Skate
Skate. is a skateboarding game series created by EA BlackBox. It is most well known for its innovative "flick it" controls. The player character is a customizable Heroic Mime skateboarder in the fictional city of San Vanelona
Skate. was the first game in the series, released in September 2007. It introduced the games analog-stick-based controls. In this game, the player character begins his career in San Vanelona, recovering from being hit by a bus, becoming more famous, unlocking new areas with new challenges and activities, getting sponsors, and being featured on two magazines.
Skate 2 was the sequel to the first game, and was released in January 2009. This game added the series' "Hall of Meat" feature, where players can control themselves while bailing and recieve scores for the damage caused, distance, speed, rotation, etc. It also added the ability to play as a female character. The player is released from prison several years after the first game and most of San Vanelona has been destroyed by a disaster. It was rebuilt by Mongocorp, a corporation with a very anti-skater agenda. Mongocorp has gone out of its way to discourage skating by posting security guards at many places and putting caps on rails, making them impossible to grind. Much of the game involved freeing areas from Mongocorp's grip and unlocking new areas.
Skate 3 released on May 11, 2010, and featured new modes such as Hardcore mode and Create-a-Park. The game also put a much bigger emphasis on creating online skate teams and doing challenges online.
- Benevolent Architecture: Much of the city is designed as the perfect skateboarding city.
- While at the same time averting the trope when compared to the Tony Hawk series.
- Even worse (better?) in Skate 3, where Port Carverton is pretty much a Skate Heaven on earth.
- Good Bad Bugs: The physics system, while very sophisticated, is fairly infamous for breaking down in absolutely hilarious ways.
- Heroic Mime: Your character has no voice. Reda basically talks for you.
- Hey, It's That Voice!: Coach Frank is Jason Lee, aka Earl. Probably chosen because he was a pro skateboarder at one point, if The Other Wiki is to be believed.
- Insurmountable Waist High Fence: To prevent you from going anywhere you want, the game usually just has high walls or water. However, there are certain patches of grass that make you bail out or instantly reset you outside their boundaries when you step on them.
- Jumping the Shark: Literally, in skate 3. The very beginning has you trying to jump a shark statue, only to overshoot and utterly faceplant. The second time is more successful, and nets you a Thrasher cover.
- No Fourth Wall: While San Van/New San Van/Port Carverton are supposedly real in-universe, Reda, and more recently Coach Frank, find no need to stick to the fourth wall. Heck, EA Black Box sponsors most of the in-game events. Skate 2 and 3's megaparks are sponsored by themselves. Once you can use the Object Dropper in Skate 3, characters do notice. Failing pros even ask who programmed them.
- Shout-Out: In the Hawaiian Dream Downloadable Content for Skate 3, a couple of the decks and shirts will look like a a certain mechanical hellion on a Judas Priest cover.
- Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome: In a skating game, no less, but Fabio dies of unknown causes after the events of Skate 1. The skaters even have a memorial built for him atop the San Van Dam.
- The Cameo: One code lets you play as Issac Clarke on a futuristic skateboard in freeplay in 3.
- Video Game Cruelty Potential: In addition to the amusing reality breaking physics, Skate 2 has an explicit game mode allowing you to try and inflict as much bodily harm on your player character
- Skate 3 adds a function where you can hit passing civilians with your skateboard. But annoy them too much and they'll taser you.
