So, do you feel like getting back on the board and pulling off some sick tricks? Then I’ve got something for you: The Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 video game is here and it’s really awesome! Imagine all your favorite parks and moves from the old days, but everything looks much better and feels even smoother. Whether you’re an old pro or just starting out, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth here. Grab your controller, we’re diving into the world of virtual skateboarding!
The Most Important Things at a Glance
- The Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 video game brings back the beloved classics with modern visuals and fluid controls.
- It includes all the well-known tricks like manuals, reverts, and spine transfers that define the skateboarding experience.
- Look forward to a mix of old, redesigned levels and brand-new parks, plus a colorful cast of familiar and new skaters.
- Whether online with friends or locally in split-screen – the multiplayer modes, including the new HAWK mode, provide plenty of fun.
- With a rocking soundtrack and improved graphics, this game is a feast for all senses and a must-have for every skateboarding fan.
The Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 Video Game: A Look Back
Do you remember when skateboarding games took the world by storm? Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 brings that feeling back, and with style! After the huge success of the first two installments, which topped the charts around the turn of the millennium, expectations for the sequels were gigantic. And they delivered! The series was a true phenomenon that captivated generations of players. After some less successful attempts in the past, such as the remake of Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ HD or the last installment THPS5, there was great joy when the remakes of Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 1 + 2 were released. Now, finally, the beloved parts 3 and 4 are back, and better than ever. This package is an absolute must-have for every fan of the genre.
Gameplay and Controls: Familiar Yet New
The Essence of Skateboarding
The core of Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 remains the controls. If you’ve played before, you’ll immediately feel at home again. The developers managed to capture the feel of the original, but with a modern twist. It’s that feeling when you land a perfect grind or a sick combo that keeps you coming back. It’s simply satisfying when everything clicks.
Manuals, Reverts, and Spine Transfers
These tricks are the icing on the cake. Manuals, which involve riding on the back or front wheels, have been around since THPS2 and feel great. Then there are the reverts from THPS3, which allow you to change direction after an air out of the halfpipe. And let’s not forget the spine transfers from THPS4, which let you swing from one ramp to the next. All these moves are back and feel intuitive. With a little practice, you’ll master the finger acrobatics that make THPS so special. It’s a bit like learning to ride a bike – wobbly at first, but you’ll get the hang of it soon.
Fluid Animations and Precise Control
What really stands out are the animations. Everything flows smoothly from one trick to the next. This gives you the feeling of truly being in control of your board. Compared to previous installments, where the controls were sometimes a bit floaty, this is a real improvement. You can execute your tricks more precisely and hold your combos longer. If you’re interested in new games, check out the latest PC games, maybe there’s something for you.
Levels and Characters: A Journey Through Time
Classic Locations Rediscovered
Do you remember the good old days? The creators of Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 really put in the effort to bring the familiar levels from the third installment back to life. So you’ll find all nine locations again, from the gloomy foundry to the bustling airport. They’re not just visually enhanced, but also feel more alive. Some details are different – London is now set at night and the elephant in the van is now a cosplayer – but the essence has been preserved. It’s like rediscovering your old favorite places.
New Parks for Fresh Challenges
But don’t worry, there’s also a breath of fresh air! Since the levels from THPS4 were a bit different in the original, Iron Galaxy Studios reworked them for this package. They brought back the classic goals and timer and removed the NPCs. This might be a matter of taste, but it works great. And the best part: three completely new areas have been added! Imagine a huge, abandoned water park, a film studio full of sets, and a secret level that you only unlock at the end. These new parks are full of small details and seamlessly blend into the selection. For example, you first have to get an old arcade working again in the water park to use the big slide. In addition to the main goals, there are always new challenges and hidden collectibles to keep you entertained.
A Colorful Mix of Stars and Legends
Your jaw will drop when you see the characters. Here you’ll meet current stars like Yūto Horigome and Margielyn Didal, but also legends like Kareem Campbell and Elissa Steamer. Finally, there’s a good mix of old pros and new talents. Especially cool is Felipe Nunes, who shows how to do crazy tricks even without prosthetics. And of course, you can create your own skater, with a huge selection of clothes and decks. But don’t forget, for each pro there are special trick montages you can unlock – this greatly increases replayability. With the points collected, you improve your skaters’ abilities, and the money earned can be spent on new cosmetic items. Even a few surprise skaters like Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are included if you keep your eyes open. It’s truly a journey through the entire history of skateboarding.
Multiplayer Modes: On the Board Together
So, are you ready to test your skills against others? The multiplayer modes in Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 are really awesome and offer you plenty of opportunities to battle it out with friends or even complete strangers.
Online Action with Friends
When you go online, you can hang out with up to eight people at once and check out the best lines in free skate. But that’s not all: there are also cool high score modes where you can collect points and combos or prove yourself in graffiti mode. The best part? The connections are stable, and you can look forward to a fluid gaming experience, unlike some predecessors. If you’re playing on the Nintendo Switch, you can compete with players on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, which makes the whole thing even more exciting.
The New HAWK Mode
This mode is really cleverly designed. Each player distributes the letters H-A-W-K in the level, and the others have to find them under time pressure. This is super accessible, even if you’re new to the game, and provides plenty of laughs and close races.
Classic Modes for Local Duels
Sure, online is great, but sometimes it’s best to just sit on the couch with a friend and compete against each other. For that, there are classic modes like ‘Horse’ or ‘Trick Attack’, where you can prove your skills with a second controller. These modes are perfect for quick, uncomplicated duels and are guaranteed to bring good cheer. There are also modes exclusively reserved for local two-player mode, such as ‘Loser’, where the goal is to beat a score, otherwise you get a letter for a word until the last letter is reached. This is a great way to relive the good old days and just have fun.
Graphics and Sound: A Feast for the Senses
Visual Improvements
So, let’s talk about the visuals. When you start the new installments of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, you’ll immediately notice that a lot has happened. The textures are sharper, the lighting looks much more dynamic, and the skaters’ animations just flow. It really looks good how the old parks come with new splendor. On newer consoles, like the Xbox Series X, it also runs super smoothly with a stable 60 frames per second, which really enhances the gameplay. But beware, on older consoles like the first Switch or the PS4, it looks different. The Switch, for example, struggles with ghosting and often doesn’t even reach 30 FPS. The PS4 version is okay in single-player mode, but online it drops to 30 FPS, which can be really annoying when you’re competing against others.
The Legendary Soundtrack
What would Tony Hawk be without its soundtrack? Nothing, I tell you! The creators have done a really good job again and put together a mix of old hits and new tracks that perfectly fit skateboarding. You’ll definitely recognize songs that drove you crazy back then, but also discover some new stuff that you’ll want to add to your playlist right away. It’s just that mix of punk, rock, and hip-hop that defines the game’s feel. When you crank up the music and land a sick trick, that’s just an unbeatable feeling.
Performance on Different Platforms
As briefly mentioned, performance on different devices is an issue. On PC, with a good graphics card like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, you can really get a lot out of it, even if you might have to lower the details a bit. On PS5, it usually runs smoothly, but there are also small issues here and there, like screen tearing in performance mode, which will hopefully be fixed. The PS4 and the first Switch are unfortunately the laggards. On PS4, the online mode with only 30 FPS is a real damper, and the Switch generally struggles with frame rates and display errors. The new Switch 2 offers more and provides 60 FPS, which is a real difference. So it’s worth checking beforehand which platform you can play on best to get the full experience. If you’re looking for good performance, the Xbox Series X is a safe bet for a great experience.
Conclusion: A Must-Have for Skateboard Fans
A Successful Remake
So, if you’re wondering if this is worth it, I’d say: Yes, definitely! The guys and gals at Iron Galaxy Studios have done a really good job bringing the old treasures Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 back to life. It feels familiar, but at the same time fresh. The graphics are nicely polished, the controls are spot on, and the music – oh, the music! – is simply legendary. They managed to capture the vibe of the old games without feeling outdated. It’s like putting on your old favorite clothes again, but they look brand new.
For Old Pros and Newcomers
No matter if you’ve been on the virtual board since the 2000s or are just starting out, you’ll get your money’s worth here. For the old pros, there are the familiar levels that you’ve played over and over, but now in style. And for newcomers, it’s the perfect opportunity to dive into the world of skateboarding without being overwhelmed by too many complicated things right away. The controls are challenging, but once you get the hang of it, it’s super satisfying. You’ll quickly find your way around, no matter how much experience you have.
The Future of the Series
What’s next? That’s the big question. But with this remake, they’ve definitely shown that the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series is far from over. If they keep going like this, we can look forward to even more cool stuff. Maybe the Underground parts next? Who knows. But for now, you can have a blast here and relive the good old days. It’s a great package that makes you want more and shows that good games never go out of style. Grab your board and get started!
Conclusion: Is it Worth It?
So, if you’re into skateboarding, then Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is really for you. The controls are great, the levels look good, and there’s plenty to do. Sure, a few old songs are missing and some levels from part 4 aren’t quite as you remember them. But hey, the new stuff is well done and the online mode runs stably, so you’ll always find someone to play with. So if you’re in the mood for a bit of nostalgia with modern visuals, then grab the game. See you on the ramps!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the game also for beginners?
Sure, the game is great for everyone who loves skateboarding games! Whether you’re already a total pro or just starting out, there’s something for everyone to do here. The controls are easy to learn, and there are many cool tricks you can try.
Are the levels from the old games included?
Yes, absolutely! Many of the old favorite levels are back, just looking much nicer. Plus, there are new parks that are really fun and offer new challenges. So it never gets boring!
How is the music and graphics in the game?
The game has a great soundtrack with many well-known songs that really put you in a good mood. Plus, there are new tracks that perfectly fit skateboarding. The graphics have also been nicely polished to make everything look great.
Can I play with friends?
You can play alone and break your own records, but the best part is playing with friends online or at home on a couch. There are different modes where you can compete against each other, for example, the new HAWK mode.
How does playing feel?
The controls are great, so you can fully concentrate on skating. You can do cool tricks like manuals, reverts, and spine transfers. With a little practice, you’ll quickly have the board under control and can pull off sick combos.
Is the game a kind of remake?
Yes, the game is basically a rebirth of the two classics from back then. It feels like the good old days, but with modern technology. It’s a great mix of nostalgia and new features that will also excite new players.
