Remakes and remasters are very much an “in” thing at the moment, and while it’s no surprise that we would eventually see what are arguably two of the best entries in the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series make their way to modern platforms, I definitely didn’t expect this package to be as robust of a remake as it’s shaping up to be. From the instantly recognizable levels of THPS 3, to the controls that activated a muscle memory I didn’t realize was stored in my brain for over 20 years, and the refreshing pick-up-and-play two-minute time limits, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is definitely shaping up to not only be one of 2025’s better remakes, but a game that may keep you kicking and pushing for dozens of hours this summer.
As the name suggests, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is a remake of both games with a modern facelift, new parks and skaters, and most importantly, a banger of a soundtrack. It plays exactly like it did back when it was released on the PlayStation 2, and it’s clear that this is definitely an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kind of remake. There’s a sense of nostalgia I felt when revisiting classic maps like THPS 3’s Suburbia and 4’s college, and while these definitely look much better now for obvious reasons, it still felt like the same games my friends and I stayed up way too late playing on Friday nights all those years ago. The wackiness and weirdness of the THPS games is still here, and outside of a few modern updates to the roster and the promise of new tricks and a new game plus mode, this is definitely the Tony Hawk you remember from yesteryear.
That’s not to say it’s all hardflips and smooth pavement, though. While Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 plays really smoothly and the inclusion of the traditional two-minute timer works surprisingly well, the lack of the campaign mode is a bit of a sore spot in an otherwise promising remake. THPS purists might be let down from this, but after playing for around two hours I didn’t really miss it much. There’s something refreshing about playing a game that respects my time and limits me to shorter bursts of gameplay in an age where every game wants me to play it for hundreds of hours on end. While a career mode would have been a cool inclusion, there’s still a lot here that’s worth sinking your teeth into.
The gameplay feels natural – nothing’s been messed with, thankfully – and within minutes I was pulling off long grinds into manuals back into grinds and chasing that ever-elusive higher score while flying around the map trying to fill out SKATE. After a few minutes of tripping over myself in a comically over the top way, the controls quickly came back to me and I was flying around suburbia, heel flipping over cars, and popping off that satisfying orchestra hit whenever I landed a special move. The new map, Waterpark, felt like it was always part of the original games and was easily one of the most fun levels to grind around and discover its secrets. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’s addictive gameplay loop kept me wanting more whenever the timer ticked down to the last few seconds, and I frequently found myself quickly hopping back in for just one more run.
In a time where it seems like every game from the early 2000’s is getting a modern facelift, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is shaping up to be a welcome addition to a year full of excellent remakes and remasters. From its faithful recreation of what made the PS2-era classics so memorable, to its modern quality of life improvements, excellent soundtrack, and overall love letter to the series early days, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is very much something that should be on your radar if you’re a fan of skateboarding, enjoy action sports games, or just want to play something that’s simple and fun. It might be the easiest kickflip you’ll land this year.
