Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4: Still Got It, Even With a Few Scratches
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
*Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4* revives two classics with modern upgrades, even if some changes, like the soundtrack and level structure, spark debate among fans, but at the end of the day it's still a belter of a game.
Alright, listen up, because Eurogamer's dropped a review of *Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4*, and I've been tinkering with it all morning. Turns out, even with a few questionable tweaks and missing tracks, it's still a bloody good time. (Full credit to Christian Donlan's original review over at Eurogamer, by the way.)
The big question, right? Does it capture that Tony Hawk magic? The answer, fair dinkum, is yes. The reviewer at Eurogamer talks about a moment in Alcatraz – chaining grinds, nailing objectives with seconds to spare, and pulling off a wild trick by sheer dumb luck. That's the heart of Tony Hawk, isn't it? Skill, memory, happy accidents… it all blends together in a beautiful, digitized mess.
Think of it like *Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2*'s slightly more rebellious younger sibling. We're talking rebuilt environments, crunchy animations, and that feeling of skating through levels that exist somewhere between reality and your own rose-tinted memories. It’s the Tony Hawk you remember, maybe even a bit better.
Now, the elephant in the room: the music. Apparently, a bunch of the original tracks didn't make the cut, replaced by newer tunes. I get why some people are proper gutted. But Eurogamer reckons there's a silver lining. The original games introduced us to awesome new music, right? So maybe this is a chance to discover some new bangers to grind to. Still, hard to imagine playing without some of those classics – but I digress.
But the biggest change? Tony Hawk 4's single-session, quest-based structure has been swapped out for the classic two-minute timer. Some people actually liked the original 'explore and quest' format – I always thought it was a bit like Tony Hawk meets Warcraft, anyone for a quest?. But the Eurogamer reviewer is actually quite happy with the change, reckoning it brings back that frantic energy and the joy of accidentally nailing five objectives when you only meant to do one.
And let's not forget the new levels! Apparently, two of the old ones got the boot, but we're getting three brand-spanking new areas in return. Movie Studio sounds dense and chaotic, but Waterpark? That sounds like a proper masterpiece, complete with abandoned slides, flaking paint, and that unique Tony Hawk vibe of skating through a place that's seen better days. That’s the soul of Tony Hawk right there. Perfect.
Ultimately, *Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4* sounds like a bit of a mixed bag – some brilliant improvements, some questionable choices. But Eurogamer reckons it's still a belter of a game, one that'll keep you grinding for years to come. Me? I reckon I’ll give it a go, and maybe blow a few hours (or days!) of my life away, trying to pull off that perfect run.
Tags: Tony Hawk, Skateboarding, Remaster, Activision, Gaming Review
Original article: Eurogamer