TBT: Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2

Thoughts On Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2

playstationlifestyle.net

So the other day, Complex magazine put out a list of the 25 Best Playstation 1 Video Games of all time. And while looking through the list I saw the usual suspects on any list of best PS1 games (Twisted Metal, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, etc.), but there was one game on the list that I completely forgot about and insulted that I forgot about it was Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 (THPS2). Out of all the sports games I’ve played, The Pro Skater series were my absolute favorite games to play, but it was Tony Pro Skater 2 that really got me into the series.

giantbomb.com

THPS2 came out on September 20^th, 2000. Now I’d be lying to you if I said that around that time I was a huge pro skateboarding fan because I really wasn’t.  I had no idea that pro skateboarding really existed and who Tony Hawk was until I started watching the X Games, more specifically the 1999 Summer X Games. I watched Tony Hawk land The 900 (900-degree spin) and that was the most amazing feat I ever witnessed on television. Yeah it took eleven attempts to pull it off, but I don’t care, it was still an amazing sight to see. That moment made me a fan of the sport so when THPS2 came out the following year, I was hooked.

whatculture.com

The game featured open-ended gameplay (a series trademark in all the Pro Skater games) in which you picked a pro skater or created skater of your own, and complete a series of challenges/missions that results in cash rewards. There are also certain tasks within those missions that you have to find and complete. For example, one task involves finding a hidden videotape that’s located somewhere on a specific level. Another example would have you finding letters that spell out S-K-A-T-E. Another awesome feature that was added to the game is the ability to create your own level called park editor and that was one of the many features that stand out in THPS2.

amazon.com

The Tony Hawk Pro Skater series was a game changer in sports gaming that was dominated by the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, and Pro Wrestling. THPS2 stands out to me as one of the best sports games in history because it featured amazing gameplay, excellent controls that made the skating experience in the game awesome, and it featured a cool soundtrack that was a staple in all the Pro Skater games. I’m still insulted that I forgot about this game because I had put in tons of hours playing this game and I have such fond memories of it.

#keepitnerdy

Written By: Justin Cooper (@ItsMrCooper82)

References:

Tony Hawk’s Games Wiki: http://tonyhawkgames.wikia.com/wiki/Tony_Hawk's_Pro_Skater_2

TBT With Tekken 2

On My Love & Obsession With Tekken 2

emu.kulicki.net

One of my fondest memories of the PS1 era was my love and obsession with Tekken 2. I mean who wouldn’t love it, especially when the game has the most awesome intro in fighting game history. Yeah, I said it! I mean seriously, tell me this intro gets you hyped to play it. Tekken 2 was one of the few games I had on the old the Playstation and was one game (next to Street Fighter Alpha) I played non-stop. Now I did play the original Tekken, which was fun and considered to be a surprise hit for Namco, but it didn’t even compare to how much fun I had playing Tekken 2.

fightersgeneration.com

The story of Tekken 2 revolves around the father and son relationship between Heihachi and Kazuya Mishima that started in the first game with Kazuya throwing his father off a cliff (spoiler) and taking over leadership of the powerful Mishima Zaibatsu. As the leader, Kazuya has made enemies of many people across the world due to his illegal dealings such as kidnappings, extortion, blackmail, etc. One of his most hated enemies (besides Heihachi) is the animal rights fundamentalist, Jun Kazama. Jun was supposed to arrest Kazuya but wound up being attracted to him or should I say the devil powers inside Kazuya and she winds up being pregnant with his child Jin.

To conclude this story, Kazuya finds out Heihachi survived being thrown off a cliff (and survives near death many times after that) and is out for revenge. An epic fight takes place between the two with Heihachi coming out on top and this time throwing his son into a volcano setting up the events in Tekken 3 but that’s another throwback/retro article for another day.

ps1isos.net

What made me obsessed with this game when it came out in 1996 besides the gameplay (which was a lot smoother than the first game), the overall intro and presentation, but the characters that were featured in Tekken 2. Every character had a deep list of moves and combos that made the game stand out as being more of a realistic fighting game compared to its competitors. My favorite character in the game at the time was King. As a King player, it gave me more of an incentive to learn his moves especially his chain throw combos.

techmynd.com

Tekken 2 was the first game where I really had to learn about certain characters, memorize their move-sets, and positioning my character in a game and not getting your ass kicked after a few moves. This game made me a fan of this amazing series and with Tekken 7 on the horizon; I look forward to continuing enjoying the Tekken experience.

#keepitnerdy

Written By: Justin Cooper (@ItsMrCooper82)

References:

Fighters Generation: http://www.fightersgeneration.com/main.htm

The Tekken Wiki: http://tekken.wikia.com/wiki/Tekken_2