The Pocket Gamer Extreme DS Skate-a-thon: Tony Hawk's Motion vs Skate It DS

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The Pocket Gamer Extreme DS Skate-a-thon: Tony Hawk's Motion vs Skate It

Who's going to hit the deck in our head-to-head?

by Damien McFerran

Cowabunga, dudes! When two tribes go to war, you know there's only one way to decide who's best: a good, old fashioned skate-off. So in the red corner we have Tony Hawk's Motion – a battle-worn skating veteran boasting over a decade of awesome experience.

In the blue corner, there's EA's Skate It – the plucky newcomer with everything to prove and nothin' to lose. So tighten your kneepads, strap on that helmet and ensure you've got plenty of plasters at the ready – this is going to be an intense competition!

Round 1: Graphics Grind Session

The crowd's unruly but things finally settle down as the two rivals take to the arena. Maybe it's the strain of his fourth consecutive annual outing on DS, but the long and illustrious lineage appears to hang heavy on its digital shoulders of Tony Hawk's Motion, whereas EA's fresh-faced youngster Skate It – in its DS debut – flashes a cheeky smile to the female members of the throng before performing a radical ollie and grinding effortlessly down a set of railings.

Tony Hawk's Motion, in somewhat haggard and tatty 3D clothing, attempts to do the same but ends up jaw-first in the concrete. Someone in the crowd films the pitiful event and quickly emails it onto YouTube. Busted!

Result: Skate It wins. Tony Hawk's Motion receives medical attention for a nasty gash.

Round 2: Controlling the Half-Pipe

If you're going to make it anywhere in the world of professional skateboarding then you've gotta have supreme control of your deck. This is one area where the Tony Hawk series has traditionally done well, but there's more than a few surprised faces in the crowd as the latest DS instalment hobbles into position to take its first run at the half-pipe.

Sporting an ill-advised 'motion control' interface, the opening attempt ends in disaster. Surprisingly, a chorus of gasps fills the auditorium. Clearly the experiment with a new control method has addled the veteran's mind. Thankfully EA's challenger ensures the gathered fans don't feel entirely short-changed by putting on a most excellent display of gnarly (yet slightly unorthodox) stylus-controlled stunt work. Awesome!

Result: Skate It wins. Tony Hawk's Motion needs its thumbs splinted.

Round 3: Gameplay Skate-Off

After flunking the first two events in embarrassing fashion, it's clear the once-proud Tony Hawk's Motion now has crippling confidence issues.

But hey, the next round is all about enjoyment, and if the Hawk franchise has given skating fans one thing over the past decade, it's most excellent fun and giggles. Surely EA's upstart can't hope to compete in this round, given its unfortunate lack of experience? That's what dedicated Hawk aficionados are thinking right now, but the early signs aren't encouraging.

EA's newcomer effortlessly strings together a bodacious series of tricks, making the crowd more excited with each glorious kick-flip. Tony Hawk's Motion struggles to maintain balance and has to bail, but not before flaunting its new-fandled Hue Pixel Painter – something that has nothing to do with skating. Was that a boo we heard?

Result: Skate It wins out again. Tony Hawk's Motion receives an ego-massage from the physio.

Round 4: Multiplayer Trick Session

The final round is here and the two competitors couldn't look any more different. EA's Skate It is calm and collected, with only a few minor bumps and bruises to show for its sterling efforts. On the other hand, Tony Hawk's Motion is battered, bloodied and depressed, barely able to summon the energy to stand.

The next round will see how well our contestants interact with others, and as if to keep the pattern of the tournament intact, EA's entrant effortlessly shares the love with fellow skaters using the wireless connection. Such is the newcomer's enthusiasm for social play, it even offers up some of its pre-designed custom skate parks for friends to try out – totally sporting!

Tony Hawk's Motion is totally bummed out. For reasons that have not yet been fully revealed, it contains no multiplayer modes whatsoever and hobbles off in solitary agony to sit the round out.

Result: Skate It wins. Tony Hawk's Motion is loved only by its mother.

Conclusion: Skate It 4 - 0 Tony Hawk's Motion

Whoa dudes, talk about a shock result! When the fans lined up to see these two rivals go head-to-head, the smart money would have surely been on the revered Hawk brand, but in its first portable outing EA's Skate It has swept the board and made the incumbent look old and foolish. It surely can't be the end for The Birdman, can it?

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