Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam for Wii Reviews by Gamers

I found this game to be decent. If you like the other Tony Hawk games, then there isn't any reason to not like this one.

The Wii remote was pretty cool to control with, though sometimes you'd get going the wrong direction and it would be very hard to turn your character around.

I did not like some of the different challenges, but the courses themselves were pretty cool.

Oh, and grinding is VERY easy with the Wii remote now, as you tilt it to keep your balance.

Graphics are also very nice.

I would rent this, but probably not purchase.

Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam is a great start for the Wii. Gameplay is very strong with the user having to turn his "Wii-mote" sideways and use it as if it is almost a steering wheel for your skateboard. The trick lay out is simple using button 1 for flip tricks and button 2 for grab tricks. But I would like to state this game isn't about the tricks. Consider it more as a racer. Really the only reason to do tricks is to fill up your special meter so you can give your wii-mote a little jiggle and you gain a short speed boost. Graphically it is not the best. If you have been playing ps2 and Gamecube still up to this point the game will fit right in graphically, those playing the Xbox 360 for the last year will notice quite a difference in the graphics, but then again that can be said for about all the Wii games, so what do you expect.

Back to the gameplay, while it is rather innovative and fun at first it is downhill the rest of the way. My experience went like this:

~Training level~
"Oh this is pretty cool! Once I get used to it I will like this."

~First level~
"Alright I finished 2nd once I get the controls down I will rock this game!"

~Third level~
"hhhmmmm...... This seems to easy."

~sixth level~
"Where is my Gamefly envelope?"

Honestly the main killer in this game, in my opinion, is that the levels are to blah and very short. The average race time is about 45 seconds. It just leaves an empty feeling of knowing this game could be so much more if the levels where a little longer and planned out a little more.

After all that is said I still think the game is worth a rental to experience the technology involved and see what the Wii is capable of.