You start the game in Skate City, a skateboarder's paradise. Here you can cruise around and show off your skills, zipping off ramps and jumping over curbs and water traps. Skate City is also home to several shops that offer new gear, as well as four theme parks, each one challenging you to test your skills in a specialized event. The city has its own economy: To buy gear, you need cash. To get cash, you need to compete in park events. To compete in park events, you need tickets. To earn tickets, you need points. Each event awards points and cash, provided you do well enough, and points are also gained with each trick you pull off as you explore Skate City. You can't explore for too long, however, because the clock is ticking! If the timer runs out, it is time to "Skate or Die!" Get your ticket and hurry to the next park before a swarm of killer bees decides you've done enough skating!
Each shop in Skate City sells a particular kind of gear that will help improve your game. A new helmet lets you pull off riskier stunts. Better pads will get you off the ground faster when you wipe out. Better shoes make for better acceleration and higher jumps. Finally, a new board will get you around the city much more quickly.
The four park events are where you earn serious cash and points... if you're good enough! Surf the skateboarding half-pipe in the Ramp event, and remember to stay your board as you spin through the air or even twist around with a hand plant before skating back down the pipe. Show off your airborn skills in the Jump event, where flashier jumps get you bigger rewards. Speed is key in the Downhill event, where all that matters is reaching the goal line. And lastly, quick turns and quicker thinking are needed in the Slalom event, where you must skate between pairs of flags to finish well. A good performance in an event will earn you a medal. A great performance will get the gold, plus lots of points and cash. But a not-so-good performance gets nothing, so don't dawdle!
Once you have competed in all four events, you're back to Skate City, where all parks and shops have reopened, to offer even better gear and more difficult events. There are four classes in all, giving sixteen chances to win a medal and prove you are the skateboarding champion!