Skateboardin'
reviewed by Tim Duarte
I reviewed Skateboardin' way back in (print) issue 2 and stated it was a must for any Atari 2600 fan: It's challenging and one of the best games ever designed for the 2600. On your trusty skateboard, you have to make your way to school in five minutes or under. There are obstacles in your way. This is where you have to show off your skateboarding skills. There is a total of 30 ramps and tubes which block your route to school. To ìconquerî the ramps, you simply "line up" with the ramp and go over it. The tubes are a bit trickier because you cannot skate through them standing up. You have to crouch down on your skateboard in order to fit through the opening. Other obstacles, such as grass, hurdles, rails, and walls, must be avoided or you will come to a complete stop. Despite crouching, controlling your skateboard is easy: Just push the joystick in the direction that you want to go. To crouch, you have to push the button and hold it down. This can be annoying because it takes a few seconds for your player to crouch down. Many times Iíve smashed into a tube because of this delay. Once you know the route, youíll be able to anticipate upcoming tubes. This is one game in which two separate fire buttons would make the game easier. However, the 2600 was designed with one fire button on the joystick. There's not much we can do about that.
As the time counts down, you'll notice all kinds of things as you cruise. There's even a street at the very top of the route. Every once and a while a truck passes by and comes to a complete stop. Hitch yourself on to the back bumper and you'll get a free ride! Once you let go of the truck, be prepared to do some quick maneuvering. By getting a free ride, you'll pick up speed and you really move - and I mean move - once you let go. I felt like Michael J. Fox in the movie Back to the Future. Another surprise is the music that plays as you cruise along. Who said 2600 games donít have music?
The solution and map for Skateboardin' was published in issue 18. Click here to view the solution to Skateboardin' Programmer David Crane created and programmed this gem for the 2600. He also programmed an extended version, called Super Skateboardin', for the Atari 7800.
Get your own Free Home Page