Activision decided to take a big chance and twist the Tony Hawk license into a downhill racing game, and here's the result Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam, a fun portable racing game that, while it has some quirks, provides fast-paced skateboard action to the masses.

The much-hyped Nintendo Wii version will be arriving next month, showing off many uses for the motion-sensitive Wii-mote controller. But the Nintendo DS version is no slouch, and provides its own benefits. This is due to the know-how of Vicarious Visions, the same team behind last year's very impressive Tony Hawk's American Sk8land. They know how a Tony Hawk game is supposed to click, and for the most part, Downhill Jam delivers an experience fans will be proud of.

Downhill Jam is different from its predecessors. The game doesn't feature a long-line of actual skateboarders, but more fantasy-based skaters with personalities all their own. This is probably a smart move, as the game doesn't follow the usual skating game formula. The trick system has been modified and it's quite limited. However, that doesn't mean the game doesn't work. Actually, it makes a lot of sense, as no one can really chain together million-plus point combos while they're speeding down a hill.

That's not to say the trick system isn't useful. Gamers can still perform rail grinds, grabs, jumps, and other moves, then chain them together to help fill up a handy little boost meter that gives some much-needed push to cross the finish line. The gameplay's complexity has been sacrificed, and this may force fans to wait for next month's Tony Hawk's Project 8 instead.

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