Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4: Grinding Nostalgia with a Side of Glitches
Kickflips, nostalgia trips, and the occasional faceplant
Launch Day Larry
Ah, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4, the game that promises to take us back to the glory days of skateboarding video games, where the only thing more satisfying than landing a 900 was the soundtrack that accompanied it. But does this remake deliver the goods, or does it wipe out harder than a newbie on a half-pipe? Let’s dive in.
Gameplay: A Mixed Bag of Tricks
Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 is like a reunion tour of your favorite band—familiar, exciting, but with a few off-key notes. The game retains the smooth mechanics of the THPS 1+2 remake, which is a relief for those of us who still have muscle memory from the original series. The introduction of new maps and the ability to adjust the timer in the Game Mods menu are welcome additions, especially for those sprawling THPS4 levels.
Customization is king here, with a plethora of clothes, wheels, trucks, boards, tattoos, and tricks to choose from. The create-a-park feature has seen some love, and cross-play is finally here, allowing PC and console players to shred together. However, the game isn’t without its hiccups. Inconsistent animation timing and finicky physics can make you feel like you’re skating on a banana peel rather than a board. And while the challenges offer tangible rewards, the always-online requirement can throw a wrench in your session faster than you can say “kickflip.”
Graphics: A Visual Ollie with a Rough Landing
Visually, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 is a bit of a paradox. On one hand, the character models and environments are beautifully rendered, striking a balance between realism and nostalgia. The visual filters, including a Borderlands-esque aesthetic, add a unique twist to the experience. But on the other hand, the game seems to have a voracious appetite for GPU power, causing frame drops and micro stutters that can make your screen look like it’s having a mid-life crisis.
The graphics, while impressive, sometimes feel oversaturated and visually noisy, like a teenager’s first attempt at Photoshop. And let’s not forget the AI art and generic cosmetics that detract from the authenticity and charm of the original games. It’s a bit like putting a spoiler on a classic car—unnecessary and a little tacky.
Story: A Half-Pipe of Nostalgia with Missing Pieces
The story—or lack thereof—is where Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 takes a nosedive. The original THPS4’s open-world sandbox style, complete with NPCs and engaging missions, has been replaced with time-limited objectives that feel more like a checklist than a narrative. Iconic characters like Ollie The Bum and Daisy are MIA, leaving a void that no amount of new tricks can fill.
The shared career mode across all skaters removes the individual progression that was a beloved feature in previous games. It’s like going to a buffet and finding out all the dishes taste the same. While the create-a-park feature offers some creative freedom, the absence of RPG-like elements and the open-world experience leaves a gaping hole in the heart of long-time fans.
Final Verdict
Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 is a game that rides the wave of nostalgia but occasionally wipes out on the technical surf. It offers a solid skateboarding experience with plenty of customization and challenges, but it stumbles with performance issues and a lackluster story. For fans of the franchise, it’s a trip down memory lane with a few bumps along the way. For newcomers, it’s a glimpse into what made the originals great, albeit with some modern-day hiccups.
Score: 6.5/10