First, take any console port of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, bump the framerate up to 60fps, and keep the super tight gameplay intact. Then replace the textures with near photo-realistic versions, smooth out the polygon models and eliminate all traces of fog or draw-in. Next, spread on a think layer of real-time lighting, new special effects, and a hint of anti-aliasing. Lastly, toss in all the levels from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 along with five brand new levels, and Voila! You now have the recipe for the ultimate Tony Hawk's Pro Skater compilation, or in other words, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x for the Xbox.

I didn't really know what to expect when Activision announced they would be bringing an enhanced version of THPS2 to the Xbox. Better graphics were expected of course, but the inclusion of all the original levels along with 5 new exclusive levels, just sealed the deal. I've played nearly every version of THPS 2 out there and none can hold a candle to 2x.

Visually, Treyarch did an exceptional job in enhancing and remixing the graphics. The textures really ARE that good. Bricks look just like real bricks, wood looks just like wood.. eh, you get the idea. The thing that came to mind when first playing 2x, was the mockups of what the Dreamcast port of the original THPS was supposed to look like. Great lighting and shadows can be found everywhere, and they really give the game a certain pre-rendered quality. The characters are constructed of more polygons and as a result are even more seamless. The additional polys also help the locations themselves look more natural, rounded and organic. So how does the game compare to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 on the PlayStation 2? Quite favorably, and in some ways it fares even better. THPS3 has much, much larger and more detailed environments, all of which with a lot more going on. THPS2x, however, has lighting that is easily as well done along with textures that are way above the quality found in 3.

The game sounds about how it did in the Dreamcast version, though the mix of songs is different. The effects and voice samples are definitely of a higher quality. Overall, anyone with a decent home theatre setup should appreciate the upgrade.

If you have played any of the Tony Hawk games in the past, you know exactly how 2x plays. The 60fps framerate definitely makes the whole game flow much more smoothly and I found myself more accurately pulling off tricks and combos as a result. The new levels, while not designed quite as tightly as most of the originals, are still great additions with plenty to see and do. The tricks, combos and overall gameplay scheme are identical to THPS2, right down to the Manuals and individual Special Techniques. When replaying the THPS1 levels with the expanded cache of tricks and techniques, expect to rack up some ridiculously high scores. The Xbox control pad works out fine with the game, especially if you are used to playing either of the Dreamcast versions.

The same play modes you have grown to love are all included in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x. There are a few additional multiplayer modes however, one being the support for LAN play. If you are willing to lug your Xbox to a friend's house, you can hook up both together and play full-screen against one another. It is also possible for the 2 networked Xboxes to support 4 players each, thus giving you 8 player simultaneous action.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x is definitely not better than the 3rd game in the series, nor would I suggest picking up this game over that. THPS2x is a great game for those who are either huge fans of the series, or who have not yet played the original games when they were first released. It also serves as a good indication of what THPS3 will be like on the 'box. If you already know the previous title like the back of your hand, and have already moved on to the more advanced THPS3, then you will probably find 2x to be at the very least a great rental.