ESPN X Games Skateboarding

ESPN X Games Skateboarding is a video game developed by Konami for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance. The PlayStation 2 version was released in North America on August 13, 2001, in Japan on September 20, 2001, and in Europe on January 25, 2002, while the Game Boy Advance version was released in North America on September 12, 2001, in Japan on October 25, and in Europe on November 16. A release was planned in Australia, but was ultimately canceled.[1] The game was released as part of Konami's ESPN The Games brand.[2]

ESPN X Games Skateboarding
North American PS2 cover art
Developer(s)Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka (PS2)
Konami Honolulu Studio (GBA)
Publisher(s)Konami
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: August 14, 2001
  • JP: September 20, 2001
  • EU: January 25, 2002
Game Boy Advance
  • NA: September 12, 2001
  • JP: October 25, 2001
  • EU: November 16, 2001
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player and Multiplayer

Default skaters

Unlockable skaters

  • Rollie McNulty
  • Kaiell Williams

Soundtrack

Gameplay

Aside from the practice, multiplayer, and free skate modes,[3] players can participate in an X Games competition in either street or vert. In X Games, players attempt to earn the highest score within a one-minute time limit. One of the playable levels is inspired by the halfpipe used in X Games Six.[4] The game also has an arcade mode, where players roam levels and complete various goals, and collecting spinning X Games logos, which unlocks other playable levels.[5]

In the Game Boy Advance version, players increase their attributes via the X-Rage meter, where players fill up the meter by performing tricks, which later will cause a coin to appear on the halfpipe. After the player grabs the coin, they're flown higher into the air, and players are to perform a 10-trick combo. If the player successfully accomplishes this, gems will fall down onto the halfpipe, which players can collect. If players grab enough gems of a particular color, the skater the player is playing as will have his attributes raised in a specific section.[6]

Reception

In Japan, Famitsu gave the PlayStation 2 version a score of 33 out of 40.[11] The game itself received more mixed reviews in the West, however, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[7][8] David Smith of IGN praised the ESPN integration of the PS2 version, while criticizing the aforementioned inconsistent graphics throughout the levels in arcade mode.[17] Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot also criticized the graphics of the same console version, along with the controls.[5] Jim Preston of NextGen compared the game to "plain vanilla [yogurt] without the sprinkles."[18]

Craig Harris of IGN praised the presentation of the GBA version, and unlike the PS2 version, gave a higher score for the graphics, but Harris would also criticize the overall gameplay and potential lasting appeal.[6] Frank Provo of GameSpot said of the same handheld version, "It is really too bad that the park competition is so incomplete and lackluster, as it virtually ensures that few people will ever purchase the game and experience the sheer joy of the more magically delicious vert competition."[15] In Japan, however, Famitsu gave it a score of 25 out of 40.[10]

See also

References
  1. "ESPN X Games Skateboarding - PlayStation 2". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  2. IGN staff (August 6, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding (Preview)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  3. "ESPN X Games Skateboarding". PlayStation.com. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  4. GameSpot staff (March 8, 2001). "First Look: ESPN X Games Skateboarding PS2". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  5. Gerstmann, Jeff (August 14, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  6. Harris, Craig (September 27, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding (GBA)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  7. "ESPN X Games Skateboarding for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  8. "ESPN X Games Skateboarding for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  9. EGM staff (September 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding (PS2)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 147. Ziff Davis. p. 141.
  10. "ESPN X Games Skateboarding [GBA]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  11. "プレイステーション2 - ESPN XGames Skateboarding". Famitsu (in Japanese). Vol. 915. Enterbrain. June 30, 2006. p. 65. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  12. Fitzloff, Jay (September 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding (PS2)". Game Informer. No. 101. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on May 28, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  13. Dan Elektro (August 31, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  14. Dr. Moo (August 19, 2001). "ESPN X-Games Skateboarding Review (PS2)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  15. Provo, Frank (September 17, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding Review (GBA)". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  16. Galway, Benjamin (August 17, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding". PlanetPS2. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 3, 2002. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  17. Smith, David (August 15, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  18. Preston, Jim (October 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding (PS2)". NextGen. No. 82. Imagine Media. p. 75. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  19. "ESPN X Games Skateboarding". Nintendo Power. Vol. 149. Nintendo of America. October 2001.
  20. "ESPN X Games Skateboarding". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 49. Ziff Davis. October 2001. p. 135.
  21. Alt, Eric (August 29, 2001). "ESPN X Games Skateboarding (PS2)". Maxim. MaximNet, Inc. Archived from the original on December 29, 2001. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
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