Gallant Pig

I really loved Tony Hawk 2 for the Dreamcast. I played it like nuts and got really good at it. Then I got Tony Hawk 2 for the GBA, loved it on that as well. Now I'm renting Tony Hawk 3 on the GCN and I'm somewhat disappointed.

-Framerate issues: Yes I am noticing them. The beginning of levels (the Rio level comes to mind) are jittery in terms of framerate. When you ride by something and flip and stuff, it gets jittery. Not super jittery mind you, but I definitely notice it.

-Level Size: Loved the big levels on TH2. So far, they aren't cutting it yet. OK, I am on the Brazilian level. As I get through the game this could change, this level seems tiny compared to some levels on TH2. I expected all the levels on TH3 to be huge.

-Graphics: The graphics are boring. It feels colorless to me. I wasn't blown away at all on any level yet. Of course this could change, but it seems weird they wouldn't make one of the first three levels look nice.

-Level Design: I consider myself a pretty talented Tony Hawk player. Now I am tripping through these levels. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of design going into these levels.
The textures used for the ground and the ramps is dull and ugly. There seems to be a lot of emphasis on grinding from spot to spot, a la Jet Grind Radio. I love Jet Grind Radio for this, I don't like this on a game that involves skateboarding since that never happens.

-Move upgrades & gameplay: I'm still bothered by the perpetual motion of the skaters, but that's not too big a deal. Some of the new moves are nice and look better, but SOMETIMES when I wipe out, there seems to be very little animation between doing a move and screwing up. So SOMETIMES one second I'm grinding, then I might screw up, and all of a sudden I'm lying on the floor without seeing the go-between animation.

So I'm thinking, why am I so unimpressed with this game. I think this game was designed completely around the PS2, and is a somewhat early generation PS2 game, so it doesn't effectively take advantage of the hardware. Then it was ported, very poorly I might add, to the GCN and even displays stuttering when the GCN should eat this game for lunch. TH2 was designed late in the Dreamcast's evolution, and they took complete advantage of the hardware. So basically these two games are somewhat overlapping in terms of graphics.

What a shame that it couldn't be spruced up significantly for the GCN like TH2 was for the DC. I hope they get it right for the X-Box version.

wedge

I don't know, I've been playing Tony Hawk games since the beginning and TH3 has the best level layouts yet in my opinion. There's a lot of REALLY good lines in them. What will really show you how much better they are now is when you start unlocking levels from the old games after you beat it a few times. The once classic Warehouse level is garbage compared to the TH3 levels.

Kellehair

Tony 2 sucked. Tony 3 rocks. I can't really explain the difference. The games are very similar. Something is definitely different though. Tony 1 was OK BTW.

IIG

Well, the only thing that I can agree about is the framerate issues. Many people say that they have not experienced this on their copies, and I take for their word. On mine however, it does drop pretty consistently in some levels... It doesn't really effect gameplay, but it's annoying like that single ambient sound preventing you from that perfect rest... Activision ought to be ashamed. Still the best Tony Hawk game that I've played (including the PS2 version of Pro Skater 3 because of the better graphics and the analog stick)...

Gallant Pig

I would say the game is "funner" than TH2, and funnier as well. I guess I'm with kellehair here, except vice versa. Looking forward to TH4.

V-ism

I play TH3 on my PS2 and it's so fun. I played this one more than the other two combined. The first few stages are kinda boring, but they get much better later. The only thing I don't like about it, are the Neversoft girls, man they are so ugly. Wish they would have done a little better job on those models.

Trigger

I met Tony Hawk before the Playstation even existed and I can agree that THPS3 isn't as good as 2. I played TH1 when it came out and never really got hooked. 2 came out and I got all into it for some reason. This new one is just too wierd. I like some of the features they've added, but for the most part I think they tweaked it a bit too much and the levels are just more video game-ish rather than being a cool place to skate. I feel like I'm sonic on a mission or something. I have THPS2X for XBOX and I'm a bit unimpressed with the exclusive X missions... the maps are kinda cool (and buggy) but you only get like 5 things to do (like in the first game) and alot of it involves going really high up. If I wanted to get to the top of that building, I'd just use the stairs thank you. Ok - anyway - another pointless post from me...

Gallant Pig

I actually met Tony too, at the Bones Brigade Tour. Along with Lance Mountain, and Ray Barbee. Very cool guys. I agree with everything you said. It feels like Sonic the Hedghog or something.

mtucker

I played the first two Tony Hawk's on the Dreamcast and loved them. When I first started playing THPS3 on the PS2 I noticed right away that it was much faster. I eventually got used to it and I'm now able to pull off combos I never could in THPS1 or 2. I just love that revert - manual combination.

I don't really have a problem with the size of the levels either since most have secret areas that almost double the size (Tokyo comes to mind).

I don't know. I can only speak personally, but I really love this game. Trying to 100% every skater is getting to be a little monotonous since I'm just completing the same goals over and over, but I still like it.

...and are people using the analog stick to play this game? I tried it for about 2 minutes before I had to switch to the D-Pad. I find it much easier to perform the taps and double-taps needed for most tricks.

Draven

I've been using the analog sticks. I don't know why, I just defaulted to them for this game and Twisted Metal: Black. Maybe I'll try the d-pad, since I occasionally have trouble pulling off tricks.

I never played the original or the sequel, but I was looking for a good game and this one got such great reviews on the PS2 that I had to try it out.

I got a friend addicted to. We played for 5 hours straight this past weekend. It's definitely one of the more difficult games I've ever played but we are slowly getting better. Still getting the hang of the revert and the manual, but we've had some wicked grinds in the airport level.

And I haven't noticed any significant framerate issues. I'm not saying they aren't there, but it hasn't been enough to pull me out of the game or miss a trick because of it.

Josh H

I used the analog stick on TH1 & 2 on the Dreamcast and use the analog stick on TH 3 for the Gamecube. I've never had any problems using it, but then again I don't care about getting high scores. I just play the career mode once to unlock all the levels and this just play free skate.

That said, I'm not dissappointed with TH3, but I don't like it nearly as well as the first 2 games. Actually it is a better game than the first 2, it's just that I'm sick of the series. It's basically been the same game with new levels ever since the first one and I guess I don't like the games enough to keep playing it over and over. Plus career mode seemed like a real drag this time through. I just have no fun doing stupid objectives. I just like skating around and seeing what I can do, which is why I just suffer through career mode to open up all the levels so I can do free skate until my heart's content.

mtucker

That's interesting. I was actually thinking last night about starting a poll to see how people play THPS3 (or the series in general I guess).

- Try to 100% every skater.
- Play through Career once to unlock all levels and then free skate.
-etc.

I'm one of the anal completist who isn't quite satisfied until I've done just about everything in a game. At least THPS3 tried to do things a little different by having different placements for things like the "SKATE" letters for different skaters. Maybe they could go a step further by having entire levels devoted to different skaters (vert levels, street levels, etc.)

jeffdsmith

I was slightly disappointed as well. This game obviously reeked of direct PS2 port. I really wished they would have optimized it for the GC.

The level design I felt was on par with the other games.

darkside

I love this game. I've played it through career mode about 15 times and it never gets boring. When you get to some of the later levels like LA and the Cruise Ship you might enjoy it more. I was never very good at the PS version of Tony Hawk 2, but for some reason it just feels right with the Game Cube controller. The frame rate issues don't bother me, but I agree that Activision could have taken care of them by doing a better port for the Game Cube version.

All and all a fun little skateboarding game.

Liver&Onions

Not at all. I loved 1 & 2 o nthe PSX so I picked this one up too... and I love it. I noticed it moves faster than 1 & 2, and I have not noticed a framerate drop...(I have the GCN version). The levels are designed well IMO, and they are made to be skateable...so that way you have a line almost all the time... it's not a skateboarding sim, it's a skateboarding game. I feel they are a good size too, Canada I find to be quite big, the compotition levels(RIO) are smaller, and I think it's justified as it's a competition level anyway.

A very fun game, no matter which console it's on.

IIG

You guys don't like the objectives? Collect S-K-A-T-E, impress the skaters, cannonball over the halfpipe, etc., etc? You guys are no fun...

ChrisKnudsen

I still like THPS3 for the Cube but I still don't find it as fun as the original one for the PSX or Dreamcast (take your pick). In part 3, I actually made a move that scored around 200,000 points (Airport Stage, full grind and full manuel stats, start grinding immediatly at the beginning and use alot of manuels) and in the first one, you get excited when you pull off something like a 50,000 point move (Maybe I just got better) I also just like the original stages better (Nothing will ever beat the original Warehouse, never).

wedge

That just proves the available lines in part 3 are better. It's not you, it's that the new moves (manual/revert) and better lines enable longer combo strings.

I have fond memories of the Warehouse too but honestly, go back and replay it. It's a barren wasteland with only a couple of decent lines compared to the levels in 3.

IIG

To me, the Foundry is the best level of any Hawk game I've ever played... It's just too awesome to be an opening level.

Josh H

I have a stupid question. How do you use the Revert to link tricks? I can do one, but I can't figure out how to keep a combo going with them.

Liver&Onions

As soon as you hit Revert, do a manual... then take that manual into something else...

bdshort

I rented this over the weekend, and it is pretty fun, though it is getting frustrating now, as I'm not that skilled with it, so am having trouble linking up tricks for the really big scores. How big of a score will a GOOD TH3 get on a typical set of tricks? I really dont think I'll get past the airport level before I need to return the game.

Also, re: 2 of the goals on the Foundry... how the heck do you grind the damn_lavapit, and splash the foreman? I've tried just jumping into the water pool, but that doesnt seem to work, and everytime I try to grind the lava pool, I just fall in, or ollie too late and fly over it.

I actually was getting tired of it and went back to GTA3

Brian

darkside

I can pull off 300,000 point combos, but I normally pull them off 50 or 60 thousand at a time. The key is to get a run where you can grind on something, then ollie off and manual, then grind again. Try to string together at least 10 different moves. You can also start by doing an air move off a ramp, reverting at the bottom, then quickly doing a manual, and then grind.

I try to have at least two special grind moves. I might have darkslide as "up down Y" and human dart as "down up Y". When you get your special meter full and do a few special moves in your combo you can get big points.

Michael T Hudson

I picked up the game about a week ago and I love it. It is my first time to play any games in the series so nothing to compare it to. My biggest combo was like 20,000. I think it is a game you could play for a long time without getting bored. And I love the soundtrack.

DaveNinja

I'm liking TH3 for the Cube better htan one or twqo for the DC. SO far i've got the Tokyo without a cheat code (which i could do in the other games). I think i'm better with the GC controller, no nintendo-nitis for me.

On the foundary, how do you get the hidden tape? i keep trying to go on the cat walk til i get to the part where i jump out a window and then grind on something, but i never hit anything to grind, is this even the correct way to get the hidden tape?

Also on suburbia, i can seem to get that hidden tape. i found the way to the top of the haunted house but can figure where to jump off from there.

thanks
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