The high-flying gameplay of Tony Hawk's skateboarding goes underground as this Game Boy Advance release joins its console cousins in the series' fifth full title. Unlike earlier versions of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Tony Hawk's Underground (T.H.U.G.) focuses on player-developed characters instead of big-name stars of the sport, allowing handheld gamers to custom design their own personas and then steer their advancement through an open-ended system of stat-rewarding challenges.

Similar to the earlier Vicarious Visions-developed Tony Hawk games for GBA, this handheld version of T.H.U.G. offers players a "three-quarters" isometric view of the action. New characters begin in a suburban neighborhood, where they gradually learn trick move combinations through practice and experimentation, and increase their abilities as certain challenges are met. Later levels are set in gritty, urban locales that continue to encourage exploration and player-determined character development. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide