Forget poncey couples in sequinned catsuits gliding around to classical music - this is what real skating's all about.
Catherine Channon

When Tony Hawk first attempted his now famous 900-degree turn, it would have been a brave man who held a protractor between his legs. A living legend within the skate community, there's no better choice of personality for this - a slick arcade take on boarding.

One of the most refreshingly different features of THS, is that unlike most other celebrity-endorsed sports games, it's clear that Hawk really cares. Rather than just hanging around for a few obligatory press shots and pre-scripted sound bites, he's taken an active interest in the game - and it shows. The games' authenticity is unquestionable, it's easily the nearest you can currently get to the real thing, and much of it is down to Hawk's involvement in the motion capture process. The animation extends to spectacular tricks, falls, and air that's fatter than a Camberwell Carrot.

In fact, there's very little to compare it to: EA's Street Skater is, upon reflection, a comical adversary. And, although Cool Boarders 3 boasts plenty of moves, you have to travel all the way back to Atari's dire 720 to find a bona fide skate game. Don't waste your time with rivals though, for THS offers sharper graphics, more involving gameplay and a better sound track than any pretender to its throne (no matter how tenuous their link to boarding).

Not so much addictive as compulsive - the more you play, the more impressive the tricks you discover and consequently the greater the sense of satisfaction. Indeed, achieving some of the more complex mid-air manoeuvres while in competition is a feeling that's hard to beat.