Manual Mastery or Missed Ollie? Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Review Drops In With Style
Drop in for an in-depth exploration of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, where nostalgia meets next-gen flair in a high-octane fusion of vert ramps and pixel polish. From the sun-bleached concrete of College to the neon grind rails of Pinball, this remastered duo doesn’t just revive the classics—it reimagines them with a rebellious edge. Whether you’re chasing S-K-A-T-E letters or comboing manuals into reverts like a skate sorcerer, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 invites you to relive the golden era of arcade skating with a fresh coat of grip tape and attitude.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Review Pros
- Awesome graphics.
- 46.19GB download size.
- Platinum trophy.
- You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game, meaning you could potentially earn two Platinum trophies.
- Supports 120Hz refresh rate.
- FREE foundry-level demo.
- It’s not PlayStation related, but the game is free on Xbox Game Pass.
- You can migrate your PlayStation 4 save to the PlayStation 5 version.
- Skateboarding gameplay.
- Opening optional and replayable tutorials.
- Streamer mode option to cancel out licensed songs.
- Full 3D game world and 360-degree camera control.
- Familiar controls for returning players, and quick to learn for newcomers.
- The soundtrack is good, but it does not have all your favourites from the original release, as licensing is a game no one knows the rules of.
- Two games in one in case you missed it – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4.
- Create your own music playlist.
- Third-person view, and you can change the angle to default, low, far, and near.
- HUD customisation for what shows – like score, tricks, etc.
- Invert the axis and sensitivity sliders for the game, but also separately for the photo mode.
- Trigger effect option.
- You can change the song on the menus with a button press.
- Game mods/assists options – double base score, timer length, game speed, instant quick recovery, no bails, always special, perfect skitch balance, perfect lip balance, perfect manual balance, and perfect rail balance.
- Online leaderboards broken down into each game, each level, for both speed runs and single-session, multiplayer, and creator boards.
- Full stats boards for – general, parks, create a park, and multiplayer.
- Challenges are like in-game achievements and are tied to rewards and split by games, Skater, and tricks.
- The shop using in-game credits is for apparel, boards, and secrets.
- The main hub screen has three options: career (you play the classic tours for both games), create a park, and multiplayer.
- 29 initial skaters, each with unique stats, and you can unlock a further 5 and have up to 4 created skaters.
- Career mode lets you choose which game to play, tutorials, speed run mode, single session, and free skate.
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 has 8 stages to unlock – Foundry, Canada, Rio, Suburbia, Airport, Skater Island, Los Angeles, and Tokyo.
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 has 9 stages to unlock – College, San Francisco, MOVIE Studio, Alcatraz, Waterpark, Kona, Shipyard, London, and Zoo.
- Each level has a list of goals to do, and you can do them in any order.
- An initial flyover of a stage will show roughly where the goal is and what the goal is.
- Fast loading times.
- The game still feels amazing to play; it’s smooth and silky with strong, responsive combos.
- Completed challenges will pop up on the screen.
- Find and use stat points for your character.
- High replayability as you go for 100 per cent completion on a stage, and then the leaderboards.
- It’s such a great package.
- Earn cash in-game for the shop by doing challenges.
- Secret hidden tapes to find.
- A gap checklist will tick off as you do them. These are tricks you do in certain places called gaps. I do them all the time and don’t realise, so don’t worry too much.
- Unlock and set new special tricks.
- A complete library of combos, tricks, etc, can be brought up in the pause menu.
- This is a game you will love and enjoy even if you have no interest in skateboarding or even know any of the skaters.
- I tested it for you, so don’t feel bad, enabling any mods/assist options does not stop you from earning goals.
- You can buy and unlock new trails from your board and new processes and filters for the photo mode.
- Mods and assists do not disable trophies. Your welcome.
- Overtime is where you can carry on scoring points after the timer until you bail (crash) or finish a combo.
- Skitching is where you can hold onto a car and score.
- Cash can be found and collected in-game.
- The challenges will reveal a big picture in the background. If you remember Catchphrase, it’s that, but without a catchphrase.
- Any stat points you earn can then be used on any other skaters.
- New entries appear in the shop as you progress.
- Hidden collectable decks.
- In-game cutscenes for the interaction-based goals.
- Unlock many secret areas of the stages.
- It’s a game where, even though you think you know the stages inside out, you will still find something new.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Review Cons
- Cannot remap the controls.
- Missing a lot of classic songs from the soundtrack.
- I always forget you have to manually go in and claim challenges for the rewards.
- I was hoping the touch pad would be a quick reset or restart a run button, but alas, it is just a button to bring up your friends list.
- You have to spend cash in the shop by quitting all the way back to the main menu.
- If you are unfamiliar with the sport, then you will have to do some reading and learning on the terminology and specific moves and tricks for the more complex stage goals.
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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4
Developer: Iron Galaxy Studios
Publisher: Activision
Store Link:
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Review
Summary
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – The Thrills and Highlights of Gameplay:
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 delivers a high-octane blend of nostalgic arcade skating and modern enhancements. With two full games combined, players enjoy iconic levels like Skater Island and College, stacked with diverse goals and unlockable secrets. The gameplay is fast, smooth, and satisfying. Combos flow with responsive controls, and the vast trick library lets you grind, manual, and revert like a skate legend. Career mode spans classic tours, challenges tied to rewards, and high replayability thanks to online leaderboards, mod assists that don’t block progression, and versatile game modes including free skate and speed runs. The accessibility options, HUD and camera controls, as well as in-game music customisation and streamer-safe settings, add depth and flexibility.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Where It Falls Short: Key Negatives:
Despite its strengths, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 stumbles in a few areas. Notably, many beloved classic tracks are missing from the soundtrack due to licensing hurdles, and the controls can’t be remapped. Some UX issues persist, claiming challenge rewards isn’t automatic, and spending shop currency requires exiting to the main menu. Newcomers to skateboarding may find stage-specific goals challenging without first studying the terminology. Additionally, small missed opportunities, like the touchpad lacking a reset function, slightly dampen the experience.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Immersive Story and Narrative Elements:
While narrative isn’t central to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, the game enriches its world through cutscenes, unlockable skaters with unique stats, and dynamic goals that feel interactive and rewarding. Background visuals evolve with challenge completions, echoing puzzle-like progression akin to Catchphrase. Hidden collectables and stage secrets subtly suggest story-like exploration, offering players a sense of discovery throughout the game’s iconic parks.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Visual and Performance Aspects:
Graphically, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 impresses with polished environments, vibrant skateparks, and a full 3D world equipped with 360° camera control. Supporting 120Hz refresh rates and fast load times, the game boasts sleek performance across both PS4 and PS5 platforms, even offering save migration and dual Platinum trophy potential. Photo mode options, visual filters, trigger effects, and unlockable trails add flair to your skating style. The soundtrack, though limited customisable, and assists like “always special” and “perfect rail balance” ensure satisfying visual feedback throughout gameplay.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Overall Verdict: Is It Worth Playing?:
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is an exceptional remastered package that expertly blends classic gameplay with modern polish. Whether you’re a seasoned fan or a newcomer, its smooth controls, expansive options, and rewarding progression system make it a must-play. Despite a few soundtrack gaps and minor UX quirks, the dual-game experience, high replay value, and customisation features more than justify dropping in. Even if skateboarding isn’t your thing, the sheer fun factor makes this title worth grinding for.
Back of the Box Quotes:
“Kickflip through nostalgia with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, the ultimate grindfest reboot!”
