Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Review

There are video games that define generations, and then there’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, the one that gave birth to millions of imaginary skate careers, broken coffee tables, and the unshakable association between ska-punk and getting S-K-A-T-E letters. Now, with the return of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, Activision and Iron Galaxy have essentially ollied into our hearts once more, not just with a remaster, but a full-fledged revival soaked in adrenaline and pixelated sweat.

Coming hot off the tail end of the critically acclaimed THPS 1 + 2 Remake, this combo pack kicks the franchise back into gear by reviving two of the most beloved entries in skating history. But this isn’t some lazy kickflip down memory lane. We’re talking full visual overhauls, tighter-than-ever controls, and features that blend nostalgia with next-gen power. It’s like meeting your middle school self at the skatepark, except now you both have way better graphics and fewer joint problems.

At the heart of THPS 3 + 4 lies a commitment to honoring its chaotic DNA while also bringing in modern design sensibilities. You’ll still be hunting down secret tapes, busting out impossible combos, and hitting that signature two-minute run format, but now with cross-platform play, a vastly enhanced Create-A-Park suite, and additional goals that will challenge even seasoned veterans. Think of it as your favorite pair of Vans, but somehow fresh out of the box.

For newcomers, this is the perfect time to get onboard. There’s no steep learning curve to fear, and the thrill of nailing your first 900 or grinding across an entire amusement park feels as joyful as ever. For veterans? This is the reunion tour we didn’t just want, we needed. And judging by how tight and polished this package is, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 might just be the best encore the Birdman has ever delivered.

“Skating Through Time, Space, and Suburbia”

One of the things that set the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series apart from the start was its knack for turning seemingly mundane or absurd locations into epic skate playgrounds. From the gritty back alleys of Los Angeles to the neon-soaked streets of Tokyo, THPS 3 + 4 brings back its legendary level lineup in spectacular 4K, with everything lovingly reimagined for the modern age. These aren’t just remastered maps, they’re full-blown love letters to skating culture, graffiti-drenched and rail-rich.

THPS 3 fans will find their muscle memory flooding back in maps like Canada, Suburbia, and everyone’s favorite, Airport. Yes, it still feels great to nosegrind a baggage claim belt while airport security gives zero concern. Meanwhile, THPS 4 brings a more open-ended structure to the mix, encouraging exploration and interaction with NPCs offering challenges. It’s a welcome break from the tight-timed structure of earlier titles and gives a taste of freedom that predates even the open-world sandbox trend.

But let’s be real, there isn’t a “story” in the traditional sense. You’re not out to rescue a princess or save a galaxy, you’re here to land the cleanest heelflip over a moving car while Rage Against the Machine plays in the background. The narrative is you, your board, your skater, and the ticking clock daring you to string together just one more combo before the buzzer hits.

That said, there’s still a thread of personal progression. Each skater has their own stat upgrades, hidden tapes to collect, and goals to conquer. The classic career mode remains intact, now with polished objectives and some delightful streamlining. It’s enough to give you a sense of advancement while never dragging you away from the central loop: trick, bail, retry, triumph, repeat.

Grinding the Edge of Perfection: Gameplay and Mechanics

If you’ve ever tried to do a 360 flip into a manual while grinding a handrail backwards… blindfolded… while being judged by a crowd of skate veterans, you already know that the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series walks a tightrope between arcade insanity and pure mechanical precision. THPS 3 + 4 continues this tradition with refined, responsive controls that feel instantly familiar to veterans and remarkably welcoming to newcomers.

At its core, gameplay still revolves around chaining together high-scoring trick combos using flips, grabs, manuals, and grinds. The iconic two-minute time limit in Classic mode encourages fast, flowing runs filled with risky experimentation and even riskier recoveries. However, THPS 4’s inclusion of free skate-style objectives without time limits offers a refreshing alternative, letting you focus more on exploration and less on clock anxiety. It’s like skating with headphones on, pure flow.

The New Game+ feature is a game-changer (pun intended). Not only does it unlock harder challenges and additional goals, but it also lets you keep leveling up your skater, essentially turning this arcade-style game into a surprisingly deep progression loop. The addition of customizable goals in Create-A-Park adds a new level of personal creativity that lets players challenge themselves and others with unique objectives. Want to ollie over five cop cars while collecting pizza slices? Knock yourself out.

Tricks are smoother than ever, thanks to minor quality-of-life updates introduced in the THPS 1+2 remake and now carried over here. Reverts, manuals, wallplants, spine transfers, they’re all here, refined and crucial for monster combos. The learning curve remains steep if you’re chasing perfection, but forgiving enough for casual skaters who just want to feel the rush of a perfect grind across a billboard.

Skate or Shatter: Multiplayer and Replayability

When it comes to multiplayer, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 doesn’t just stick the landing, it ollies over expectations. Supporting up to eight players via cross-platform online play, the game brings back both nostalgia-laced classic modes and a few new competitive spins that fit today’s multiplayer climate. Trick Attack, Graffiti, Combo Mambo, and Horse return with the same chaotic energy they’ve always had, now with smoother matchmaking and dedicated lobbies. You might be 30 and washed up, but that doesn’t mean you can’t flex your combo score like it’s 2002.

Cross-play is seamless across platforms, a critical modern feature that ensures you’re never short on competition. Whether you’re skating with your PS5 buddies or going head-to-head against your PC crew, everyone shares the same concrete jungle. And while it’s not a revolutionary system, it’s a smooth ride, latency is minimal, and leaderboards refresh fast enough to trigger serious rivalries.

Beyond online skirmishes, the game’s single-player replayability is impressively high. With each skater having their own set of stats, goals, and unlockables, completionists will be busy for dozens of hours. Want to 100% every goal with Bam Margera, Kareem Campbell, AND your custom skater? Clear your schedule.

The enhanced Create-A-Park and Create-A-Skater systems are perhaps the biggest long-term hook. The new ability to craft custom goals inside your skate parks turns the entire editor into a playground for user-generated content. The community is already pumping out wildly creative and sometimes hilariously impossible maps. (One park I played was just a giant toilet bowl. I landed a 540 McTwist in it. 10/10.)

Kickflips in 4K: Graphics and Sound Design

From the moment you drop into the airport in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, it’s clear this isn’t just a lazy up-res. Iron Galaxy Studios has lovingly rebuilt every polygon from the original games in full 4K glory, and the results are jaw-dropping. Classic parks like Canada and Suburbia shine with new lighting, dynamic weather effects, and far more environmental detail than the PS2 ever dreamed of. Textures are crisp, shadows sharp, and skaters animate with smooth, weighty realism without losing that arcade charm.

What’s especially impressive is how the visuals retain the spirit of the originals while confidently modernizing them. You can still grind the rail in Tokyo or launch over the spine ramp in Los Angeles, but now with volumetric lighting, reflective surfaces, and buttery frame rates that make every manual feel majestic. Even the UI is clean and updated, feeling both nostalgic and fresh, a rare feat for remakes.

But let’s be honest, a Tony Hawk game lives and dies by its soundtrack. And Pro Skater 3 + 4 delivers the auditory goods with a playlist that’s part mosh pit, part memory lane, and all killer. You’ll find returning bangers like “My Friend’s Over You” and “Ace of Spades,” alongside newer punk, hip-hop, and metal tracks that feel perfectly curated for modern sensibilities. There’s even a shuffle feature and the ability to favorite tracks, because even virtual skaters get picky.

Sound effects are no slouch either. Grinds clank convincingly on metal rails, manuals tap with appropriate deck clicks, and bails are satisfyingly crunchy. Crowd cheers, ambient noises, and character voice lines help sell each environment as more than just a trickbox, they’re playgrounds buzzing with life. Whether you’re thwacking through fire hydrants or blasting through glass panes, your ears are as engaged as your reflexes.

Final Verdict: One More Run, Then Bed… Probably

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is a loving, slickly-executed revival of the games that defined a generation of couch co-op and controller-snapping highs. This isn’t just nostalgia dressed in modern graphics, it’s a complete celebration of everything that made the originals iconic, while smoothing out the splinters and giving new players every reason to fall in love for the first time.

Iron Galaxy Studios nailed the feel, controls are tight, responsive, and as pick-up-and-play as ever. Whether you’re speed-running for a sick score or trying to nail that one elusive gap, every session captures that addictive “just one more run” magic. And now, thanks to the new Create-A-Skater and Create-A-Park upgrades, the community’s creativity is turbo-charged with added flair and shareability.

The expanded online multiplayer and New Game+ mode breathe longevity into an already stacked package. Add to that the new skaters, modern tweaks, and an unapologetically fantastic soundtrack, and you’ve got a package that’s more than a remake, it’s a reminder of how much joy a board and some pixels can bring. This collection isn’t just for veterans, it’s for anyone who ever felt like the streets were their stage and gravity was just a suggestion.

We prepared this review with a digital copy of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 for the PS5 version provided by Activision.