Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer

6 World Titles, Never The Same Wave Twice.

NA release: 17th September 2002
EU release: 18th October 2002
JP release: N/A
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision O2
NGC Magazine Score: 75%
Mods Used: Widescreen Hack

With the success of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and many clones popping up, it was clear that Activision would try expanding into other stunt-based sports. It would have been easy to just stick with other sports that happen in skate parks, so it’s nice that they branched out slightly with surfboarding, which happens on “unique” waves every single time.

Once the tutorial explains how the game works, performing tricks is both simple and a lot of fun. A big focus is placed on jumping off the wave and landing perfectly straight, which beefs up your special bar. You can also go into the tunnel of the wave to “grind”. The problem is, it doesn’t take long to see the limitations of the game. There are lots of different levels, but they’re nothing more than just a skybox – the beaches are unreachable and you’re playing the game in some kind of magical void.

When you start a level, a wave picks up. There’s a tunnel section and a straighter part to perform tricks. You can move down the wave endlessly, and it doesn’t stop until you fall. The waves kind of move with what you’re doing – try outrunning it and it will pick up the pace. While waves may be faster, or taller, the way they work along what you’re doing makes every single wave -and every single level – feel exactly the same.

Which means that, in the end, this is like a Tony Hawk’s game where every level took place on the same few ramps, just with different backgrounds. There’s no exploration or stuff to discover. Even storms and rain don’t seem to have any impact on the gameplay. It’s enjoyable for a quick go every now and then, but loses a lot once you figure out how it works, which doesn’t take long.

Fine

Surprisingly for a game that’s based entirely on the sea, the water effects aren’t hugely impressive. The surface looks like plastic and the spray kicked up by the boards looks angular and artificial, nowhere near as good as Wave Race.
Martin Kitts, NGC Magazine #73

Remake or remaster?

Perhaps a compilation of the Non-Hawk “Pro X” games.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer.