Tony Hawk SHRED Review {Great Gift Idea}

What lets you score big air, even bigger tricks, and is on every boys  wish list this Christmas?  Tony Hawk SHRED of course! Tony Hawk SHRED is the latest offering in the super charged, adrenaline pumping, world of action sports video games.  The follow-up to last year’s RIDE game, Tony Hawk SHRED takes players on a big air, trick filled, super ride in not just one, but two disciplines; skateboarding and snowboarding!  Game play centers around the use of SHRED’s skate/snowboard controller which is completely dependent on the rider to pull off gnarly kickflips and killer grinds by moving the board as you would a real skateboard or snowboard.  Available for PlayStation 3, XBOX 360, and Wii Tony Hawk SHRED is sure to be a smash hit this holiday season!  Sound like fun? 

Here’s some more information about the game from the official SHRED website:

Tony Hawk®: SHRED’s motion sensing skateboard/snowboard allows players to control the action with their feet to perform amazing tricks in the game. Using the board as a skateboard, clear huge gaps, hit massive drops, and ride out roller coaster grinds. Using the board as a snowboard, speed down mountain peaks filled with breathtaking big airs, crazy spins and incredible flips. The game’s intuitive controls and multiple difficulty levels make it easy to pick up and play. It’s time to SHRED.

The Board

At first glance the skateboard controller looks like a regular skateboard (sans wheels), but upon closer inspection you notice that there are several “smart sensors” located all around the board, these sensors allow the gamer to push for speed, execute amazing grabs and set up for larger than life tricks.  The board works using motion sensing technology allowing the rider to rotate, lift, and tilt the board to pull off tricks.  The board’s gritty surface mimics a real skateboard and allows for traction during game play as with a real board, the curved bottom of the board allows for stability and full range of motion during game play.

One of the “smart sensors”   

The Characters

Aside from Tony Hawk (who I always insist on being when I play) Tony Hawk SHRED features a cast of characters straight out of the X Games.  Louie Vito, Geoff Rowley, Chaz Ortiz, Lyn Z Adams Hawkins, and Shaun White to name a few, game play can be different each and every time you play!

The Locations

One of my favorite parts of any Tony Hawk game are the different locations and levels of play.  SHRED features locations including New Orleans, Hawaii, Greece, French Alps, Melbourne and many, many more!

Game Play

Grab big air and pull off the sickest tricks throughout the many different levels and locations of the Tony Hawk SHRED game.  Learn how to skate like a pro by utilizing the many tutorials before hitting the streets or the slopes to shred!

Me learning how to skate with the tutorials

I have to be honest here and tell you that I am a TOTAL Tony Hawk fan!  I have loved (and kicked butt at) every Tony Hawk game around so the opportunity for me to test out this game was a blast for me!  Let me start by admitting that yes, I played, I mean tested this game before anyone else in my family got a chance, you know for the sake of my review and all.  And since I’m admitting stuff I might as well go ahead and admit that I kinda, sorta used to know how to ride a skateboard and do a couple of tricks, (one of my cousins spent his entire summer one year teaching me) though it has been ages since I’ve actually been on a skateboard and successfully pulled off a trick. 

When I first stepped on the board to go through the tutorials it was kind of awkward for me, as a result it was a little difficult to get my board to do exactly what I wanted it to do.  After many trails and errors I finally got the hang of how I was supposed to move my board and I was doing tricks in no time…which was majorly cool I might add.  When I finally got to hit the streets I was quickly moving through the areas and racking up major points doing what I do best with Tony Hawk games…grinding!  My husband even got in on the act and commented, “this is cool…it’s like a mini-workout”.

My husband demonstrating how to do an ollie

There is no doubt in my mind that this game will be a HUGE hit with boys (and a lot of girls) and it’s the perfect addition to your gaming arsenal!  If you have tween/teen boys and girls at your house you have to check out Tony Hawk SHRED…chances are really good that they already have  this on their holiday wish lists!

Buy it!

Tony Hawk SHRED is available at GameStop, Walmart, Toys ‘R’ Us, online at Amazon (Tony Hawk: Shred Bundle) and wherever video games are sold! 

Make sure you check out Tony Hawk SHRED and tons of other great holiday gift ideas in Misadventures in Baby Raising’s 2010 Holiday Gift Guide!