In what may be a first for the internet in terms of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, here is a review completely untainted by the rose-coloured nostalgia glasses. Sure, the original remakes sparked a cavalcade of memories involving bunking off school and ensuring all wallets were secured to oversized trousers by a novelty chain, but in terms of the later sequels, time and this reviewer simply had other ways to skate. Considering the masterful way the first two games were handled, can the care and time given be replicated here?
If familiar with the format, returning players can easily jump back in and instantly start enjoying themselves. The Birdman works best in short, sharp doses and there has been real effort to ensure that style of play is encouraged not only in the third but also fourth iteration of the franchise. Originally, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 was a much more open affair, allowing progression through exploration. Chilled, yes, but a far cry from 1-3.
Although certain to anger a lot of long-time fans, the stages in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 have been altered to match the standard two-minute run format. Will it take some getting used to if a fan of the original? Definitely. Is it a much more sensible change that works in the game’s favour? Almost certainly. If change really is the biggest issue that nostalgia fans can think of, however, the timer for runs can be changed to 60 minutes, allowing for that feeling of exploration under no pressure.
If all levels are clocked, the create-a-park system has also been updated, allowing for the new addition of adding in specific objectives throughout. Combo goals can be placed, as well as items and NPCs. As before, these can then be shared to the online community. There are hours of mileage in this through such a simple addition, and it will be a delight to see what far smarter people can come up with.
Progression remains largely unchanged, with levels unlocked after a certain amount of goals have been completed. Complete them all and the much trickier (but often more interesting) Pro goals become available. Some levels have been dropped over both Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, but three new levels have been included to varying degrees of success. A personal highlight is the addition of the waterpark, a setting that absolutely makes sense when you think about skaters looking for their new big area to grind all over.
Speaking of skaters, a massive selection, as was the case in the first remake, is available. The original cast is all present and correct, as well as the updated Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 remake roster and some new faces. All stat points unlocked for each are carried over between 3+4, allowing you to use Rodney Mullen – and only Rodney Mullen – for whatever goal needs achieving. Special mention as well goes to at least one of the secret characters, an unlock that really harkens back to the kind of bonkers inclusions of the originals games.
Regardless of how well the presentation and preservation was handled, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 was going to sink or swim based on two major factors: the gameplay and the music. This is probably where nostalgia would come into play. If the first remake had altered the music of this here reviewer’s childhood in a serious way, the review would be scathing.
However, there’s no old love for these. A bit of research has found that from a list of over 50 tracks, only a handful of the original songs remain. Are all of the new additions fitting? Yes. Do they bring more recent tracks into the fold to encourage new players? Also yes. Sitting firmly on the fence, it’s easier to see the argument from both sides. Time does move on, and perhaps so should the musical taste of the 40-year-olds playing this. Then again, no, it should not.
What appealed about the remasters was the fact that everything you loved as a youngster was there, now with quality of life improvements. Choosing now to change that is a bizarre decision when there seems no real reason not to include what people remember. Music is an integral part of the core Tony Hawk experience, and although most of the new tracks are perfectly fitting, surely a part of the game is fundamentally missing without a fuller soundtrack.
On the other hand, gameplay is absolutely superb, controls are as tight as they’ve ever been, and any mistake is firmly on the player. A basic tutorial for new players is also well rounded enough to allow anyone to be quickly stringing together large combos through grinds, manuals and reverts between half pipes. The d-pad is still the way to go, and with the PS5 controller holding up well, it’s a delight to play on the console.
