Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Gamescom 2025 schedule
  • Gamescom
  • Battlefield 6
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Zion Wright grinds along a wooden balustrade in in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4's San Francisco level
Sports Games Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 review: "A nostalgic, must-play hit for fans"
Skate reboot screenshots
Sports Games I played 4 hours of the new Skate and caught up with developer Full Circle, who believes "this is the best Skate has ever felt or played"
The packaging for Tony Hawk Ride's Shred bundle on top of a screenshot of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake
Gaming Controllers I just remembered the Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard was a thing, and I'm starting to feel old
Anbernic RG556 handheld with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 gameplay on screen.
Handhelds I'm pretty upset about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 cut songs, so if you need me, I'll be at the skate part playing the originals on this handheld
Photo by Rosalie Newcombe of the Nintendo Switch 2 running Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 with the Corsair Void Wireless V2 headset sitting on top of it.
Headsets & Headphones Changes to the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 soundtracks might be a bummer, but these are my top 3 headset picks that'll still make it sound incredible
Star Overdrive screenshot showing protagonist Bios who has wide hair surfing across a desert plain as a sandworm peruses him - the Indie Spotlight logo is at the top right corner
Open World Games I've been hunting sandworms while doing hoverboard kickflips and keytar solos in this hypnotizing mashup of Breath of the Wild and Hi-Fi Rush
Taking a corner at speed with blue skies overhead, skidding, in Driver for PS1, from the PLAY Magazine retrospective - cropped in for a header image
Open World Games I still wake up sweating because of Driver's parking garage, but there's no denying this PS1 classic changed open world gaming forever
Metal Gear Solid 5 showing Snake and Ocelot looking to the horizon in front of more soldiers
Metal Gear 10 years later, Metal Gear Solid 5 remains a masterpiece that was never going to live up to its own hype
Need For Speed Underground 2
Need For Speed I've been playing Need for Speed Underground 2 and Midnight Club 3 – 20 years later, they're still awesome
Skate
Sports Games Skate releases new gameplay footage and progress update, detailing verticality and parkour that's "light years ahead of where we were in the previous game"
Dreamcast
Games The 25 best Dreamcast games of all time
Key art for Guitar Hero 3
Games 15 years later, the Guitar Hero studio that Activision acquired and killed is back and teasing a spiritual successor to the rhythm game that put it on the map: "They said the era of 5-fret music games was over"
Red Dead Redemption 2 screenshot of Arthur Morgan who has shoulder length hair and a beard and wears a cowboy hat
RPGs After 4 years I returned to Red Dead Redemption 2 and fell into a chaotic rodeo of mishaps as I tried to remember how to be Arthur Morgan
The Knight holds blade in front of his head as darkness swirls in key art for Hollow Knight, used in Edge Magazine's Hollow Knight Time Extend feature
Action Games 8 years on, Hollow Knight is still an extraordinary achievement – but can Silksong live up to the hype?
A crop of The Order 1886 cover art for Official PlayStation Magazine issue 97
Action Games Don't cry because The Order 1886 is over, smile because blasting werewolves with Nikola Tesla's high-tech weapons happened
  1. Hardware
  2. Retro

10 reasons we still love Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

Features
By Justin Towell published 16 July 2012

As Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD arrives, we look back at what made the series great

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man...

If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man...

Tony Hawk. Professional skating legend and household name thanks to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, which started on PSone all the way back in 1999. Simpler times indeed. The series has been dead for a while, but is returning in the form of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, which is out on Wednesday on Xbox Live Arcade (and a little later on PS3) and combines the best bits from the first two games, with DLC from the third to follow. But why should you care? What made the series so great? Let's take a look: Here's why we still love Tony Hawk.

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of 12
1) It's hi-score heaven

1) It's hi-score heaven

Tony Hawk games are superb score attack games. Some might argue superlative. The key to its success is the balance between risk and reward. Introducing the 'manual' was a masterstroke for THPS2, allowing you to link combos from one rail or ramp to the next. But the key element is the balance between risk and reward. Seeing a 20 second mega-combo smashed by your skater's ass as he upends himself on a flatland trick is devastating.

Page 2 of 12
Page 2 of 12
2) You can make yourself in it

2) You can make yourself in it

There's nothing quite like loading up an old file from Tony Hawk's and seeing yourself as you were some ten years ago. The long hair, the baggy trousers even the black hoodie. Not that we were teenage hoodlums or anything. Though we did meet people at uni who became skaters just because of THPS2. By their own admission. That's the kind of power the 'Birdman' had.

Page 3 of 12
Page 3 of 12
3) The licensed music is suh-weet

3) The licensed music is suh-weet

The Ramones? Rage Against The Machine? MotorHead? In short, the soundtrack is still brilliant, fitting the action perfectly. And we swear, the second Ace of Spades comes on during THPS3, we play another 26% better. Yes, it's an exact science.

Page 4 of 12
Page 4 of 12
4) HORSE!

4) HORSE!

Multiplayer modes are superb in the old Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series in particular Horse, which sees you trying to get your opponent to spell out the word HORSE (or any other insulting word you could dream up, like 'bum' or 'twatface') by scoring higher combos than them. Hours of juvenile fun. We plumped for LEMON... which still whinnies like a horse.

Page 5 of 12
Page 5 of 12
5) Graffiti mode

5) Graffiti mode

During the making of this feature, we all had a go on Graffiti mode in the GR UK office (after it turned out Cundy was a LEMON, that is). One of us was overly competitive, one of us only knew one trick and one of us couldn't remember the controls. But you know what? We all had fun - and that's the key. Just do a better trick on each section of the scenery to turn it your colour. Simple, yet devastatingly effective.

Page 6 of 12
Page 6 of 12
6) The bails are wince-inducingly funny

6) The bails are wince-inducingly funny

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt." And it probably did. The number of virtual teeth we must've lost over the years... Then there's the blood that splatters after a particularly impressive faceplant onto a cheesegrater-like surface. We became desensitised... until we tried skateboarding ourselves and twisted our ankles. Back to the PlayStation it is, then.

Page 7 of 12
Page 7 of 12
7) The tricks are beautifully balanced

7) The tricks are beautifully balanced

Pardon the pun. The tricks in early Tony Hawk games were all based on real-life skateboarding skills. Sure, it all got a bit out of hand as each new iteration got crazier and crazier, but the earlier iterations at least were based solely on clever use of the scenery, improvisation and joypad dexterity. They're still perfectly weighted.

Page 8 of 12
Page 8 of 12
8) It works on handheld or console

8) It works on handheld or console

The GBA version remains one of the finest handheld games ever made. But it's something about the trick system that means the core game works as a handheld 5-minute blast or a marathon 'TV and sofa' session. That's the sign of a great videogame.

Page 9 of 12
Page 9 of 12
9) The sense of humour

9) The sense of humour

What started off as a savvy but serious skateboarding sim soon turned into a quirky game, but soon added a gentle sense of humour. Best of all, it did this without making skaters out to be complete dicks. Well, at least until Bam Margera showed up...

Page 10 of 12
Page 10 of 12
10) You can make your own levels

10) You can make your own levels

Since the first sequel, creating your own skatepark has been part of the package, arguably making a Tony Hawk game the only game you'd ever need. You can make your own maps, there's impeccable multiplayer and score attack goodness whether alone or with a mate Honestly, the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series was on top of the world in the early 2000s. We're glad it's coming back in its true form.

Page 11 of 12
Page 11 of 12
So bring on the Birdman!

So bring on the Birdman!

That's what we still love about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. But that's just us. Have we missed a vital feature? And no, we haven't forgotten about the secret Kiss concert. Let us know what you love about the game (or not) in the comments.

Page 12 of 12
Page 12 of 12
CATEGORIES
iPad iPhone PlayStation Xbox Platforms Mobile Gaming
PRODUCTS
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Justin Towell
Justin Towell
Social Links Navigation

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.

See more Playstation Features
Read more
Zion Wright grinds along a wooden balustrade in in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4's San Francisco level
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 review: "A nostalgic, must-play hit for fans"
Skate reboot screenshots
I played 4 hours of the new Skate and caught up with developer Full Circle, who believes "this is the best Skate has ever felt or played"
The packaging for Tony Hawk Ride's Shred bundle on top of a screenshot of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake
I just remembered the Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard was a thing, and I'm starting to feel old
Anbernic RG556 handheld with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 gameplay on screen.
I'm pretty upset about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 cut songs, so if you need me, I'll be at the skate part playing the originals on this handheld
Photo by Rosalie Newcombe of the Nintendo Switch 2 running Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 with the Corsair Void Wireless V2 headset sitting on top of it.
Changes to the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 soundtracks might be a bummer, but these are my top 3 headset picks that'll still make it sound incredible
Star Overdrive screenshot showing protagonist Bios who has wide hair surfing across a desert plain as a sandworm peruses him - the Indie Spotlight logo is at the top right corner
I've been hunting sandworms while doing hoverboard kickflips and keytar solos in this hypnotizing mashup of Breath of the Wild and Hi-Fi Rush
Latest in Retro
Analogue 3D console on wood surface with 1080 Snowboarding cartridge inserted.
Analogue 3D footage finally just surfaced online, and I'm hoping the 4k N64 is as slick as it looks
BBC Breakfast footage featuring Apple Macintosh SE computer next to physical copies of MS DOS and Windows 95 with Microsoft keyboard in front.
The BBC is once again trying to outrage retro nerds, so I'd advise checking in on the Apple and Windows fans in your life
Hand holding Hyperkin Hall Effect joystick next to grey Nintendo 64 controller on woodgrain desk.
After nine years searching for the perfect N64 joystick replacement, I've finally found a controller mod worth doing
MagicX Zero 40 on left, Anbernic RG ARC-D in centre, and Super Pocket Taito Edition on right with pumpkin in the middle on woodgrain desk.
Summer isn't over yet, but I've already picked out three retro handhelds I'll be cozying up with this Autumn
Shinobi
Retro Gamer magazine celebrates the history of Shinobi
MagicX Retro DS handheld next to Ayn Thor with glowing outlines and navy backdrop featuring GamesRadar+ symbols.
I hope you're hungry for 3DS handhelds, as two new dedicated emulation devices are on the way with dual screens
Latest in Features
Borderlands 4 screenshot shows someone holding a weapon forward towards the camera.
"We tend to commit to the bit": Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford talks Borderlands 4, the evolution of looter-shooters, and $80 game discourse
Valor Mortis
Ghostrunner devs abandon parkour for Valor Mortis, a first-person soulslike that might explain why the rest of the genre follows Dark Souls' lead
A mech firing a machine gun in the desert in Menace
Menace is an XCOM-Warhammer hybrid that makes turn-based strategy feel like an immersive sim, and for the first time in my life I'm playing a game that seems made for me
Metal Gear Solid 5 showing Snake and Ocelot looking to the horizon in front of more soldiers
10 years later, Metal Gear Solid 5 remains a masterpiece that was never going to live up to its own hype
Dogtooth
The new Yorgos Lanthimos movie is getting rave first reactions out of Venice Film Festival, but I think it's worth revisiting his breakout feature Dogtooth before Bugonia hits theaters this fall
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Legacy of the Forge DLC showing Henry and two allies standing looking down
I built a home and ran a business in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's next DLC, and the added role-playing guarantees I'll spend another 70 hours in my current game of the year
  1. Kaser clad in black and Victor in white clash swords in Lost Soul Aside
    1
    Lost Soul Aside review: "We (don't) have Final Fantasy Versus 13 at home"
  2. 2
    Hell is Us review: "The lack of waypoints and explicit objectives is a double-edged magical sword that pulls me deep into its harsh world"
  3. 3
    Shuten Order review: "The Danganronpa creator's new multi-genre mystery feels like a forgotten DS cult classic I would have been obsessed with"
  4. 4
    The Rogue Prince of Persia review: "I roguelike but don't roguelove this freerunner – there's just not enough to stand out"
  5. 5
    Shinobi: Art of Vengeance review: "So close to being to a pitch-perfect revival of a classic series, but just can't quite line up the killing blow"
  1. Jacob Elordi as the monster in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein
    1
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  2. 2
    Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
  3. 3
    The Fantastic Four: First Steps review: "An occasionally thrilling heroic adventure that sits safely within a B-tier MCU range"
  4. 4
    Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
  5. 5
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  1. John Cena as Peacemaker holds a gun to the head of a different John Cena as Peacemaker in Peacemaker season 2.
    1
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  2. 2
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  3. 3
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"
  4. 4
    King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person"
  5. 5
    Eyes of Wakanda review: "A creative premise shortchanged by the runtime and Marvel bloat"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...