Hands-On Preview of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

More than two decades after the originals were released (and five years since the remaster of their predecessors), gamers are finally returning to the skate park with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. Hardcore Gamer got the chance to experience all the remastered levels, as well as the three new additions to the map roster in a hands-on gameplay demo. We’re happy to confirm that all the levels, both new and old, shred just as hard now as they did in the originals.

Back To Basics

Fans who played 2020’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 will be happy to know that the follow-up remasters for the third and fourth installments in the series are just as stellar. Textures and graphics have all been updated and hold up to modern gaming standards, maintaining their vibrance and simplicity while increasing fidelity and definition. Admittedly, it’s still a bit of an adjustment, as modern-day lighting engines make it a bit harder to make out the layout of a map than the low-polygon originals.

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Meanwhile, the core gameplay from the original releases has remained relatively untouched, with the same physics-defying arcade skating mechanics brought to the new generation without any edits. All the levels, challenges, tricks and controls return from the originals, as well as some extra new content (more on that later). Even the original cast of skaters have been re-scanned (in all their middle-aged glory) and implemented with high-definition, detailed models.

One major change from the originals is the removal of Pro Skater 4‘s free-roaming main mode in favor of the classic arcade-style timed modes of the previous three games. The change in structure for the fourth game is implemented perfectly in the new version, and hardcore fans of the series will appreciate that the team has chosen consistency in design quality over maintaining an easier level of completion of Pro Skater 4‘s levels. Plus, you can always choose to play Free Roam mode if you don’t want a timer holding you back.

New Faces and Places

It’s not all same-old, same-old, as a ton of new content has been added to the roster, including three brand-new maps that hold their own against the classics being recreated for the remaster. Waterpark drops the player in and abandoned park full of slides to skate down and pools to vert in (and we managed to get some of the water running to unlock a secret area). Another new map, Movie Studio, features tons of verticality and explorable areas, with random props and scenes from skateboarding-themed movies dropped in to grind on and trick over.

Our personal favorite, Pinball, shrinks the player and places them inside an active pinball machine being operated by Mr. Hawk himself. Tons of Easter eggs and details are hidden around the gigantic Zombie-themed neon table, including a challenge that reveals a familiar floating eyeball that we swore we’d seen before. Be sure to keep an eye out for the gigantic rolling pinball, which will knock you off your board (and activate nearby flippers, that will launch both the ball and you when triggered).

One of the few missing elements from the original games are certain secret characters that can be unlocked. While you won’t be seeing any familiar faces from the Marvel or Star Wars universe making a reappearance, you can unlock Michaelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (arguably a much better fit for a skating game than Jango Fett) as a playable skater. Players that pre-order the game will also be able to skate as the Revenant and the Slayer from the Doom franchise, with new moves and a new hoverboard deck along with them. Additionally, the game’s Create-A-Park mode will allow players to upload their new levels online for others to play, adding a ton of new user-generated content to check out.

Lifelong fans of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise will feel right at home (like we did) when returning to the classic levels of 3 and 4 in this upcoming remaster. The satisfying gameplay, immaculate vibes and addictive level design all remain intact and perfectly recreated in the new release, and the extra content retains a consistent level of quality and tone to the originals. We’re extremely excited to get back to skating when Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 launches on July 7 for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

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