Control the destiny of your skater as you grab, grind, and check your way through Tony Hawk's Proving Ground. The ninth installation into Hawk's skate-centric series brings you to the streets of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., where the choices you make affect the overall training and path of your character. There are nine skill sets to control, and eight are completely new to the game. The skills you focus on determine if you are to become a "Hardcore Skater," a "Career Athlete," or a "Rigger." Each label brings with it a handful of special actions, such as checking, bowl grinds, and altering the existing landscape. "Nail that Trick" is back with an expanded set of moves that are designed to be more accessible than the original in-game feature found in Project 8. Now, you can also "Nail that Grab" and "Nail that Manual" as you explore each urban environment.

If you tire from single-player action, you can take your show on the online road and join friends for skate sessions in your own personal lounge. The lounge allows you to meet with other gamers in a personal setting for chatting and trading videos made offline in the editor included with the game. You can film your best moves and then splice a visual portfolio together using a variety of lens, camera, and soundtrack tools. These videos, along with successful runs and tricks, can help improve your overall Internet ranking and statistics. Success means learning from the best, and you take instruction from Tony Hawk, Ryan Sheckler, Arto Saari, Jereme Rogers, Daewon Song, and Jeff King as you advance through each challenge.