Excelent pick up and play game. Perfect for any DS owner.
There are alot of modes you can play in on THAS, including the usual 'Story' 'Classic mode' 'Freeskate', but new ones obviously including the 'online' play.
The story line on THAS is good, but at times can be a bit cheesy. You basically meet Tony Hawk and go all around America getting money for a skatepark which is endanger of closing. You have to complete simple challenges along the way which earn you money, so you can buy new ramps, grind boxes etc.
The story is good, but can be very short. I completed it in about an hour, which isnt very long, but the online play really makes up for it.
You go through different towns and locations, each with very colourful maps and interesting details. The maps are very fun to ride, they each have their own characteristics, and are very detailed.
The graphics are very good for the DS. Instead of trying to make them realistic and failing, they made the graphics colourful, but succeded in making them look good.
The music is also good. A good selection of modern punk rock, which really gets you in the skateboarding feel. I dont really know any of the bands, but i did pick out Green Day - Holiday.
Gameplay is excelent. Doing tricks is very easy, but doing good tricks takes a bit of effort. You can do the usual stuff, grinds, lip tricks, and air tricks. The controls are very easy to use. If you have played the Playstation Tony Hawks, the controls are relativly the same, but with the added touch screen.
The touch screen isnt used alot in the game, which i feel is very good. All the touch screen used for is to 'Freak Out' and to design your deck. Freak Out is where if you fall off your skateboard while doing a good trick, you have to touch three bars. The bars are moving up and down, and the aim is to get them all at the top.
The ability to design your own deck is very good. There is a good range of colours and it is very easy to design a slick looking deck.
I'll move onto the online play.
The ablility to play online is the best factor of the game. Once connected to NWC, you are given a login name and password which you log onto the THAS website.
You can then either play with your friends by adding them to your frineds list, or you can play a random person. When your are playing with a person, it starts in FreeSkate mode, and you can freeskate and get points, or you can go into challenge mode. Press start and select a challenge. Theres alot of modes to chose from, but they all center around getting more points than your opponent.
The gamplay in online mode is no different, its not slower or changed, which is very very good. You also have the ability to record a freak out sound. The sound is played evertime you freakout, and some people often abuse this, and record silly and abusive messages, which can often be very funny.
To sum up, if you own a DS, this game is a must. If you have a DS and a WiFi connection, you are not complete without this game, lol.
Very good game, very good graphics, worth very last penny.
...Koopa...