THUG 2 Remix - April 19, 2005

Just in case you missed "Tony Hawk Underground 2's" release on every major console last fall, the good people at Activision have ported it over for the PSP, and "THUG 2 Remix" is nearly identical in every way to its TV-tethered counterpart.

Many titles enjoy simultaneous releases on GameCube, Xbox, PS2, and Gameboy Advance. The games on the home console are virtually identical to each other, but the GBA edition of the same game, while sharing the title and similar themes, often differs slightly in gameplay and vastly in the graphics department. "Remix" breaks this handheld trend.

While technically impressive, this feat is really a double-edged sword. First of all the game is an absolute joy to look at, featuring dynamic lighting, texture mapping, and all the bells and whistles you'd find at home. Skaters are fluidly animated and nicely detailed. The true 3D environments are astonishing to behold on a handheld device.

The sound department is more than up to snuff as well. Fifty-plus songs, fair environmental effects and voice-acting are all CD quality. However, you won't be able to enjoy the sound as much without headphones.

This is the same game many played to death in October. The challenges, cutscenes, story (if you can call it that), levels and skaters are nearly identical. Anybody that is familiar with "THUG 2" will not gain much from "Remix," and some things do suffer in translation.

The biggest problem is the different type of controls. The lack of a true analog stick becomes annoying during some challenges. The "nub" works well enough, but despite your preference you will be using the D-pad. The complete absence of a second type of right hand control means that the camera is entirely out of your control. While this isn't a problem most of the time, there are some excruciatingly frustrating bits that will have you throwing your PSP against a wall. Even though "Remix" is graphically superior to every other handheld game out there (except some other PSP titles) the imagery is not PS2 quality; close, but not quite.

Other than that, "Remix" has the same hits and misses of the console version. It's terribly juvenile. Mature gamers may question the bits about vandalizing property by one method or another and their purpose in a skateboarding game. And the Jackass/Viva la Bam/other MTV shows that are still popular for some reason may put you off. But this is the skateboarding culture the game makers wish to perpetuate and we buy it. The bottom line is that this is a fully featured Tony Hawk game in your pocket. Take it or leave it, just don't expect anything new.