SURF LIKE SLATER

“KELLY SLATER PRO SURFER” GAME FEATURES:

• 9 Authentic Pro Surfers: Starring six time World Champion Kelly Slater and featuring Rob Machado, Kalani Robb, Lisa Anderson, Bruce Irons, Tom Curren, Donovan Frankenreiter, Nathan Fletcher and Tom Carroll, each with signature pro moves, unique riding styles, attributes, personalities and characteristics.
• Ultra-Realistic Wave and Ocean Conditions: With an emphasis on big wave surfing, barrels and tubes, and huge tricks in a variety of awesome waves powered by a state-of-the-art, next generation 3D game engine.
• 14 of the Most Popular and Recognizable Surf Spots: Exotic real-world locations and events around the world, including full beach environments with real landmarks, hazards, and other real-world characteristics.
• Story Based Gaming: Non-linear game progression allows the gamer to choose their own path as they interact with the most famous surfers of all time, their sponsors, magazines and photographers.
• 3 Modes of Play: Gamers choose from Career Mode, Free Surf, and multiplayer games. Each mode will unlock new surfers, boards, events, videos, secret breaks, and secret characters. Also, a Surf Scrap Book allows players keep track of individual rider stats as well as world records.
• Optional Mini Missions: Optional missions let the player increase their skill level.
• Populated Waves: The only game that lets you surf on waves with other surfers.
• Exclusive Footage: Contains over 1 hour of live-action footage including exclusive footage from Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer “Pipeline Sessions” television special, televised on ESPN.
• Intuitive Play Control Mechanics: For paddling, positioning, catching the wave and making the drop, riding, carving and tricks combine to bring the thrill of surfing home.
• Changing Weather and Tides: Players can now experience dynamically changing weather and tides as they surf.
• True to the Sport and Lifestyle: using real locations, sponsors, licensed surfboards and authentic board accessories, wetsuits and Full Motion Videos created by the premier surf movie men, Taylor Steele and Sonny Miller.
• Multiple Camera Modes and Replay System: With dynamic gameplay camera zoom-ins, zoom-outs, cuts and pans and TV-style presentation and replays. Includes amazing photos throughout the game by pre-eminent man in the water, Tod Messick.
• Record Book: Track individual rider stats and world records in your surf log record book.

Pipe is uncrowded, glassy, and mechanical.

Kalani Robb spins on a set, takes two strokes, stands up and fades straight into the pit. He soul arches and touches the top of the tube. The wave spits, Kalani disappears. It spits again and he comes flying out.

“Sick!” exclaims Rob Machado, watching from nearby.

Speeding onto the shoulder, Kalani cranks a bottom turn and launches a six-foot helicopter 720. He rotates once, twice, loses his balance and comes down on his head in the flats.

“Oohh!” says Kelly Slater, also a spectator. “That’ll leave a mark.”

“Dammit, I never pull those,” says Kalani.

Frustrated, he turns to Rob sitting on the couch behind him and hands over the controller. “Your turn.”

Adding to the oddness, Donavon Frankenreiter sits next to Kelly and Rob, strumming a guitar and daydreaming. Tom Curren is in the kitchen making a hummus sandwich and all around the house are four cameramen recording every exchange for an upcoming ESPN special promoting the video game’s anticipated release. Meanwhile, Pipeline, the real Pipeline, is just 200 yards from the couch.

It’s a bizarre spectacle: top pros shacked up in a North Shore dream-pad, surfing against each other on a video game, dropping into wave after wave by way of a 296-megahertz processor and an advance copy of Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer for Play Station 2.

Someone suggests a real surf session, and all five step out onto the deck to check the waves. It’s six-foot and blown out. Nineteen people bob in the line-up and a slight side-shore wind blows an untamable bump up the face. Tamayo Perry limps past us with a sizable gash in his knee. He was caught in the lip, slammed into the reef and is on his way to Kahuku Hospital.

Back inside, they hit the reset button. This time they pull into double-overhead Teahupoo.