Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4

Following the success of THPS 1 + 2, developer Iron Galaxy steps in to give us the long-awaited Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. Reimagining, more than remaking, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 (2001) and 4 (2002) for a modern audience, we are treated to updated graphics, a stacked roster, new maps, expanded creation tools, and smoother gameplay than ever. This is our second love letter to skate culture, and while there have been some controversial changes, it balances the grind well.

Iron Galaxy has combined two of my favorite games of all time in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. This Day One Game Pass launch combines every level from both titles, adds in a few new ones, and dozens of skaters, and mostly nails every trick it attempts. I do miss the open-ended nature of 4’s career mode, though.

A brilliant remake meets a bold reimagining — nostalgia hits and misses in Iron Galaxy's latest skateboarding package.

Nostalgia is only going to get you so far, when revisiting something from your youth. Sometimes it'll get you too far, and as a critic, it's important to be aware of those instances, so you're not ignoring the faults in a game or product to the detriment of your work. Thankfully, that's not something I had to worry about at all with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 when I sat down to begin playing it for my review.

After the series received a well received rejuvenation with the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 back in 2020, fans have been anxiously awaiting a follow-up with the next two entries in the series. For a while, it was looking like this may not happen after developer Vicarious Visions was essentially absorbed into Blizzard, leaving the series without a developer. That was until teases started happening earlier this year that got the hype train going, and now the series is back again w...

Why do we, folks in our 30s, love Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater so much? What’s the secret behind that franchise’s formula that makes me grin like an imbecile whenever I see an impossible combo being performed, whilst “The Boy Who Destroyed the World” by AFI is being played on the background? It’s one of the most perfect cases of catching lightning in a bottle in gaming history, and it still feels fresh and enjoyable today, as if we were still stuck in 2001. Activision’s first Tony Haw...

While Pro Skater 4’s shift away from its open-world structure may disappoint fans of the original, and the soundtrack misses some iconic tracks, there’s no denying Iron Galaxy put in the work to make both games feel cohesive. In the end, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 offers two more chances for players to relive their skating heyday while offering a new generation a piece of history through a modern lens.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 offers the definitive way to play Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 and a great way to experience Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4. While I wish some levels were given a bit more polish and redesigns, this is still the best collection of levels ever put in a Tony Hawk game and puts Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 at the top of the list of best skateboarding games in the modern console era.

Just as the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series made skateboarding more approachable through gameplay, it also brought an at-the-time alternative culture into the homes of players around the world. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, which combines a remake of arguably the most beloved entry in the series with a follow-up that represented the first major deviation into one homogenized package, masterfully recreates the gameplay pleasures of these games. THPS 3 + 4 is going to please any fan of the se...

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is another great entry in the series that's bound to prove popular on Xbox Game Pass and beyond. Developer Iron Galaxy has done an excellent job bringing these legendary maps into the modern era, and the gameplay feels just as good as it did in THPS 1+2. The structural changes to the fourth game along with the significantly altered soundtrack may irk some people, but there's still a ton of fun to be had overall - and now we're just hoping Tony Hawk's Underground 1+2 becomes a reality!

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is another welcome return to the franchise's glory days, presenting the third and fourth entries with revamped visuals across the board while retaining the same slick gameplay. Some folks might be unable to get over the structural changes to Pro Skater 4, and I have to admit to being a little disappointed at the lack of classic music tracks, but overall, the positives absolutely outweigh the negatives. If you're looking to inject a hefty dose of nostalgia into your life, or you simply want to see what the Tony Hawk series was like at its absolute peak, then this sh...

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 does a lot to reenergize these two games from the early 2000s. At the time, the series was something every kid would talk about with their friends. Now, the series is given another moment in the spotlight, offering a new generation access to a series that feels as timeless as ever, thanks to its eclectic gameplay, excellent music, impressive skaters, and memorable levels. The personality, humour, and flow of these games are all still intact, and that makes them unforgettable.