Typically being a millennial has its payoffs. Certain, a whole lot of us will most likely by no means personal a house and are riddled with student-loan debt, however anybody born between the early Nineteen Eighties and mid-Nineteen Nineties was blessed to witness and expertise the unbelievable evolution of each video video games and skateboarding.
I keep in mind the primary time I performed Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video games. It was Christmas 2001 once I obtained Pro Skater 3 for GameCube, together with my first skateboard ever, a World Industries Flame Boy deck. I obtained obsessive about taking part in Pro Skater 2 on N64 with my fellow gaming buddies and needed to lastly snag a replica of my very own. Not solely did Pro Skater encourage me to discover the world of skateboarding extra, resulting in binge-watching X Video games and convincing my mother and father to take me to Tony Hawk’s Increase Increase Huck Jam, but it surely additionally obtained me to discover extra of the Southern California punk scene, which mainly grew to become my primary playlist for the following 20 one thing years of my life. These years had been essential to creating my persona, and though I ended taking part in the collection after Pro Skater 4 and Underground, I typically convey up how a lot these early THPS video games formed the 35-year-old dorky punk I’m at this time.
Quick-forward a few years, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 remakes had been launched and have become an enormous success that primarily turned the collection round after the failed Pro Skater 5. After I heard {that a} mixed Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake was lastly taking place with a brand new studio, Iron Galaxy, who beforehand labored with Activision and Vicarious Visions on the 1 + 2 remakes, I used to be ecstatic to see how it could end up. Will my muscle reminiscence come again, or will it really feel like studying a brand-new recreation? Will it hold the identical silliness and fervour because the originals, or fall off the rails–no pun supposed? After having the chance to discover a number of hours of the remake, I’ve simply obtained to say: The sassy, skating 12-year-old me couldn’t be happier.
Our Childhood Revamped
Earlier than I made a decision to dip into the brand new options, I wanted to regain my muscle reminiscence and hit the nostalgic feels by booting up traditional Pro Skater 3 stage The Foundry–the iconic manufacturing facility is a meta-rail paradise for gamers, so it could be fascinating to see what Iron Galaxy determined to vary about it, if something.
In Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake, Iron Galaxy recreated outdated maps from the bottom up as an alternative of merely remastering them. The brand new engine feels recent however nonetheless stays true to the unique design; simply flying by means of these vibrant fiery spouts and annoying all of the manufacturing facility employees nonetheless feels the identical, besides now it is so crisp, you may nearly really feel the warmth from each. I have never skilled this stage in over 20 years, but I instantly felt like I used to be again in junior excessive, grinding pipes and guard rails as Rodney Mullen whereas blasting AFI’s “The Boy Who Destroyed the World.”
It wasn’t a problem for me to dip again into my groove as a result of the controls felt so flowy and liberating, making it straightforward to get into a snug routine of working towards nostril grinds and discovering inventive methods to max some wild combos. Sooner or later, I felt like I used to be invincible, hitting these 50-70K level combos inside an hour of simply messing round. On the preview occasion, there have been a number of professional gamers exhibiting off their expertise to display how clean the gameplay is. One participant notably saved doing 10-25 million level combos, making it look so seamless, additional exhibiting how swish the controls are. Even if you happen to’ve by no means performed a Tony Hawk recreation or had been by no means expert at them, it is so enjoyable and simple to simply journey round in your board, discover the maps, and apply.
Though I loved reliving my childhood days with higher graphics and gameplay, there’s one controversial characteristic Iron Galaxy introduced again within the remake. As a substitute of providing the free-roam profession mode from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, Iron Galaxy determined to revert again to the unique two-minute timer from the primary three Pro Skater titles. Many followers had been skeptical about this resolution, together with me, however after spending hours making an attempt to examine off every problem inside that aggravating time restrict, I got here to a realization: There’s one thing immediately participating about that two-minute timer. The preliminary momentum and the recollections of continually restarting and mastering repetitive patterns to nail a particular run had been a nostalgic problem for me, type of like making an attempt a no-hit run or testing a brand new weapon with a troublesome boss battle.
Recreation Director Kurt Tillmans instructed the group the concept behind bringing again the two-minute timer was to create “one, cohesive product that would not overwhelm new gamers”, and felt that Pro Skater 3’s format finest represents the collection’ roots and gameplay. They did point out there can be an choice for gamers to have an extended time restrict, however they encourage everybody to start out with two minutes. I am curious to see how each longtime followers and new gamers will react when the sport is launched.
Gnarly New Stuff
It has been over a decade since Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater added new maps, so I had to take a look at essentially the most anticipated one added to the remake to this point: the deserted Waterpark.
This park actually represents the whole lot Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater is all about: a enjoyable, explorative map stuffed with foolish Easter eggs and seemingly infinite and obscure methods to land new and artistic combos. The second you begin the extent, you’re on high of a water slide journey that is completely designed for testing out some new tips, and offered with a stunning view of the map, which I might solely describe as a skateboarder’s Disneyland.
You may’t have a Tony Hawk recreation with out the enduring soundtrack, however this remake makes do by including a lot of superb new songs to an assortment of fan-favorite classics. On high of a few of the best hits within the collection like Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades” and CKY’s “96 Fairly Bitter Beings” (each of which formed my angsty, teenager years), we have now trendy skate anthems like “Canine Years” by Urethane and “uknowhatimsayin” by Danny Brown. I nearly forgot how satisfying it was to journey round Suburbia whereas blasting Bodyjar’s “Not the Similar,” which instantly introduced again recollections of my many failed makes an attempt to 360 flip the weathervane.
In the case of skater choice within the Tony Hawk collection, I often follow the OG execs I grew up with, like Rodney Mullen, Eric Koston, or Bob Burnquist, however once I heard Bam Margera and Andy Anderson can be becoming a member of the roster, I obtained so stoked to check out their gameplay. Bam Margera has been anticipated by followers since his look in Pro Skater 3, and can be one other professional skater I grew up with. When being interviewed about becoming a member of the 3 + 4 remake, Bam responded with “I am gonna need to let myself play video video games once more, ‘trigger this one can be properly value it.” Andy Anderson, alternatively, is a more moderen skater identified for his distinctive mix of traditional and trendy tips and at all times sporting a helmet. Throughout my interview with Andy, he talked about he grew up on Tony Hawk video games, with American Wasteland being his favourite, so it was a dream to be invited. Andy stated when he noticed himself as a playable character, all he might suppose was, “Rattling dude, that is actually me, from each angle.” We now have but to see gameplay of Bam, however Andy Anderson’s character appears to undertake his model nearly completely.
I am very curious to see how the web multiplayer will work, contemplating that it has been a problem in previous Tony Hawk titles, which had gameplay limitations. In response to Iron Galaxy, THPS 3 + 4 can assist as much as eight gamers with cross-platform play, so hopefully there can be extra selection for on-line play and we can’t need to cope with these lengthy loading screens.
A Lovely Sandbox
From what we have seen to this point, the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake is an exquisite sandbox for traditional and new gamers alike. The gorgeous new and revamped maps, enormous roster of beloved skaters, and unbelievable playlist packed into the sport give me excessive hopes for Iron Galaxy as the following studio to take the reins. The remake manages to really feel model new whereas additionally respecting the roots of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and the elements that make it some of the distinctive and beloved online game collection of all time.