Hands-onWhirl Tour GameCube

Crave stopped by the GameSpot offices recently with a playable build of Whirl Tour for the GameCube. While it may seem like a clone of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on the surface, closer examination reveals that's not the case. Like many other extreme sports games, Whirl Tour is split into levels with specific objectives to accomplish, but the story runs throughout the game to make the experience seem more cohesive than in other games in the genre.

As Whirl Tour begins, a band named Flipside is sucked off the stage in the middle of a concert and disappears into the sky. Concerned for their well-being, Wasa B., the band's roadie, sets off on his scooter to rescue them from the depths of a dark castle. The version we were allowed to play had two levels unlocked and a race mode available. At the beginning of each level, you must choose a rider and a scooter, and at the game's outset, there are just one character and one scooter to choose from. But as you defeat boss characters in the game's race mode, new characters and tricks are unlocked.

Much like in other extreme sports games, the gameplay in Whirl Tour is predominantly combo-driven. Jumping is accomplished by pressing the A button, and the longer you hold it, the higher you'll jump. You can grind and slide on ledges using the Y button or perform aerial tricks with the X button. In this way, the controls are identical to those of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. While on flat ground, you can also perform slides by holding the analog stick to one side and pressing the X button. If you're in midair and see that you're going to bail on a trick, you can press the A button to save your combo points. If you're having problems with the default control scheme, you can customize it to match your abilities.

There are several power-ups in the game that will temporarily improve your rider characteristics. One power-up allows you to spin faster during airs, and another icon makes it easier to keep your balance while grinding or sliding on obstacles. You can also perform an invert and switch the trick to another type of invert before dropping back into the transition. If you bail on tricks, a skull-shaped health meter gradually dwindles. If all your health is depleted, you'll have to begin the level again. In addition to the bosses located in each level, there will also be pedestrians scattered around the environments who will attempt to knock you off your scooter.

But what separates While Tour from other extreme sports games is its level design. Hidden throughout each course are bosses who must be attacked and defeated like in most platforming games. One boss we saw was an angry Girl Scout who threw cookies, another was a mailman who hurled packages, and a third was a creature who resembled the hunchback of Notre Dame. Defeating a boss will reward you with a key that can be used to unlock new portions of the level and bring you one step closer to rescuing a band member. But this is just scratching the surface of the game's level interactivity. You can grind on ledges to cause huge statues fall into the side of buildings to create a way in, flip switches that will drain water from certain areas, and grind or slide up a catapult that will rocket you into the air toward an entirely new section of the level.

In addition to the single-player mode, there is an extensive collection of multiplayer options. Players can cooperatively play the single-player quest via a split screen. While enemies and objectives will remain the same, players will have to share the health power-ups provided, which helps to balance the gameplay a bit. Other multiplayer modes include HORSE and a race mode that plays similarly to EA Sports Big's SSX series of snowboarding games. There are six different courses to complete, and landing tricks in the race mode is rewarded with incremental additions to a turbo meter. The turbo can then be used whenever you choose. As mentioned previously, playing the race mode by yourself will allow you to race against boss characters who will become playable once defeated.

Despite the game's early stage of development, the graphics engine is impressive, as it can draw expansive environments with just a slight hitch in frame rates. One level takes place outside of a castle, another is located under the sea in a huge complex, and another takes place in Tibet. There will be eight different environments in the final game, and the levels we were shown manage to remain varied while avoiding the typical platforming clichés. Everything in the levels interactive, including peripheral objects like cars, and you'll even be able to grind around inverted loops. Short real-time cutscenes are shown when you trip level-altering switches and when new characters are unlocked for play. The physics for the game are a bit floaty, but the scooter will realistically flip and flop during wrecks. New costumes can also be unlocked by performing hidden objectives, and Crave is currently deciding on whether they will affect your rider's attributes. The texture clarity is quite good, and on the whole, Whirl Tour is shaping up to be a fine-looking game.

With seven playable characters, 10 scooters to unlock, and a track listing that includes 35 songs, Whirl Tour looks like it will provide plenty of replay value for the dedicated. It may seem like a typical extreme sports game on the surface, but after playing it, you're left with the impression that there's much more to the game than high scores. Look for an updated hands-on preview from E3 next week.