Tony Hawk’s Pro Skateris a series that’s currently lying dormant, but there’s no good reason for that to be the case. Ever sinceTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterreleased on the original PlayStation, the title has been synonymous with skateboarding games, and it’s not just because of the famous name attached to it. Responsive gameplay, interesting environments, and memorable soundtracks launched the franchise into superstardom, making it into a long-term favorite of dedicated skaters and casual gamers alike.
Unlike some other franchises (Madden NFLcomes to my mind), theTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterseries is still pretty directly attached to its namesake. Hawk might not be designing the games himself, but he’s consulted on the series and talked about it on plenty of occasions over the years. With the series recently sitting on the sidelines, Hawk hasn’t been saying as much about it in the past few years, but his most recent reference to the games runs the risk of getting me excited about something that might never come.
Tony Hawk Teasing A Pro Skater Return Is Painful
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 Deserves A Follow-Up
In a video available on theMythical KitchenYouTube channel, reported on byVGC,Hawk says that he’s “been talking to Activision again” and that they’re working on “something the fans will truly appreciate.“The mere existence of a new game wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing, as the disastrous release of the 2015 titleTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5clearly indicates. Hawk is as aware of its failure as I am, however, so the confidence that fans will like whatever’s in the works suggests that he has reason to believe it will stick the landing.
For now, there’s no way to know for surewhat Tony Hawk and Activision are working on, butthe next logical step would be a remake ofTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3and4.The series recovered fromPro Skater 5with the release ofPro Skater 1 + 2, a fantastic rebuilt version of the original two classics. Like everyone else, I assumed that the game would set up a remake of subsequent entries or a better attempt at a completely new experience, but developerVicarious Visions was folded into Blizzard Entertainmentin an undeniably disappointing move.
Classic Tony Hawk Games Are Perfect For Xbox Game Pass, But There’s A Catch
One exciting prospect of the Microsoft-Activision merger is that the Tony Hawk games could come to Game Pass, but one big thing stands in the way.
MakingPro Skater 3 + 4without Vicarious Visions would be a challenge, and I definitely don’t want to see a heavily compromised attempt at continuing the work of a talented team. That’s a lot of why the tease feels so tantalizing and dangerous.Pro Skater 3 + 4— or even a remake ofPro Skater3by itself — would be fantastic under the right conditions, but it’s hard for me to believe that those conditions exist, especially in an environment like the current state of Activision Blizzard.
Tony Hawk Made The Skating Game Genre Awesome
There Are A Lot Of Great Games Out There
I didn’t grow up on the originalTony Hawk’s Pro Skatergames in the way that many people did, but the DNA of the series still worked its way into my childhood life. My earliest years of gaming were largely spent on PC titles found in multipacks at wholesale stores, including a Disney one that featured a game calledDisney’s Extremely Goofy Skateboarding. UnlikeDisney Extreme Skate Adventure, it wasn’t built directly on theTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4engine, but it tossed a lot of obvious inspiration from the series into a pleasantly silly cartoon take.
My skating experience has obviously diversified in the years since I acquiredExtremely Goofy Skateboarding, including the decision to casually pick up the actual sport as an adult. As far as games go,I’ve tried everything from simple touch-based phone games toSkate Itfor the Wii, which uses the balance board like a real skateboard for an often frustrating but undeniably fascinating challenge. I’m waiting eagerly for EA’sSkatereboot, which has some great fundamentals despite going in a threatening live-service direction.
Skater XL: How to Do Flip Tricks
Skater XL has a steep learning curve that includes learning flip tricks. Players can use several strategies for performing successful flip tricks.
In recent years, there’s been a rush of more realistic skateboard simulations.Titles likeSession: Skate SimandSkater XLminimize arcade tendencies in favor of precise control and depth, which can be a cool way to experience the technicality of skateboarding without the real-life risk. I haven’t yet taken theVR Skaterplunge, which sounds like a recipe for motion sickness despite my VR legs, but I’m certainly glad that the option exists.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 & 4 Are Worth Revisiting
Nothing Does Quit What Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Does
There’s still a giantTony Hawk’s Pro Skater-sized hole in the market, however, and I don’t think it’s one that should go unfilled for much longer. Pure arcade action is fun and inviting in a way that skateboard simulation games aren’t attempting to be, and nothing’s ever done it better thanPro Skater.I’d be perfectly happy to play the old versions ofthe third and fourth games on my PS2, but I’d also like to see them on current-generation hardware, and they feel much better suited to remakes than most games that get trotted back out on the market.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 Nintendo Switch Review: A Strong Port Of Fun Skating
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 performs admirably well on the Nintendo Switch despite the limitations that the less powerful hardware presents.
As far as a well-executed remake ofTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3and4goes, it wouldn’t be a case of diminishing returns after the remake of the first two games. Ask ten people their ranking ofPro Skatergames, and you’ll get ten different answers. All four of the original main series entries and bothTony Hawk’s Undergroundgames are competitive in unique ways, andthere’s a lot of joy to be found in the expanded content and creative levels of3and4.
TheUndergroundgames would also be great candidates for remakes or a new entry, butPro Skater 3 + 4seem like a more likely target at the moment.
For now, I’m going to try to put Tony Hawk’s comments back out of my head. Even if something is coming, it’s hard to imagine that it will beas polished and fun asPro Skater 1 + 2is, and the world definitely doesn’t need anotherPro Skater 5. IfTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterdoes come back in fine form, though, its place on the throne of arcade skateboarding games is waiting for it, and I’m waiting for it too.
Source:Mythical Kitchen/YouTube,VGC
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 (2020)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a remaster of the first two installments of the Tony Hawk’s skateboarding video game series. The 2020 game was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Windows to positive reviews from players and critics.
