Boston Guide

After a little friendly kidnapping, terrorizing, and training at the hands of your pals Tony Hawk and Bam Margera, it's time to take your skills on the road in Tony Hawk's Underground 2. Your first stop is that most patriotic of U.S. cities and the home of the current World Series Champions (ahem), Boston. Why Boston? Well, where else are you going to be able to grind Revolutionary War-era cannons and get Benjamin Franklin onto a skateboard?

You're in Hawk world now.

Welcome to Boston. This happens almost every day.

There isn't enough room in one article to describe all of the missions in an area as big as Boston (and compared to some later levels, Boston isn't even that large), but we'll hit the high points (a.k.a. maddening challenges) here.

• Pick a pal. First off, you need a partner—you can choose from real-life pro skaters Chad Muska, Bob Burnquist, Mike Vallely, or Rodney Mullen. Once you unlock a pro, you can skate as him whenever you want.
• Track down Jesse. You can find and start "skating" as West Coast Choppers bad boy Jesse James almost right from the start. Just head left from your starting point and look for a familiar Boston bar (okay, a slightly parodied version of a familiar TV bar where everyone knows your name). Hop off your board, into the bar, and down the stairs to chat with Jesse and get access to Jesse's goals. I wrote "skating," by the way, because Jesse doesn't really use a board: He prefers a nifty little scooter that looks like a monster-ized Segway.

Those cannons are just beggin' for a grindin'.

• Beat Paulie. While it'd be nice if you could literally beat him, I'm talking about a race here. Using Jesse James, you first need to find a gap near the hospital. This leads to Paulie, who's still in his body cast and wheelchair and is still looking to make your life a living heck. He challenges you (Jesse) to a race; get in the lead early to keep your bulkier foe stuck behind you. The finish line is the same as the starting point.
• Benji's Big Adventure. Long thought dead by historians, THUG 2 reveals that Ben Franklin has simply been hanging around Boston waiting for someone to come along and unlock him. It's almost as easy to find Ben as it is to track down Jesse. Instead of going into the bar, get off the board and walk up the stairs on the building to your left. From the top of the stairs, you can get into the nearby inside ramp, transfer off the top, and find yourself in a room containing none other than Poor Richard's alter ego. Run his 18th-century behind out of the building, and you're able to skate as Ben.
• Paging Dr. Hawk … One of the weirdest "boards" you steer is the hospital gurney in front of the hospital. Your challenge (courtesy of Tony) is to make off with the gurney and reach Tony at the other end of an obstacle course without totally killing the guy on the gurney. First, dodge the nurses, who seem to have a problem with you stealing their patient and their equipment. Take a shortcut through the alley to avoid cars, and you soon reach your goal.

Remember, keep Boston beautiful!

These are just some of the challenges in just one level of the vast insanity that we call THUG 2. Other Boston missions include tagging a specific set of signs with graffiti, hopping onto a replica of Old Ironsides in Boston Harbor (you can skitch behind it too), and even a daylight bank robbery. Join the tour and see for yourself!

By Danny Chihdo