So you want to be a skateboard legend and revel in the comparisons to the likes of Tony Hawk and Rob Dyrdek? Well, then prepare your body and mind to fearlessly smash the tricks out the local skate parks and establish your name in the game.

Realistic Control Scheme is undeniable; Customization of parks and logos; All elements blend together masterfully

Player models need more expression; Learning curve requires patience; May not be enough for Skate 2 owners

After Tony Hawk: Ride massively disappointed, it was a foregone conclusion that Skate 3 would be the best new skateboarding game in town. Even if its chief rival has set a low standard, developer EA Black Box should be praised for sticking to a tried-and-true gameplay formula while finding new ways...

Beautifully-designed controls lead to rewarding gameplay; Cooperative play and team atmosphere will make you want to skate online; Balanced and pleasantly diverse soundtrack

Visuals haven't improved much since Skate 2; Hall of Meat antics look a bit too silly; Still a formidable challenge for casual gamers

Grab a board and hit the streets of Port Carverton in this Skate 3 video review with Justin Calvert.

Skate 3 doesn't reinvent the wheels. Nor does it reinvent the decks, the trucks, or any other aspect of the Skate series. This sequel is as noteworthy for the features that it cuts from Skate 2 as it is for those that it introduces, yet this is still a better game than its predecessor.

Adds more tricks to the Skate repertoire; Powerful park editor is easy to use; Robust online features; including team events; Two levels of completion for every challenge

Noticeably inconsistent frame rate; AI of pedestrians and other skaters is all over the place

Other console/handheld formats: Xbox 360 Hey, you! Internet dweller person! Do you know your kickflip from your nollie? How about your varial nosegrab from your backside face plant? If you do, well, this game is for you. If you don't, get with the times, grandpa! Gnarly!

Skate 3 features an all-new co-op mode where teammates can complete challenges together while advancing each other's careers. From rewarding epic bails and fails with a beefed up Hall of Meat mode to honing your craft with the all-new Skate School, players of all skill levels have multiple ways to...

There is something to be said about the feeling you get playing a new gaming experience. When skate first showed up it was unlike anything before it and totally up-ended the long-standing heavyweight in the genre: Tony Hawk.

The first Skate burst onto the scene back in 2007 with its analog stick-driven flick-it controls, effectively sending the Tony Hawk franchise into retirement. It was an incredibly realistic take on the sport, but its bag of tricks was a bit empty.

Skate 3 was reviewed on the Xbox 360 . What a difference a generation in the video game industry makes. It used to be that the first and foremost franchise in skateboarding was Tony Hawk , but now on its third title, EA's Skate series has made a worthwhile stake to the crown.

Skate 2 was all about becoming a big shot skater, working from the ground up to build a name for yourself. It echoed the path of the franchise itself, with EA having to establish the series as a contender in a market ruled by Tony Hawk.