In case you missed this today, Activision has officially announced Tony Hawk: RIDE, a new version of the hit series, complete with a motion-sensing peripheral - which looks exactly like a skateboard with no wheels. From the press release:

Using a combination of accelerometers and motion sensors, the intuitive controller allows players to physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game. Without complex button combinations or analog sticks, gamers of all skill levels can literally step on the board and play!

"This is the game I've always wanted to make," said Tony Hawk, sounding suspiciously like one of those aging rock groups that, fearing the icy grip of cultural obsolescence, suddenly calls in William Orbit to produce their latest album, proclaiming, "this is the music we've always wanted to make". Anyway, he continues, "Playing on the board is unlike any other game, and I'm excited for everyone to have the chance to feel what it's really like to experience the true feeling of skateboarding."

Unlike any other game, that is, apart from Top Skater, the 1997 arcade title from Sega, that uses a motion-sensitive skateboard (and also includes a character named Keith...).

The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are being developed by Chicago-based newcomer, Robomodo, while Wii duties have been passed to Buzz Monkey, which has worked on various iterations of the Tomb Raider and Syphon Filter series'. All versions of Ride are due out this autumn and it'll no doubt be put through its paces at E3.

So, is this going to re-ignite the Hawk brand which has, apart from the odd blip, been delivering diminishing gameplay returns for the past six years? Will it re-capture the initial excitement of the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - the feel of being in control of a skateboard in an open world, filled with customisable tricks and possibilities?

And finally, Wii Sports, Wii Fit now this: are the flood gates open for similarly physical sporting simulations? What future for those of us who like button combinations?