By: Shaun McInnis
A good six months after its initial release, EA is continuing to support Skate 2 with fairly regular DLC. We've already seen content running the gamut from 1980s clothing in the Throwback Pack to new camera angles and replay filters in the Filmer Pack. Now, the latest Skate 2 DLC to hit the market is the Maloof Money Cup Pack, due out for release today at a price of $3, or 240 MS Points.
The Maloof Money Cup is based on the real-life skateboard contest of the same name, and comes in the form of a brand-new arena outfitted with the same ramp and obstacle layout as what you'll see when the event is broadcast later this week. The contest grounds exist outside the city of San Vanelona, but you can get to them through the career mode event map or by setting up a freeskate session and choosing it as your location. The real estate is a pretty decent size, split into a street skating section and a vert ramp. The street area comes with a modest number of benches, ledges, and stair sets, and subsequently doesn't feel like anything you can't find on any city block in the regular game. But the vert section is substantially more interesting, with a giant kicker ramp leading into a big halfpipe that reminds us of the X-Games area from the first Skate.
In terms of events packed into this DLC, there's a street contest, a vert contest, and some online multiplayer freeskate challenges you can take part in. The two single-player contests are the same sort of events you'll find in the retail game, without any added presentation to let you know it's based on a flashy, high-stakes event. The prize for winning both contests, though, is a hefty $175,000 of in-game cash and 200 achievement points.
Altogether, $3 isn't a ton of money to spend on DLC that'll net you a bunch of quick achievement points and in-game cash. But the actual skating terrain you're buying feels much less interesting than a lot of what San Vanelona already has to offer, and since the Maloof Money Cup isn't exactly one of the storied events in the history of the sport--it debuted last year--there's not a lot of reason to check it out on name alone. If you're purely looking for new turf to skate, you'll probably want to hold onto your money and continue sniffing out all those great hidden spots San Van has tucked away. On the flip side, anyone who really enjoyed taking part in Skate 2's career mode contests and wants to pad out their gamerscore and in-game wallets will find a much more rewarding purchase here.
