4. Tony Hawk's Underground [Video Game]

1. Bibliographic Information
Neversoft. (2004). Tony Hawk’s underground. [Video Game]. United States: Activism, Inc.

Rated Teen for Blood, Mild Violence, Strong Language, and Suggestive Themes

Console Played on: Playstation 2

Also available for Game Cube, Game Boy Advance, and Xbox.

ISBN: 1-58416-576-6

2. Plot Summary
Tony Hawk’s Underground begins with the ability to customize your player and skateboard. Users chose from a variety of aspects including face, clothing, and so forth. When you continue, your friend Eric Sparrow shows you a flyer for a Chad Muska demo. So you and your friend hit the streets of your New Jersey neighborhood to practice and explore new spots to skate. On the street there are numerous places to skate including the abandoned pool, Elm Street, and atop the roofs of the city. As you continue in the game, your moves attract the interest of Chad Muska who encourages you to get sponsored from Stacy Peralta. Once sponsored you tour the world skating in different countries such as Canada, Russia, and back in the United States. However, missions occur throughout the game and Eric is not always dependable. Play the game to see if you can gain the notoriety as a professional skater.

3. Critical Evaluation
Having little experience with video games, I found Tony Hawk’s Underground to be easy to pick up. Granted, the game was on “easy,” but unlike Half Life 2, the game provided beginners with a chance to become acclimated with the game. Moves can either be picked up via talking with other characters in the game or by trial and error by simply pressing buttons. For example, you can talk to other players in the game to learn how to jump off of your board to run on foot. With the game on easy, the custom player hardly falls, which allows the user a better chance of understanding the game. Missions are mostly determined by completing a move or a certain amount of points within a given time frame. While I did not necessarily complete all of the missions on the first try, the game did provide users with the ability to try again. Thus, the game felt like it was designed with the user in mind, emphasizing entertainment rather than complex strategy or moves.

4. Reader’s Annotation
Create your own skateboarder and impress Chad Muska in the fifth installment of the Tony Hawk videogames.

5. Information about the Author
Neversoft is owned by Activism Blizzard. It was started in 1994 by Joel Jewett, Chris Ward and Mick West, all of which used to work for Malibu Interactive. Neversoft’s most successful game franchises not only include the Tony Hawk games but also Guitar Hero and its subsequent releases.

6. Genre
Sports

7. Curriculum Ties
N/A

8. Booktalking Ideas
N/A

9. Reading Level/Interest Age
I think that teens aged 15-17 would enjoy playing this game.

10. Challenge Issues
The game is rated T for Blood, Mild Violence, Strong Language and Suggestive Themes. While I did not see all elements of the rating system, I did see blood and strong language while I was playing. I would advise adults to consult the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) found at: www.esrb.com for more information.

11. Why was it selected?
Not all teens play first person shooter video games, so I wanted to include a different type of game.

12. Citation
Entertainment Software Rating Board. (2010). Entertainment Software Rating Board. Retrieved from www.esrb.com.

Neversoft. (2010). About. Retrieved from http://www.neversoft.com/site/#/About/

Wikipedia.org. (2010). Tony Hawk’s underground. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hawk's_Underground

Picture from
Wikipedia.org. (2010). Tony Hawk’s underground. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hawk's_Underground

13. Awards
E3 2003 Game Critics Awards: Best Sports Game
GameSpot's Best And Worst 2003 Most Despicable Use of In-Game Advertising
MTV Video Music Awards's 2004 Best Video Game Soundtrack

17. Transworld Skateboarding (March 2010) Edited by Skim Phillips

1. Bibliographic Information
Phillips, S. (Ed.). (March 2010). Transworld Skateboarding, 28(3).
162 pages
Barcode: 7482008839

2. Plot Summary
Transworld Skateboarding focuses on highlighting professional and amateur skateboarders, their likes, their dislikes, and any other quirky information the interviewer can find. These interviews are sometimes in depth, focusing on video footage, tricks, or experiences. While others are relatively light writing on random facts about the skateboarders including favorite movies, bands, and people you like with the same first name as you (See “Top 5 with Omar Salazar”). Much of the magazine is filled with skateboarding advertisements for skateboard parts, attire, new videos, and other accessories. The magazine also focuses on the culture of skateboarding listing songs which were influenced by skateboarding, seen in the article, “10 Rapping Debuts Caught on Video” by Dan Watson. The magazine also publishes readers’ questions; however, the author’s introduction to the segment tells readers to beware of Tony Trujillo’s direct approach to answering the mail. What is most prevalent, though are still-shots of skateboarders’ moves.

3. Critical Evaluation
Like many other teen magazines, Transworld seems to have many purposes. However, contradictory messages seem to plague this magazine. The articles speak of keeping the sport of skateboarding “real,” yet advertisements for mainstream companies (Vans, Nike, etc.) are littered throughout its pages. Letters to the editor speak about wanting to legitimize skateboarding as a true sport to the American public, yet articles about evading the police are also included (“Escape a Ticket with Jason Hernandez”). Nevertheless, Transworld magazine does provide teenagers with an outlet to see what other amateur and professional skateboarders are doing within the sport. Still-frame shots allow readers to see the complexities of moves and tricks, providing the means of replication. Additionally, pictures and articles push the boundaries of where skateboarding tricks can be completed. The article, “Quick and the Dead,” writes about the Quicksilver team’s trip to Israel, emphasizing the need to use skateboarding as a means to connect with other cultures. As with any sports culture, the magazine does help to define what is important to skateboarding, and while not all aspects are entirely considered acceptable, Transworld does provide readers with some redeeming values.

4. Reader’s Annotation
Read about today’s current skateboarders and their moves in Transworld Skateboarding magazine.

5. Information about the Author
Not much could be found about the Editor, Skin Phillips. From Wikipedia, Skin currently oversees the webpage and magazine for Transworld. However, nothing further is mentioned in regards to when he became editor, or his past experiences, qualifications, or education.

6. Genre
Sports Magazine

7. Curriculum Ties
N/A

8. Booktalking Ideas
-How do advertisements affect the magazine?
-Since many of the advertisements include pictures of skateboarders do you feel that it detracts from the magazine?

9. Reading Level/Interest Age
I think that this magazine would most appeal to skateboarders aged 15-18, although this magazine could be read by adults as well.

10. Challenge Issues
Some people might take offense to some of the language used in this magazine, as well as articles on how to avoid a ticket. Additionally, skateboarding can be viewed as destructive, as the wax, wheels, and trucks used for skateboarding can scratch, stain or otherwise damage property. If someone wished to challenge the inclusion of this magazine in a library collection I would refer patrons to the ALA’s website regarding the guidelines and forms to submit a challenge for library materials found at:

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm

11. Why was it Selected?
I wanted to include an example of a sports magazine for teens.

12. Citations

Challenges to library materials. (2010). In American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm

Wikipedia.org. (2010). Transworld skateboarding. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transworld_Skateboarding

Picture From

(February 15, 2010). Transworld skateboarding Mars 2010: Matt Miller et Lizard King Pro Spotlight. Retrieved from http://magazines.le-site-du-skateboard.com/magazine-skateboard/transworld-skateboarding-mars-2010-matt-miller-et-lizard-king-pro-spotlight/

13. Awards
No awards currently known.