Review: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 - Between Nostalgia and Innovation

One of the biggest fears among fans was that the essence of the original games would be stripped away in the name of modernity. Fortunately, this didn't happen; each level in THPS 3 and THPS 4 was faithfully recreated, maintaining the objective structure, hidden secrets, combo lines, and collectibles.

Improvements were made in the remake: the maps were brought to life with additional details such as interactive NPCs, more background animations, and dynamic events. Furthermore, the difficulty was balanced. While some challenges were previously absurdly difficult or poorly explained, they’re now more accessible, with clear instructions and a visual cue system.

Another important point is customization. The Create-a-Skater and Create-a-Park modes returned with more tools, allowing the creation of incredibly detailed skaters and incredibly creative tracks. It ended up wonderfully, as it's easy to spend hours in this mode, especially with the option to share parks online with the community.

You can't talk about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater without mentioning its soundtrack. The original games helped popularize punk, ska, hip-hop, and alternative rock bands, shaping the musical tastes of a generation.

The THPS 3+4 soundtrack is a mixed bag. While the game includes classic bands like Motörhead, Iron Maiden, and Alice in Chains, as well as modern tracks from artists like Run the Jewels and Denzel Curry, including bonus tracks from the DOOM franchise in the Deluxe Editions, it also lacks many original hits that were part of the nostalgic experience of the classic games, such as songs by AC/DC and other teen icons from the 2000s.

The result: a good soundtrack in itself, but those who played the original games might miss the THPS spirit and the emotion that the songs brought.

The original games already had a wealth of content, and this collection has multiplied that. Both titles come complete with all the classic levels and objectives, but now with new missions and additional challenges for each skater.

Both campaigns can be played with any skater, and there are now exclusive rewards for completing objectives with specific characters. Additionally, daily and weekly online challenges are offered, keeping the game fresh and active.

Career Mode

The main mode bridges the levels of THPS3 and THPS4 with a unified progression system: earned money, characters, and stats carry over between both campaigns, allowing for a seamless gameplay flow between the two titles. After completing the career mode, there's a New Game+ mode with more difficult challenges, maintaining already improved stats.

Free Skate

To compensate for the limited timed objectives, Free Skate allows you to explore the levels without any limits. However, this mode becomes empty over time, precisely because it lacks objectives and interactive NPCs, unlike the original THPS4.

Multiplayer and Online Modes

The remake includes online multiplayer with cross-platform play and matches for up to 8 players simultaneously. A new mode called HAWK (with hidden letters) presents a creative and replayable challenge, unlike the traditional "score attack."

Create‑A‑Skater and Create‑A‑Park

The skater editor allows for detailed customization: clothing, accessories, tattoos, skating style, and more. Earned stats can be transferred between characters. In Create-A-Park mode, you can build complex tracks and set objectives within them, offering creative innovation to the community.

New Levels

Waterpark: An abandoned water park with water slides that serve as natural ramps. It stands out for its vertical design, reminiscent of Neversoft's best moments.

Pinball: A surreal arcade table with moving obstacles and a retro aesthetic. A tribute to the series' creativity, like the classic Area 51.

Movie Studio: A Hollywood studio filled with interactive sets (like giant monsters and camera tracks). Smaller than the others, but extremely fun and great for combos.

The cast features familiar names from the classics and new talent. Classic figures like Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Bucky Lasek, and Bob Burnquist remain in the cast. Secret characters like Michaelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bam Margera, and Jack Black (as Officer Dick) complete the nostalgic package. The Deluxe Editions allow players to play as the Doom Slayer and Revenant.

The biggest controversy lies in THPS4's restructuring. Originally, the game pioneered a timeless "open world" with NPCs distributing narrative missions (such as feeding sea lions in San Francisco). The remake completely discarded this approach. Now, all levels follow a two-minute format with pre-defined objectives. While Iron Galaxy argues that this was cohesive, allowing both remakes to have the same standard, fans lament the loss of the fourth game's unique identity, which defined what the THPS series would become if it continued.

Cut and Adapted Missions: Iconic objectives (e.g., unlocking cells in Alcatraz) were retained, but others were eliminated or converted into "Pro Challenges," unlockable after completing the main campaign. The Zoo level was put to the background of the competitive arena, losing some of its chaotic charm.

The Reason: While the studio added new objectives (such as destroying film sets in Movie Studio), the absence of THPS4's original structure was retroactive, and its historical innovation was left aside.

Pros

Cons

THPS is more than just a remake. It's a celebration of skateboarding culture, video game history, and the power of nostalgia, while respecting its legacy. The team's dedication to preserving the essence of the original games is evident in every detail, right down to the meticulously recreated maps. At the same time, modern additions like online challenges, in-depth customization, and new skaters ensure that THPS 3+4 is relevant and fun.

Its greatest sin was rewriting history: by standardizing THPS 4 to the format of the first games, erasing a revolution that paved the way for Underground and American Wasteland. Still, the gameplay remains addictive, the new parks are design treasures, and the extra content guarantees hundreds of hours of play.

If you were one of the many who spent hours breaking records in Airport, Suburbia, or College, this is a game that should leave you feeling your memories and, perhaps, with tears welling up. And if you've never played the classics, this is the way to experience one of the pillars of gaming history. This is still the best skateboarding game ever created.