Parents' Guide to

Skate It

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Less graphic skateboarding game than others on market.

Game Nintendo Wii , Nintendo DS 2008
Skate It Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

See all
age 7+

Based on 3 parent reviews

carter0617
carter0617 Parent of 9-year-old
November 4, 2010
age 6+

what i say

i like it there is no langue or content just a little volience and a little hard to use

This title has:

Too much violence
tennisguy1847
tennisguy1847 Adult
May 3, 2009
age 8+

Awesome!!!!!!!

This is a great game ig ot it the day it came out. its so fun. i once played it for 8 hours. You have the wii remote with a nunchuck or you can use the wii balance board
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Last year, Electronic Arts' (EA) Skate took on Activision's popular Tony Hawk skateboarding series by offering a more realistic approach to the urban sport; and they succeeded in providing a fun yet authentic experience for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners. Now, EA is back with SKATE IT, a Nintendo exclusive with unique controls for the different platforms. Specifically, the Nintendo Wii version of the game allows players to control the action with the wireless and motion-sensing Wii Remote (with or without the nunchuk) or by balancing on the Wii Balance Board peripheral, which shipped with the popular Wii Fit game (and looks like a bathroom scale). The portable Nintendo DS version lets players perform moves using the stylus pen and touch-screen display. In both, gamers are brought back to the fictitious streets of San Vanelona to explore the deserted city on skateboard. By pulling off sick tricks, players earn the opportunity to travel the world and become Thrasher Magazine's Skater of the Year.

Adding to the game's replayability are a few multiplayer challenges on the same TV (including a "Best Trick" competition) and the option to create your own skate park by dragging and dropping objects such as ramps and rails wherever you like. Last year's version focused on what EA called "Flickit" control, where players used the controller's two analog sticks to pull off moves (rather than rely on the four main buttons), such as pulling back and pushing up on the left analog stick to pull an "ollie." A similar "Flickit" control scheme is back on the Wii, by moving the wireless controllers around (the tutorial is quite good, but follow it through) -- but you can also stand on the Wii Balance Board if you own one and move your body to "skate" on the board; it takes some getting used to but if you're somewhat coordinated and are willing to ride out the steep learning curve, this hand and foot control method is handled quite well for the most part (the board isn't always as responsive as it should be, however).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (4 ):

While we love the rags-to-riches story and varied locations. the game does have a few issues, such as the feeling of isolation (in every city you unlock, which just feels weird), the lack of online multiplayer and some muddy visuals -- but those who grew up playing Tony Hawk games shouldn't be disappointed with this ambitious title. The three control schemes, many environments, and challenging career mode offer enough meat to satiate finicky gamers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how video games can provide a virtual thrill for sports you might not want to try in real life, such as snowboarding, skateboarding, and other, more dangerous "extreme" sports. These games offer a sense of speed, and with products like the Wii Balance Board, make you feel like you're controlling the action -- but you're in the safe confines of your family room. Parents might also want to remind children that because they can do a trick in a game, doesn't mean it is safe to try in real life.

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate