The only positive thing about Tony Hawk: RIDE is its soundtrack, which is lengthy and includes tracks from Murs, Santigold, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wolfmother, The Commodores, and more, including that "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" song from The Big Lebowski. Obviously that's not enough to make Tony Hawk: RIDE feel like it's worth anything close to its $120 price tag. While the Tony Hawk franchise has been down on its luck lately, and was probably in need of a reboot as dramatic as this, the execution is such a miserable failure that it manages to splash even more mud on Tony Hawk's legacy. I'm left with a firm belief that whichever side of the Tony Hawk/Activision partnership has the out clause in the contract should just exercise it and part ways for good. Enough is enough.
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The Tony Hawk franchise was in dire need of a reboot, and hopping on the peripheral craze generated by Guitar Hero and Wii Fit wasn't a bad idea. The board itself is solid, which leaves only the execution to blame. Tony Hawk Ride never came together. It straddles an uncomfortable line between casual and hardcore without being satisfying in either respect and it lacks the polish and presentation necessary to cover up the gameplay shortcomings.

Kids might have fun hopping around on the board and watching the game play itself on casual mode and the soundtrack is indeed a great one. If you're looking for a realistic skating experience, you'd be better off buying a skateboard and heading outside. This one just doesn't cut it. File this one under "gimmick."