Skate 3 (Xbox 360)

Skateboarding games have always been something of a solitary experience. Sure, you have the multiplayer modes that add a whole heap of replay value, but besides that there's not a whole lot of the team spirit that you see in real life 'boarding. After a good run shaking up the urban sport, Black Box returns to tackle that very issue in Skate 3.

The key element to this latest instalment is collaboration. You're not on your tod grinding on railings anymore – you sign yourself up to a skating crew and team up with its members to gain some territory and make your mark as the king of the street. Group challenges present themselves in the skating paradise that is Port Carverton, and you have to do your best to not let your mates down.

It works pretty seamlessly online or offline, with AI members to help you when playing solo or real friends for when you want some human interaction. The latter option is the most fun, with everyone coming together to compete with rival online crews for world supremacy. As your name gets more known in the virtual world, you'll notice billboards advertising your clothing line and hear your chosen music played throughout the city.

Skate 3 also has improved user-creation features, with skate parks able to be created and downloaded, edited and then re-added with comments and ratings for each too.