2020 brought many surprises, but one of the positive moments came in the form of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. The HD remake resurrected the golden era of skateboarding video games with the Birdman front and center on modern platforms. It only took half a decade, but we have finally received the long-awaited follow-up in the form of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, which once again remakes the legendary classics. It’s an exhilarating double dip of nostalgia that straddles the line between faithful recreation and re-envisioned interpretation depending on which of the two games is loaded up.
Although no longer handled by Vicarious Visions (RIP), developer Iron Galaxy manages to bring Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 to life in much the same way as the former team. That’s a sentiment that extends throughout virtually all aspects of the game, reminding us why we loved revisiting this concentrated skateboarding bliss several years ago. A steady supply of dopamine is delivered through every combo-extending revert, spine transfer, froggy grind, and the occasional 360 Varial McTwist as high scores are broken, S-K-A-T-E letters are collected, and all manner of absurd objectives are cleared within two minutes. The third and fourth installments are immensely addictive through their effective recapturing of the timeless experience of pulling off gravity-defying aerial tricks and near-superhuman feats across wacky playgrounds.
Two-Minute Warning
Shredding the various locales as an extensive roster of skaters (including Bam!), adding commas to the point total from impressively lengthy combos, never fails to satisfy. And it all spans a combination of new and old, but thankfully mostly old, levels. The iconic Foundry is injected with new life thanks to flying sparks, spewing flames and dripping molten metal; meanwhile, moodier lighting adds more character to the already beloved Alcatraz. The glow-ups aren’t all winners, as evidenced by Zoo’s transformation into a lifeless husk without its animals. Surprisingly, the brand new levels seamlessly integrate into the lineup, effortlessly feeling like they were present more than twenty years ago. Waterpark, for example, voids the titular setting of its H20 supply to open up those graffiti’d slides for sweet drops. It’s a perfect fit for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The same can be said of Movie Studio, which crashes the numerous colorful sets. Pinball, the final of the three additions, is easily the most eye-popping.
Revisiting the primarily pre-existing levels makes for an energizing blast from the past. While both THPS3 and THPS4 largely play the same through a string of goals embedded in 2-minute runs on each level, the uniformity is bound to be a sticking point for purists. You see, while that structure aligns with the original form of THSP3, it is a stark departure from the bold departure of THSP4. The fourth entry is best known for transitioning into an open world environment, letting digital skaters roam around and obtain missions from ridiculous NPCs. Restricting this to timed runs, which can be increased to 60 minutes this time around, removes a core essence of the game’s character. The value of that loss is largely dependent on previous familiarity with and an undying love for THSP4. As a concession, many of Neversoft’s (RIP again) original missions reappear as goals under the new time restriction.
Sound Check
There’s another critical component of any Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game we have yet to touch upon: the music. The songs in these games set lifelong music preferences and obsessions. They’re iconic. Confusingly, whereas Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 left many of the classic levels intact, adding only a few newbies, the soundtrack took the inverse approach. Only ten songs managed to survive the journey from the early 00’s to the mid 20’s. That leaves a majority of the playlist hosting new tunes. The additions aren’t tonal mismatches for the onscreen stunts, but it can be jarring all the same for long-time fans. But hey, at least Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades” and CKY’s “96 Quite Bitter Beings” made the cut. And thankfully modern consoles have access to apps like Spotify for those of us in need of the full suite of old school ballads.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 also comes packed with a skatepark creator. Why let Iron Galaxy be the only one to add creative new levels to the game? Shared community creations are already springing to life, bringing a constant flow of new environments to master. And you can do so with friends now that online integration has removed the pesky proximity demands of yesteryear’s couch co-op (although that’s still an option!). The gang won’t have any shortage of new content to chew through anytime soon if early community engagement is any indication.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Review Verdict
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 follows closely to the successful footsteps of its predecessor, making for another solid remake that (mostly) retains its spirit. Most notably, THSP4 represents the biggest departure from the source material, eliminating its open world environment and opting for the standard timed goals list. It's far from a deal breaker though, as most of the enhancements and additions are clean landings. – Joshua
[Editor’s Note: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 was reviewed on PlayStation 5 and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.]
