Title: Tony Hawk?s Pro Skater 3

System: Sony PlayStation 2

Developed by: Neversoft

Published by: Activision

Suggested Retail Price: $49.99

Available: Now

ESRB Rating: Teen (13+) ? Blood, Mild Lyrics, Suggestive Themes

When I brought this game home, I played it for six hours straight. Okay, so maybe I?m just a big loser with nothing else to do ? or maybe it?s just one of the coolest games ever.

This game gets you pumped right from the start, with a live-action demo of some unbelievable moves flawlessly executed by the cream of the skating crop, set to Motorhead?s “Ace of Spades.”

The first step is to choose a character. In addition to Tony Hawk, there are 12 other pre-set characters based on real-life skaters such as Bam Margera, Steve Caballero and Jaime Thomas.

Another option is to use Create-A-Skater. To say there are trillions of possible characters hardly makes a dent in the actual figure. Variables like facial features, tattoos and scars let the player get more creative than most games.

There are four main modes of play: free skate, single session, two player and career. Free skate allows the player to mess around and learn some moves. Single session is a short, goal-oriented run. Two player allows friends to face off in several battle scenarios. In career, there are nine levels, each of which takes about four hours to complete ? “Skater Island,” a warehouse full of ramps, rails, half pipes and pools, is a personal favorite.

Most levels have around 10 goals, three of which must be completed to move on to the next level. A few of the levels, however, are competitions. In these, you must place at least third in order to move on.

The soundtrack is perfect for skating, ranging from classic punk to funky rap. My only complaint is that the 20-song loop gets a little old after a couple hundred hours of gameplay.

The fluid, detailed graphics are also a plus, but where this game really sets itself apart is in the play control. The game allows players to develop a synthetic ?feel? for skating that is unparalleled and highly addictive. The maneuvering possibilities are endless ? a simple half pipe is playable for hours.

There are some really fun cheats available including tiny and giant modes, where the characters? heights can jump from one foot to 20 feet, and moon gravity mode, which simulates zero gravity.

In 18 years of playing video games, this game is the most fun I?ve come across. Buy it; you won?t regret it.