Street Skater 2 - PlayStation

Growing from the experience learnt on the first version, the programmers have managed to develop their ideas further. The game now boasts a skate park editor, allowing you to devise skate parks for practice or to set up challenges with friends.

The courses have not only grown, but also changed location, you now have the chance to race in London, Moscow and Washington, DC to name a few, and rather than slowly build up to a larger, more challenging course, EA have opted for big is beautiful, with each level taking some practice to get all the way through.

As well as expanding the courses, the programmers have granted the player more control. You are now given the option of choosing manual or automatic tricks. Play manual and your chance to show your creativity is expanded; choose the automatic trick setting and you will not only get familiar with the courses, but also have the feeling you are playing the original.

When a sequel comes along, it has a very hard job. It has to remain faithful to the original, yet at the same time grow into something new, something better. What Street Skater has managed to do is grow into a game that compliments the first version, creating something that could happily live side by side with its predecessor rather than relegate it to the second-hand shop. --Stuart Miles