Introduction: New hands on deck

Following the stellar Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 remake in 2020, many fans expected Vicarious Visions to continue their excellent work with Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 + 4. Sadly, after their success, Vicarious Visions was merged into Blizzard Entertainment and essentially disbanded. The reins for this latest entry were handed to Iron Galaxy, a capable team, but with big shoes to fill.

THPS 3 + 4 isn’t quite the clean sequel that players had hoped for. While it plays fantastically and offers high-calibre skating action, it also makes some baffling design choices, especially around how Pro Skater 4 is represented. The result? A strange hybrid: part remake, part reimagining, and part missed opportunity.

It’s worth mentioning that I grew up with these games from THPS1 all the way to Project 8, so this series means a lot to me. I had high hopes, especially after the 1 + 2 remake really nailed the feel of the originals. It’s not bad by any stretch, but as someone who’s been with the series from the beginning, I can’t help but feel a little let down.

Mechanically, THPS 3 + 4 feels brilliant. If you loved THPS 1 + 2, you’ll feel right at home here. Everything from manuals and reverts to spine transfers and flatland tricks feels smooth and snappy. Pulling off absurd combos is still as satisfying as ever, and the trick system remains as fluid as you’d expect. Both games are split into separate campaigns but unified in structure, with stat points and currency carrying over from skater to skater.

The controls are fully standardised across the board. Even if you never played the originals, the robust tutorial system makes it easy to get up to speed. I finished both career modes, including all the pro skater and expert challenges, within about 24 hours. That’s a testament to how slick and engaging the core gameplay still is. Thanks to prior familiarity with the series, landing the 2 million point combos needed for those challenges still felt completely natural.

One unfortunate change, though: the Spacewalk manual move no longer lets you move forward like it used to. If you lose all momentum and come to a complete stop, you can’t use it to nudge ahead into a grind anymore, which feels like a surprising step back for longtime players.

Visuals and performance: Clean lines and crisp detail

Graphically, the game looks fantastic. Iron Galaxy have done a commendable job preserving the charm of the original maps while giving them a modern coat of paint. Levels like Airport, Alcatraz, and Cruise Ship are loaded with detail and atmosphere, all running at a rock-solid frame rate on Xbox Series X

Figure 1: Side by side comparison of the map “Foundry” in THPS3
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeGoaqqSdSw&t=281s

The same care extends to the skaters themselves. Tony Hawk and the rest of the roster no longer resemble their old polygonal selves; instead, they’re fully realised with modern character models that feel true to life while still fitting the game’s stylised look. It’s especially noticeable when doing side-by-side comparisons. Whether it’s a level or a skater, the visual upgrade is hard to miss.

Figure 2: Side by side comparison of Tony Hawk’s player model
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeGoaqqSdSw&t=281s

That said, While the character models obviously look much better than the old polygonal versions, they still fall a little short by modern standards. The models are very similar to those from THPS 1 + 2, but with this being an older-gen project at heart, some areas could have used more refinement.

The game now features particle effects, improved lighting and shadows, higher draw distances, and new textures replacing plain walls. Reflections add extra polish, like in the chrome ball on the new Pinball level. Some maps have been reworked with different times of day or even time of year; Zoo is now set at night, Suburbia takes place on Halloween, and snow and rain effects appear on certain maps like Canada and London.

Figure 3: Example of the fire particle effects on “foundry”
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeGoaqqSdSw&t=281s

A lot of the maps feel set in the future or show signs of abandonment. Skater Island has a caved-in roof, and San Francisco’s water looks dirtier and filled with rubbish where seals used to be.

Figure 4: removed seals and dirtier water on “San Francisco”
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeGoaqqSdSw&t=281s

Zoo is now closed down, set at night, and completely animal-free. This change removes the tasks like skitching elephants, dodging lions, and collecting penguins, all of which were tied specifically to Zoo, making the level feel entirely different and nowhere near as fun as the original.

Blood effects from bails have been replaced by a VHS rewind effect, similar to the first remake. And in general, a lot of background elements have been toned down: bikinis on cruise ships, guns in car chases, and crude signage have all been removed or cleaned up.

THPS4: A reimagining, not a remake

The biggest change to THPS4 is that its open-world career structure has been replaced with the classic 2-minute timer goal list approach used in the previous THPS games. This shift changes the entire feel and flow of THPS4. Where the original encouraged players to skate freely around the map, approach NPCs to get missions, and complete objectives at their own pace.

The campaign now features handpicked objectives from the original game along with brand-new ones. However, some of these new objectives are confusing and unintuitive. You’re often left with no visual clues or on-screen indicators to guide you.

One frustrating example is the task to “get rid of the rude dudes” in San Francisco. This requires grinding a series of bird-covered rails (without telling you how many or where they are), collecting a bag of bird seed hidden behind an aggressive NPC who can knock you down, and finally grinding a high wire over the rude dudes, all of this within a strict 2-minute limit. The steps aren’t explained, and they’re spread far apart, making it feel more like trial and error than skill.

Many iconic minigames from THPS4 have also been removed due to this structural change, including betting on fights, playing tennis with skateboards, playing baseball with the ghosts of Alcatraz, and more. These quirky side activities gave THPS4 much of its character and variety, and their absence is definitely felt. Many of the unique mission-specific obstacles from the original THPS4, such as the loop-the-loop onto the points target in Alcatraz, are no longer present in this version

Figure 5: The baseball mini-game on Alcatraz on the original THPS4
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFgLsL8Jm7c

A further annoyance is the missing ability to restart only the specific goal you’re attempting. Instead, you must restart from the spawn point at the start of the 2-minute timer, which slows down retries and increases frustration.

Perhaps the most disappointing omission is the complete removal of Pro Goals from THPS4. These were some of the most challenging and rewarding tasks in the original game, letting you replicate real-life feats performed by pro skaters. They were tough but incredibly satisfying to complete. In THPS 3 + 4, these have been replaced by new pro goals that feel like just more generic objectives. It’s a missed opportunity to celebrate the skaters’ real achievements.

Ultimately, THPS4 in this package feels like a shell of its former self. It’s not a faithful remake but rather a streamlined remix that loses much of what made THPS4 unique. I really hope Underground 1 + 2 and American Wasteland don’t get this treatment if they ever get remade.

New Maps: A Mix of Fun, Frustration, and Simpler Style

Waterpark, Pinball, and Movie Studio are the three brand-new maps in THPS 3 + 4, and they each bring something fresh to the table.

Waterpark stands out as the strongest. It’s fast, flowing, and packed with creative lines, perfect for big combos. The drained pools, spiralling slides, and dried-up lazy river give it a great sense of space and movement. It’s easy to get lost in a combo here, and once you get familiar with the layout, it quickly becomes one of the most satisfying levels in the game.

Figure 6: A view of the “waterpark” map
Image Source: https://www.tonyhawkthegame.com/uk/en/blog/2025/03/tony-hawk-pro-skater-three-plus-four-launch-map-guide-waterpark

Pinball, while definitely unique, leans a bit more into frustration than fun. The layout is solid and full of interesting trick possibilities, but the oversized pinballs constantly rolling through the level can knock you off your board without warning, which breaks flow and can get irritating during goal attempts. Still, there’s something undeniably cool about skating under the gaze of a giant Tony Hawk looming over the machine, it’s one of the most memorable visual moments in the game.

Figure 7: A view of the “Pinball” map
Image Source: https://www.tonyhawkthegame.com/uk/en/blog/2025/06/tony-hawk-pro-skater-three-four-park-map-guide-pinball

Movie Studio feels a little simpler by comparison. It’s built around a competition map, scoring points rather than completing goals, although it doesn’t leave quite the same impression as the others. It’s a solid bonus map, but it doesn’t push the gameplay or level design in any surprising direction.

Figure 8: A view of the “Movie Studio” map
Image Source: https://www.tonyhawkthegame.com/blog/2025/06/tony-hawk-pro-skater-three-four-park-map-guide-movie-studio

Guest Characters: Deluxe Edition Exclusives Only

One notable change in this release is the guest skater lineup. Classic crossover characters like Darth Maul and Jango Fett are no longer playable. Instead, the game includes Doom’s iconic Doom Slayer and a Revenant demon, but only if you purchase the Deluxe Edition. However, Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is available to all players for free, which is a nice addition. Still, limiting some fan-favorite characters to paid editions feels like a step back in preserving the original game’s charm.

Figure 9: Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is playable
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeGoaqqSdSw

Accessibility: Limited and Lacking

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 offers very limited accessibility options compared to modern games. Subtitles are present, but beyond that, the game lacks fundamental accessibility features such as colourblind modes, motion sickness settings, and full control remapping, only a few controls can be adjusted.

While there are some gameplay modifiers like Perfect Balance toggles, Timer adjustments, and Game Speed, these are found under the Mods section and may not be immediately available to all players.

Overall, accessibility support feels barebones and underdeveloped for a 2025 release, with few options for players needing visual, control, or sensory customisation.

Verdict: Nostalgic, But Not the Same Game Anymore

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 nails the core skating gameplay fans loved, especially in the THPS3 portion. The controls feel smooth and intuitive, and the levels have been beautifully updated, making it easy to dive back into the satisfying combos and tricks that defined the series. It’s a solid celebration of THPS3 that both newcomers and longtime players can enjoy.

However, the THPS4 experience feels like a different beast entirely, a pared-down reimagining that loses much of what made the original unique. The open-world freedom and quirky missions are gone, replaced by a more linear and stripped-back structure that lacks the same charm and variety. While still fun, it doesn’t capture the spirit or depth of the original THPS4, leaving fans wanting more faithful treatment in future remakes.

Playtime: 24.5 hours
Achievements: 29/32
Rating: 3/5