometric view.
Editions[]
Asian version[]
In the South Korean version, as well as other Asian versions not released in Japan, members of the South Korean pop band FIN.K.L. were featured as playable skaters. Lee Hyo Ri, Ock Joo Hyun, Lee Jin and Sung Yu Ri are playable skaters, and 8 additional songs from FIN.K.L. were included into the main soundtrack on top of the original 15 songs. The game is presented in English-only, unlike other releases.
The FIN.K.L logo was also added to certain objects, if the player skated as one of the members. Completing the game with one of the members is not possible, as the game will crash after obtaining the final gold medal.
Japanese version[]
The Japanese versions of the game varies in changes; the game is translated on Windows version but is in English on the PlayStation version. Strangely, the change is switched on Matt Hoffman's Pro BMX. Additionally, the O and X buttons are swapped much like other games.
Steve Caballero's Gundam '95 board is redrawn, recolored and renamed "Godragon" in order to avoid copyright issues with Sunrise, the studio that produces the Gundam series.
The Japanese version of the Game Boy Advance version renames the game to SK8: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. In addition, they add 3 new skaters to the port; Shin Okada, Junnosuke Yonesaka and Shinnosuke Yonesaka, replacing Andrew Reynolds, Geoff Rowley and Jamie Thomas respectively.
iOS release[]
A cut-down port of the game for iOS devices was released by Activision in 2010.
The version's only playable modes were the Career, Single Session and Free Skate modes. The game's controls were visually displayed on the screen as four virtual buttons and a directional cross. The soundtrack is completely different from other versions of the game.
The game was removed from the App Store in 2014.
Reception[]
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 was met with tremendous amount of critical acclaim.
The PlayStation version of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 has earned Platinum awards from gaming magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly. Because of this, it is the only game in the magazine's history to ever have earned a Platinum award twice (but is only acknowledged as a single game in EGM's records due to the game receiving a 10 from only one reviewer as opposed to the PlayStation game receiving 10s from all 3 of its reviewers). The PlayStation version of the game received a 10 out of 10 from the magazine Game Informer, while the versions for other consoles received lower scores. The Game Boy Advance version received particular acclaim for being an accurate translation of the series.
The Game Boy Color version was better recieved than the first game though it still bore little resemblance to the other versions of the game. The Game Boy Advance version, however, was highly applauded for translating the style and sense of the game accurately into an isometric (pseudo-3D or 2.5D) game.
Trivia[]
- The Marseille and Mexico levels are the first in the Tony Hawk series to take place outside the United States.
- This is the first game in the series to feature the manual which would be a feature in future titles.
- This is the first of three games in the Tony Hawk series where a Marvel character is featured as an unlockable, as Spider-Man appears in this game, whereas Wolverine appears in THPS3, and Iron Man appears in Tony Hawk's Underground.
- Pogo appears as a special air trick ingame, however it would not reappear as a regular manual extension until Tony Hawk's Underground.
External links[]
Gallery[]
| Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main article • Gallery • Soundtrack • Credits • Glitches • Beta elements | |||
| Skaters | Starters | Tony Hawk • Bob Burnquist • Kareem Campbell • Rune Glifberg • Bucky Lasek • Chad Muska • Andrew Reynolds • Geoff Rowley • Eric Koston • Steve Caballero • Elissa Steamer • Jamie Thomas • Rodney Mullen • Lee Hyo Ri** • Ock Joo Hyun** • Lee Jin** • Sung Yu Ri** | |
| Unlockable | Officer Dick • Private Carrera • Spider-Man • Trixie³ | ||
| Levels | Career Mode | Hangar • School II • Marseille • NY City • Venice • Skatestreet • Philadelphia • Bullring • Chopper Drop • Skate Heaven | |
| Bonus | Warehouse¹ • Skate Park, Chicago¹ • Downhill Jam¹ • Hoffman Factory² • Rooftops, Boston³ | ||
| Other | Create-A-Skater • Park Editor • Cheats • Decks • Gap List • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Strategy Guide • Videos | ||
| ¹Exclusive to the Windows/iOS version. ²Exclusive to the Nintendo 64 version. ³Exclusive to the Dreamcast version, and not available in other versions. *Exclusive to the Game Boy Advance version. **Exclusive to the Korean versions. | |||
| Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 levels |
|---|
| Hangar • School II • Marseille • New York • Venice • Skatestreet • Philadelphia • Bullring • Chopper Drop • Skate Heaven • Hoffman Factory • Rooftops, Boston |
| Tony Hawk series | |
|---|---|
| Pro Skater series | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 |
| Story-based games | Tony Hawk's Underground • Tony Hawk's Underground 2 • Tony Hawk's American Wasteland • Tony Hawk's Project 8 • Tony Hawk's Proving Ground |
| Remasters and Remakes | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X • Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 |
| Spin-offs | Tony Hawk's American Sk8land • Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam • Tony Hawk's Motion • Tony Hawk: Ride • Tony Hawk's Shred Session • Tony Hawk's Skate Jam |