Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Review

When Tony Hawk landed the 900 during the San Francisco X Games in 1999, it was widely recognized as one of the most iconic moments in sports history. The trick became an instant classic, inspiring a generation of skaters to redefine what’s possible on four wheels.

That impact extended far beyond skate parks, shaping an entire era of gaming through the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series. It became tied closely to skate culture and made its modern comeback starting with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2.

Now, with the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, does the series strike lightning twice? Mostly yes, but with a few disclaimers.

3rd + 4th Time is the Charm

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 marks the return of two influential entries in the franchise, bundled into a modernized experience. Both titles build on the successful core mechanics of their predecessors, with Pro Skater 3 introducing the Revert, allowing seamless combo chaining between vert tricks, manuals, and grinds, and expanding the trick system with hidden combos and alternate variations.

Needless to say, it controls as great as you can remember, mybe even better thanks to modern hardware upgrades. Tricks are a joy to pull off with a responsive and slick control scheme, and there’s no one to blame but yourself for not being able to land that ollie.

Pro Skater 4 breaks the mold by offering an open-world Career Mode, removing the series’ signature two-minute time limit in favor of a more open and free flowing gameplay. Players can explore stages, interact with NPCs, and tackle objectives at their own pace, resulting in an evolution that reshaped the design of the franchise.

In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, the Career Mode lets players skate across iconic stages from both titles, completing challenges to earn Stat Points and currency, which can be used at the Shop to unlock new outfits, board designs, and skaters. For newcomers or returning veterans, the game also features Tutorial and Free Skate Modes, making it easy to practice and perfect those high-scoring runs.

What’s Hot?

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 follows its predecessor as it kickflips into modern consoles, and it shows. Visually, the game looks fantastic as the stages are more vibrant, detailed, and definitely feels like a full-fledged remake, living up to expectations of what a modern day Tony Hawk game would look like.

Modern additions to the roster also help bridge the gap between past and present, adding rising stars like Rayssa Leal, Yuto Horigome, and Philippines’ own Margielyn Didal. Iconic veterans, including Bob Burnquist, Tony Hawk, and his son Riley Hawk, fill out the roster with household names that would mke older skateheads smile. Even Doom Slayer makes a surprise appearance, sporting his modern look as one of several unlockable skaters.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 also has exclusive new stages like the Movie Studio, complete with sets and movie backdrops. There’s also a Waterpark which should already invoke images of drained pools and giant slides to skate on, along with a stage designed to be like a giant Pinball machine, all filled with creatively placed obstacles that allow for major chaining of tricks.

While it does sound like an almost perfect outing, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 carries a few minor caveats that keep it just shy of perfection.

What’s Slightly Not?

Remakes walk a fine line between nostalgia and innovation, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 attempts to strike that balance with mixed results. While it successfully reintroduces the core gameplay that fans love, it also makes several notable changes that may influence how much players value a 1:1 copy of the old game.

Key stage absences from Pro Skater 4, including Little Big World, Sewers, Carnival, and Chicago, may disappoint longtime players. Likewise, the soundtrack sees some glaring omissions with tracks such as Alien Ant Farm’s “Wish”, and selections from Iron Maiden and Ramones. In their place, new additions like Alice in Chains’ “Them Bones” and Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades” take on the challenge, but my not resonate with longtime fans.

Another significant change is the streamlining of Pro Skater 4’s open-world Career Mode. The original format offered free-flowing exploration where NPCs issued goals, giving players a more immersive experience. In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, that system has been replaced with the classic 2-minute timed sessions. Although players can manually extend the timer, the dynamic open-world progression has been stripped away, greatly changing the feel of the game’s larger stages and potentially leaving players in the dark with what made the original Pro Skater 4 title different.

What’s Still Skaterrific

All that aside, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 still delivers an amazing skateboarding experience. While mastering tricks can be tough, especially on a controller, the satisfaction of landing complex trick chains grows as players become more familiar with the system. The game greatly rewards practice and precision, and while frustration can mount when chains are broken, landing something you’ve been practicing for hours can be cathartic.

The game features a wide array of diverse levels from both Pro Skater 3 and Pro Skater 4, each with their own quirks and gimmicks. From skating through the industrial chaos of the Foundry to carving up the festive Suburbs during Halloween, these environments encourage creative exploration as players hunt for ramps, grind rails, and stunt opportunities.

Customization remains a strong point of the game, allowing players to skate as their favorite pros or create their own skater from scratch. With extensive options for outfits, trick sets, and skateboard designs, there’s something for everybody. That said, the in-game character models don’t quite match the realism of their real-life counterparts, but it’s a minor nitpick in the grand scheme of things.

For those who want to take their creativity to the next level, the Create-a-Park feature makes a well-deserved return. It offers an insanely packed toolset for designing custom skateparks ranging from intricate layouts to overly imaginative setups that one can only dream of. Once complete, parks can be uploaded to the community for others to explore and rate, turning personal designs into shared experiences.

Verdict: Buy it!

There’s no denying that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a compelling package that revives the series that defined a generation. True to its roots, the game doesn’t hold back on difficulty, and that’s part of its charm. Much like any real sport, it demands dedication and practice, making each hard-earned trick all the more rewarding. The sheer variety of stages challenges creativity and skill, while expansive customization options allow players to mold their skater into a perfect reflection of their personal style.

Although there are glaring omissions, most notably features from Pro Skater 4, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 remains a title worthy of your time. New stage designs and soundtrack additions offer fresh surprises, and the game invites you to take to the air once again, which is an invitation worth accepting.

*Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 was reviewed on a PS5 with a review code provided by the publisher.