A few years ago, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 brought back the iconic skateboarding series in fine form, presenting the first two games remade and in one package.
It was so successful in what it set out to do that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 uses practically the exact same template. While the end result is another fantastic arcade skating title, changes to the latter game in particular prevent this from being the slam dunk it should've been.
But before we get into all that, let's talk about what's here. THPS 3 + 4 is using the same tech and framework as the previous remake collection, bundling together the third and fourth titles in the franchise into one game.
The good news is that it feels identical to its predecessor, which means it feels super smooth and responsive to control. It might take a few runs to shake the rust off, as these are fast-paced games that ask you to properly engage with the tools at your disposal. However, once you've warmed up, this feels as good to play as the series ever has.
3 + 4 also looks great and runs wonderfully on PS5. An unshakeable 60 frames-per-second is prioritised over the highest fidelity visuals, but that's not to say this is an ugly game; environments look especially good.
While still recognisable for nostalgic fans, every stage has been given a fantastic facelift that freshens up their look, and the results are mostly great. Some of our favourite stages visually are Tokyo, London, San Francisco, and Canada, but each level looks lovely with great image quality across the board.
Developer Iron Galaxy had a tough job to do in unifying the two games into something cohesive. While the first two games were structurally very similar, 3 + 4 doesn't have the same luxury, and the result is that the games are more altered this time around to make them fit together.
Across both titles is a uniform approach to goals and competition stages, and while THPS3 is mainly unaffected by this, THPS4's tour is quite different from what you may remember from the PS2 classic.
The most notable difference is that THPS4 conforms to the timed runs approach prevalent in the games that came before it. The original adopted a more freeform structure; you were able to trigger specific goals at your leisure, and levels were larger, designed to be explored without a timer.
In this remake, the levels have been retrofitted to THPS3's timer. This does make for a more cohesive game overall, but it comes at the cost of uprooting the original's intent. Fans with nostalgia for THPS4's career mode will likely be disappointed by this change that feels a little heavy-handed.
Furthermore, Kona and Zoo have been converted into competition levels. Unlike regular stages, these eschew goals in favour of minute-long heats in which you need to score as highly as possible. This means they're missing all their goals from the original game. Carnival and Chicago are absent altogether, though they were more like bonus stages and not exactly the best-liked levels, so this isn't the greatest loss.
What might irk some people more than the missing stages is the soundtrack, which includes only a handful of songs from the original 3 and 4. The majority of music from those classic soundtracks isn't here, replaced by new tracks. What's included all hits the right tone at least, but again, fans of the old games won't be too happy that this remake doesn't quite reflect their experience.
While all this sounds like bad news, the fact is THPS4's levels remain a joy to play through, even with the timer in place. Some of the original game's goals are present and correct, while others are relegated to Pro goals, which unlock after completing both campaigns, so you're still getting the majority of what you'd want. It is a shame that 4 couldn't be remade without major changes, but what's here is still great fun to blast through.
A trio of brand new levels fill out THPS4's career — Movie Studio, Waterpark, and Pinball. The former is a competition level, while the other two are your typical stages with goals and so on.
They're all really strong Tony Hawk levels, with really fun themes and layouts that slot right in, feeling like natural additions to all the classic stages you remember.
Layered on top are hundreds of additional challenges for the most dedicated skaters, as well as lots of customisation options and an enormous roster of pro skaters to choose from. It includes all your old favourites like Rodney Mullen, Bob Burnquist, and yes, Bam Margera, but makes room for a younger generation.
The likes of Chloe Covell, Rayssa Leal, and Yuto Horigome are great newcomers to the series, and along with the new levels, speak to a desire from Iron Galaxy to look forward as well as back.
There are smart additions to other aspects of the game too. Create-A-Park now features custom goals you can make, allowing you to add some objectives to your own levels. It's probably the most robust level editor the series has ever seen, so if you're into that side of Tony Hawk, you're well served here.
Online multiplayer is more or less the same as 1 + 2, only there's a new mode — HAWK. Again, it's a great addition; you spend the first phase hiding the letters that make up HAWK, then you have to seek the letters your opponents have placed. It's a fun new mode that rewards map knowledge and exploration.
Conclusion
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is another fantastic skateboarding title that revives some all-time classics, albeit with some caveats. It's a shame that 4 couldn't be more faithfully restored, but what is included still makes for a fun arcade skating experience that fans of the series shouldn't skip — especially considering the brand new levels and other neat secrets. It may not be the greatest remake, but it's further proof that there's life yet in this timeless series.
Comments 35
Hope we get thug 1&2
@Americansamurai1 If they put a timer in Thug Ima gonna crash out.
THPS4 was made from the ground up by 50 people in a year. Castrating it in the remake is simply unforgivable.
THPS 3 was an obsession of mine the year it came out, so I am super excited for this because of that. I have never actually played THPS 4, and this feels like a bad way to experience that game for the first time. I’m very conflicted by this, it feels like it should have been two separate releases if they were really that concerned about cohesion.
Xbox on a roll
Lost sale here with the THPS4 shenanigans.
I'm so torn since 4 was the first one I really got into. I played the previous ones but only very casually at friends houses back in the day. I get why they did what they did but it is a shame 4 isn't more faithful since that's when it felt like the series really took a big step forward with the more open nature of it.
I'm glad the game itself is good though at least. But God be with them if they strip down THUG's career modes if that collection ever happens. I could see the backlash being much more intense for that then it is for 4.
There are options to increase the level timer up to 60mins, worked in career mode in 3 haven't tried in 4 yet.
@Oram77 definitely wouldn't even buy it. That would ruin the whole purpose of the game
Seems like there are a lot of missing level assets, NPCs, altered goals, etc.
I’m disappointed. I had a blast with THPS3’s campaign, brilliant remake. But 4 is just not working. The goals do not suit the levels at all. Zoo and Kona are shadows of their former selves. Just put a competition in Alcatraz’s competition area! Movie Studio’s not great but I did think Water Park was a good new level. Pinball is terrible, THPS5 levels of bad. Plus Chicago and Carnival aren’t even in the game. I hold out hope that once I reach the Pro Goals then things will improve but this has been a kinda phoned in project, I’m not that impressed by Iron Galaxy. The physics are really dodgy too, you bounce off stupid objects, spine transfer directly into the ground etc. Even just the graphics are mixed, they’re just a tad blurry even in quality mode, and the time of day in San Francisco and Alcatraz actively make them look worse. The fact I’d still agree it’s an 8/10 speaks to the quality of the original games over this remake.
@Jrs1 Even playing with the 60 minute timer in the 4 levels, it’s still bad. The goals are far too easy to do in the time, but then you can’t quickly restart things like combos and harder lines like you could in the original’s goal structure. I really miss the set custom restart setting from OG 4, especially in London with me dropping off the rooftops and having to find my way back up again.
I might play this someday, but if I do, I'm buying it on eBay for $15.
I do want to get this since I enjoyed 1+2 a few years ago, and I do remember playing 3 and 4 as a kid, along with the original 1 and 2.
Playing as we speak. Admirable effort. It’s crashing to dashboard quite often, but nowhere near the ‘laughably unplayable trash’ levels of something like Oblivion Remastered. Aside from that, it feels good, looks fine enough and most importantly the trophy list has seen salvation. No multiplayer trash, no ‘mash x in create a park placing random objects until your thumbs bleed’ criteria, no unrealistic challenges. The 10million point one might give new players trouble, but I’m sure there are plenty of create-a-park cheese levels to get you past that. Veterans won’t have any issue here as controls are as tight and responsive as I remember them. Solid remake.
Having never played THPS4 before, I have no basis for the original, and therefore the experience should hopefully not be marred by the comparison. That said, I've only done the first level in that tour so far. So we'll see.
My only gripe is they got a super low amount of the original soundtrack back. I think only 10 songs total. The 1+2 collection had a bigger share of the originals from those games. And don't get me wrong, some of the new tracks are gelling with me, but many are not.
While I totally understand how this remake makes some folks angry, it's a 10/10 for me, as I only ever played THPS 1-3 originally so have no nostalgia for 4.
Happy for a new curated soundtrack, for me, that's part of the magic of THPS - introduce me to new bands, not the same ones I already know!
And not to be a pedant, but I disagree with "it may not be the greatest remake". You can make changes to something and it still qualifies as a remake... my dictionary has remake to mean "a new or different version of an old film or song". Making changes to the original games doesn't make this any less of a remake... but I've had a drink so sorry if I am coming off a bit *****.
Not played the 3 new levels yet, but I hope this is a sign that a genuine new game may come next, as they have the engine, and can clearly make new, interesting levels!
Great game but no mention of the screen tearing.
@nessisonett that's a shame to hear, I'm still very early into the game myself.
I didn't like the timers in Tony Hawks games so 4 was the first one I actually properly got into and played the whole career. So it's a pass for me, maybe one day when it's really cheap.
@BecauseBecause You can turn the timer to 60 minutes if that changes anything for you.
Its a fun time and the new visuals are great but as i said on PureXbox i think this could have been a big expansion for 1+2 rather then a full game. The new stuff is cool and i love the secrets store but it does feel compromised and it does make you worry about THUG1+2 when they no doubt "remake" them.
The GameCube version of 3 is good enough for me, so I went with that. I'll grab this on a sale. That music is important.
4 was where I decided to drop out of the series. The world was empty and bland. I am interested to see how the changes they've made affect my feelings about that game. I do wish it had been ported faithfully, even if I think it's pretty bad.
@Dalamar kind of explains why it's one of the worst entries in the series.
@LikelySatan I think it's hands down best entry in the series, but I guess Satan knows better.
@Balaam_ Using the Create A Park combo levels is a cowards way out! I’m happy with my 43 million combo the legit way 😂
@Dalamar to me that's like saying MK Armageddon or Trilogy are the best in the series.
There's definitely a chance that I will play 4 again and enjoy it more. Could be like Mega Man, where I played the games as they came out, so was pretty done with them when the fourth entry hit. They drove the games into the ground, and also I was a big arcade guy back then, and the changes made to the formula seemed to be sacrificed for arbitrary open world ish design. I will give it another chance.
I am going to play through THUG first, and attempt to get THUG Pro running through Winlator on the Retroid. I've only messed around w it for a bit.
This is an absolutely fantastic game(s.) Absolute blast. Breath of fresh air.
@LikelySatan oh boy, I guess we'll never see eye to eye because I consider Megaman 4 the best Megaman on NES.
Game has been great from what I've played so far but the music has been a disappointment
I used to play 1 and 2 on the Dreamcast, and then I got into 3 on the XBox. As for 4, I don’t recall ever playing it; I was kinda done with skateboarding games by then. I might give this 3 & 4 package a try when the price comes down in a couple years—I can wait.
I always hoped the Tony Hawk games would get together with the Atari game 720 Degrees or Ultra/Konami’s Skate or Die or even, say, Atari’s Paperboy for a really cool arcadey mash-up. Alas, it’s never happened, but it’d be great fun if it ever did.
As with THPS 1+2 the PC version requires mandatory online to play the single player aspect. The issue is that Activision use Denuvo, a horrible little slice of DRM.
Sure I could buy it for console where online is only required for multi-player, but I'm not giving them any of my money on principle. I'll just continue to enjoy my emulated versions of THPS 3 and 4
No sale.
I don't mind it, never been into skating games and have never played any TH games o.O Only played a bit, bought the £18 upgrade on Xbox for the extra little perks and gave it a go. Liking it, though i'm not very good but can't complain I suppose I need to practice.
Having played through it for a few hours - got to say 7/8 out of 10 really does feel about the mark. Its mostly a good game on its own merits, but as a remake it does leave quite a bit on the table. Looks great (on PC at least), mechanics are solid and the fun aspect is definitely there. As other have mentioned, the physics/collision elements do have some weirdness (and have resulted in the odd unexpected bail for me, or awkward SKATE letter); but my real gripe is that this could just have been an expansion of THPS 1+2 as its core elements seem extremely similar (not a bad thing, just more of the same really). THPS 4 goals do seem a bit off too and some levels dulled down to fit a more 'structured' experience (London and Zoo in particular; but Waterpark is brilliant and Pinball works too).
Soundtrack changes aren't the end of the world IMO, as whilst core to the experience, I can just stream a playlist in the background; but def not as strong as what made the originals great to me.
Its also easy to overlook that THPS 1+2 is actually quite a departure from the original games in terms of mechanics and QoL (albeit a welcome modernisation). Trick extensions, the depth of manual/lip/grind tricks, reverts and spine transfers - these didn't really become so core until THPS 3, and mostly THPS 4 before the formula was largely perfected.
Enjoying it so far. Having to 100% the solo tours with all 35 skaters for a trophy is one if the stupidest decisions I've seen though. As if the level 100 trophy wasnt bad enough in the first remake. They made it twice as bad.
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