Remakes and remasters are very a lot an “in” factor for the time being, and whereas it is no shock that we might ultimately see what are arguably two of one of the best entries within the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater sequence make their technique to trendy platforms, I undoubtedly did not count on this bundle to be as sturdy of a remake because it’s shaping as much as be. From the immediately recognizable ranges of THPS 3, to the controls that activated a muscle reminiscence I did not understand was saved in my mind for over 20 years, and the refreshing pick-up-and-play two-minute cut-off dates, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is certainly shaping as much as not solely be considered one of 2025’s higher remakes, however a sport which will maintain you kicking and pushing for dozens of hours this summer time.
As the identify suggests, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is a remake of each video games with a contemporary facelift, new parks and skaters, and most significantly, a banger of a soundtrack. It performs precisely prefer it did again when it was launched on the PlayStation 2, and it is clear that that is undoubtedly an “if it ain’t broke, do not repair it” type of remake. There’s a way of nostalgia I felt when revisiting traditional maps like THPS 3’s Suburbia and 4’s school, and whereas these undoubtedly look significantly better now for apparent causes, it nonetheless felt like the identical video games my buddies and I stayed up approach too late taking part in on Friday nights all these years in the past. The wackiness and weirdness of the THPS video games continues to be right here, and outdoors of some trendy updates to the roster and the promise of latest methods and a brand new sport plus mode, that is undoubtedly the Tony Hawk you keep in mind from yesteryear.
That’s to not say it is all hardflips and clean pavement, although. While Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 performs actually easily and the inclusion of the standard two-minute timer works surprisingly nicely, the shortage of the marketing campaign mode is a little bit of a sore spot in an in any other case promising remake. THPS purists may be let down from this, however after taking part in for round two hours I did not actually miss it a lot. There’s one thing refreshing about taking part in a sport that respects my time and limits me to shorter bursts of gameplay in an age the place each sport needs me to play it for tons of of hours on finish. While a profession mode would have been a cool inclusion, there’s nonetheless so much right here that is value sinking your enamel into.
The gameplay feels pure – nothing’s been messed with, fortunately – and inside minutes I used to be pulling off lengthy grinds into manuals again into grinds and chasing that ever-elusive increased rating whereas flying across the map attempting to fill out SKATE. After a couple of minutes of tripping over myself in a comically excessive approach, the controls rapidly got here again to me and I used to be flying round suburbia, heel flipping over vehicles, and popping off that satisfying orchestra hit at any time when I landed a particular transfer. The new map, Waterpark, felt prefer it was at all times a part of the unique video games and was simply one of the vital enjoyable ranges to grind round and uncover its secrets and techniques. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’s addictive gameplay loop stored me wanting extra at any time when the timer ticked all the way down to the previous couple of seconds, and I incessantly discovered myself rapidly hopping again in for only one extra run.
In a time the place it looks as if each sport from the early 2000’s is getting a contemporary facelift, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is shaping as much as be a welcome addition to a 12 months full of wonderful remakes and remasters. From its trustworthy recreation of what made the PS2-era classics so memorable, to its trendy high quality of life enhancements, glorious soundtrack, and general love letter to the sequence early days, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 may be very a lot one thing that must be in your radar in the event you’re a fan of skateboarding, take pleasure in motion sports activities video games, or simply wish to play one thing that is easy and enjoyable. It may be the simplest kickflip you’ll land this 12 months.
