Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remaster was what rekindled my love for skateboarding, and, like many who played the originals, I felt a massive wave of nostalgia when they arrived. Since then, a significant amount of change has occurred in the gaming industry, including the merger of Activision Blizzard, the closure of Vicarious Visions, and numerous layoffs.
Now, Iron Galaxy Studios picks up where Vicarious left off and delivers Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, which have been given the same treatment as its predecessors. Do these titles stand the test of time and hold up decades later? Well, mostly I feel like they do, and it feels great to have the spotlight shine on skateboarding video games once again. It is nearly impossible not to sit down with this series and walk away feeling good about what you’ve just played, as the arcade-style action that defined a whole generation feels modern once again.
These games, which teeter between full-on remake and remaster, have been tweaked for release. Many of the original tracks have been replaced with new ones, levels have been removed and new ones added, and even the fourth game has been reworked to feel like an extension of the previous three games.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Preserves The Energy And Gameplay
The first three games form a trilogy that I believe should have been launched together, given the significant DNA they share. The structure of those games gave players two minutes to clear as many objectives in a level before replaying it to complete the included checklist, then moving on by performing tricks, collecting tapes, and fulfilling level-specific requirements. I thought this format worked so well that it felt like the gold standard moving forward.
That is, until Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 came along and changed things up, for better or for worse, depending on who you ask. The fourth game changed things up by removing the timer in levels and making levels free roam with missions popping up for you to complete. Now, this is no longer the case, as the levels in THPS 4 have been retooled to include a two-minute time limit, allowing players to clear as many objectives as possible before the timer runs out.
The Create-A-Skate mode returns from THPS 1 and 2, so it’s more of that if you plan on spending a ton of time creating the perfect character. It’s overall fine, but it lacks the level of selection that the original games offered, and that’s mainly due to the absence of familiar skate brands that I wore for a time.
If there’s something I could point at and say I was let down by, it would be the lack of unlockable characters from the original games. Many of those gimmicky characters have been eliminated, and for self-evident (and good) reasons, but it still stings not having them. Bam Margera is back as an unlockable character after a lot of back and forth about whether he’d be involved, which turned out to be true. You’ve also got access to Doom Slayer and a Revenant if you picked up the Digital Deluxe. Still, nothing compares to having Darth Maul or Daisy, but having Michelangelo is a nice middle ground.
I have very little to say about how these games control because… well, they’re magical. Whether you’re playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 or 4, the physics are incredible. The control you feel when skating around is some of the best I’ve ever seen, and jumps, flips and kicks all pack some impressive animations behind them. This is undoubtedly the best skateboarding has felt in years. Veterans will feel right at home when playing, and newcomers will not feel penalized for diving in. Manualing from a quarter pipe into a grind, then doing a kickflip before closing out with another manual flows so well together.
The new levels are proper Tony Hawk, and they feel at home with the rest of the compilation. The Waterpark, a movie studio, and a pinball machine. It’s honestly bonkers how much I loved these new levels, after worrying that they might not capture what makes this series tick. I was thankfully proven wrong, and Iron Galaxy does a commendable job of leaving its mark by delivering an impressive showing.
Multiplayer is a highlight, offering a full suite of modes, including Trick Attack, Graffiti, and H-O-R-S-E. Online play feels fluid, with cross-platform support allowing you to play with friends on any console or PC. There are new additions, such as Hawk Mode, where players race to collect scattered letters – sounds familiar, right? You’ve also got free skate, where you can roam levels with your friends without worrying about scores or secrets. Lastly, build-a-park is available with user-generated content at the forefront, and it has the potential to do some big things for the community.
The soundtrack has been reworked for this go-round, and while a lot has changed, the music is a highlight. The cultural impact the soundtracks added to Tony Hawk channels is essential to remember, as Hawk inspired a generation. For many, these games helped define their adolescence and provided an outlet for self-expression and connection to skate culture. The remake does an impressive job of preserving the spirit with reverence while modernizing the formula simultaneously.
Verdict
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 does a lot to reenergize these two games from the early 2000s. At the time, the series was something every kid would talk about with their friends. Now, the series is given another moment in the spotlight, offering a new generation access to a series that feels as timeless as ever, thanks to its eclectic gameplay, excellent music, impressive skaters, and memorable levels. The personality, humour, and flow of these games are all still intact, and that makes them unforgettable.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
