Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 Review

The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series is a classic among skateboarding games. Its tight controls, iconic level design, and unforgettable soundtracks helped define a whole generation of gamers. The critically acclaimed first two remakes, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, perfectly captured the magic of the original games from 1999 and 2000, making fans love quarter pipes, rails, and high-flying combos all over again.

However, many fans felt that Pro Skater 3, considered the most pivotal game in the series' history and the most popular version, was missing. Vicarious Visions, the company that made the first remakes, merged with Blizzard, and Iron Galaxy was tasked with developing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4. With a short amount of time, they had to remake a well-known classic and come up with new ideas for Pro Skater 4, which was a very different game.

The result is a story with two parts: a faithful and beautiful remake of Pro Skater 3 and a new, more traditional take on Pro Skater 4's free-roaming style. There is a lot to enjoy in the game, but some design choices might not sit well with longtime fans.

There was a simple but fun formula for the first three Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games: you had two minutes to complete goals, do tricks, and try to beat your high score. Fans were hooked and kept coming back because this structure was easy to understand, worked well, and was addictive.

Pro Skater 4 changed things by removing time limits and adding free-roaming levels with NPCs that gave you missions. This made the series a little more story-driven. You had to do things like steal police hats or chase down a criminal. This gave the game more personality and a sense of progress beyond just trying to get the highest score.

The free-roam missions from Pro Skater 4 have been cut down and modified to fit the timed run style of the original trilogy. No more NPCs or story missions. Instead, you have a set of goals to complete in two minutes, which you can extend if you want to. This makes the game more focused and familiar for fans of 1 and 2, but it also takes away a lot of what made 4 special. This may feel more like a compromise than a celebration.

Fans can expect Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 to have the same core gameplay: buttery-smooth skating and a large set of tricks, such as flips, grabs, manuals, reverts, lip tricks, and flatland combos. The learning curve is still manageable because there is an optional tutorial that gives you in-game items when you finish it.

During each level, you have to collect letters, score high combos, and do certain tricks in tricky spots, all while following a set list of goals. In previous games, each skater had their own tour and goals. In this one, the goals are the same for all skaters, which limits the variety but speeds up the game's progression.

You can get Skater Bucks by completing goals and finding hidden cash in levels. With Skater Bucks, you can buy new skateboards, clothes, and other skaters. Some of the most important unlocks are Bam Margera, Andy Anderson, Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Doom Slayer and the Revenant if you buy the Deluxe Edition. You can also make your own skaters and unlock visual mods, gear, and effects to give the game your own style.

The levels are mostly the same as the originals, but there are some new twists. There are no longer any classic maps, such as those of Chicago and Carnival. Instead, there are three brand-new levels: Water Park, Pinball, and Movie Studio. These are all part of the Pro Skater 4 tour. The Water Park and Pinball are the most creative and new playgrounds. The Movie Studio, on the other hand, doesn't stand out as much.

One nice addition is the ability to set the timer to last up to 60 minutes, rather than just two minutes. This lets new players and casual players enjoy the levels without feeling rushed. Additionally, the Create A Park mode is highly powerful, allowing you to create your own levels with custom goals and NPCs. It's one of the best modes in the series' history.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 doesn't have traditional combat, but it does have "puzzle" elements in the way you complete skating challenges, like getting all the letters to spell "SKATE," earning combo multipliers, racing against timers, or perfecting certain trick sequences. This is the main "combat" loop, where you have to do tricks and string together combos to complete objectives.

After completing the basic goals, the game presents Pro Goals, which are more challenging tasks with longer timers that help you master the levels. The trick system is still solid and fun, and the combos flow smoothly thanks to controls that are easy to use. However, certain design choices and goal adjustments can make the experience less pleasing. 

It feels forced to turn Pro Skater 4's big, mission-based levels into timed challenges. The fourth game lacks its own unique charm, as it doesn't feature any NPCs or story missions. Instead, it feels like a less ambitious take on the original formula. Additionally, the fixed goals for all skaters make the game less enjoyable and varied, and it detracts from the feeling of mastering different playstyles and tours for each character. People who liked how unique and free Pro Skater 4 was might not like this.

Stat points earned in solo tours let you move up, but most skaters are already at their highest level by the time you unlock this mode, making them all feel the same and removing the motivation to try new things.

Unlockables and Skater Bucks make the sense of progression more fun, and they let you get cosmetics, skaters, and visual mods pretty quickly without having to grind too much. This helps the game keep going smoothly, so players don't get frustrated.

With Iron Galaxy's new look, these famous skate parks appear to be brand new. New lighting, sharper textures, and dynamic effects have made the levels look incredible, and skating is now a real visual treat. Sparks fly off your grinds in Foundry, and the beautiful sunset over San Francisco makes for a moody background that perfectly captures the spirit of the original maps, though with a lot more polish and detail.

The new levels, Water Park, Pinball, and Movie Studio, all have their own unique looks. The Water Park has bright pools and twisting slides that are perfect for learning new tricks. Pinball, on the other hand, has a zombie-themed pinball table with flashing lights and other realistic zombie-themed elements. Movie Studio has a lively, movie-like setting, but it's not as memorable as the other two.

Some levels that you've already played have been cleverly rethought: London is now at night, which changes the mood and challenges; Suburbia has a Halloween theme that changes its original campy vibe to a spooky one; and Zoo turns into an abandoned competition level where the only sound is the sound of animals. Fans will recognize places that have been changed, but now they have a new look and feel.

Although the maps look great, there are still a few minor visual issues. For example, there are noticeably fewer NPCs than in the original games, which can make the worlds feel less alive at times. Some changes to the layout, like the hidden toolbox before raising the Cruise Ship ferry, might also seem strange or out of place to people who want a true remake.

Overall, the graphics are a nice blend of old and new, making for a visually satisfying skateboarding experience, whether you're revisiting old levels or trying out new ones. The soundtrack, on the other hand, remains an integral part of the Tony Hawk experience, and this one is a mixed bag. 

While some fan favorites are back, like Bodyjar's "Not the Same" and Motorhead's "Ace of Spades," others are gone, like AC/DC's famous "TNT," which was the opening track for Pro Skater 4. Many fans really miss it. Problems with licensing are to blame, but the fact that some bands, such as Alien Ant Farm, have publicly stated that they were never even asked to be included is hurtful.

To be fair, the newer additions do help fill in some gaps. The music has new energy thanks to tracks by Turnstile and Urethane. Lupe Fiasco's "Kick Push," a deep cut from the series' past, finally gets its time to shine outside of Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam. This song plays in the main menu, making you think of good times and setting a cool mood right away.

If you buy the Deluxe Edition, you'll get extra songs from the Doom soundtrack. This is a cool extra that gives the mix a heavier, more intense feel. The sound design includes more than just music. For example, the satisfying grind of rails, the whoosh of flips, and the clatter of landings are all crisp and responsive, making the experience more real.

One minor issue is that the main menu resembles and sounds somewhat like a free-to-play game, which doesn't quite align with the classic arcade feel. It doesn't change how you play, but purists might find it a little off-brand.

Some fans might be disappointed by the soundtrack because it lacks classic songs, but the new songs and clear skate sounds ensure that the game's sound environment remains full of energy and style.

The combination of old and new ideas in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 makes it very appealing. The Pro Skater 3 part is almost a perfect remake. It keeps the original gameplay and mood while introducing new graphics and a familiar approach to setting goals. Skating these levels again is a lot of fun. It's fun to do classic combos and enjoy the smooth flow.

However, the Pro Skater 4 part feels like a compromise—a reimagining that sacrifices much of the free-roaming charm and mission-driven personality in favor of a more traditional timed-run style. This might be disappointing for some fans, especially since the soundtrack is missing some important songs.

Still, the main gameplay remains very smooth, the levels are fun and diverse, and the new levels provide a nice change of pace. The powerful Create A Park mode is one of the best parts; it lets you make a lot of changes and play it again and again. It gives veterans a chance to play through old favorites on brand-new maps. 

For people who have never played one of the most famous game series before, it's an easy and polished way to get started. If you don't mind the changes and missing features, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is a good skateboarding package that stays true to its roots while adding new features and making the game easier to use. Just be prepared for some surprises that don't quite work out.