Tony Hawk's American Wasteland - PlayStation 2

This outing sees a number of cool new additions, including the ability to switch to BMXs for the entire game, an expansive (and load time-free) Los Angeles cityscape, more tricks and moves than ever before and improved “Freak Out” abilities that see your rider destroying their board post-wipeout in a series of increasingly comical exercises in deck destruction.

Finally, the inclusion of in-game shops throw up a raft of customisation options from tattoos to clothing, and the soundtrack features a slew of decent tracks, including a remix from none other than Tony Hawk himself.

The lowdown:
Although you can now also ride a bike, the familiar and understandably unchanged control system is as tight and responsive as ever and with the additional freedom to roam, enormous combinations of tricks are slightly easier to achieve than before. Graphically this is very much business as usual, although the Xbox 360 remix naturally looks by far the sexiest.

Most exciting moment:
Finding rails, cables, benches and vehicles to grind the hell out of has never been easier or more satisfying, and combined with the new handstand tricks can produce some memorable combos.

Since you ask:
As well as original music by artists from Chemical Brothers to Sham 69, American Wasteland will also feature an unreleased Tony Hawk remix of Bloc Party’s “Like Eating Glass”.

The bottom line:
It’s Tony Hawk pumped up and ready for action.
Nick Gillett Note the nice border work on the bedding plants Believes green hair is an anti-authority statement (his mum dyed it for him) A freak accident had deprived him of the ability to rotate his head He hadn't seen Pulp Fiction, and foolishly agreed to change his "digs" in the basement