Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 arrives with high expectations, and thankfully, it absolutely sticks the landing. As a follow-up to the successful remake of the first two games, it delivers another dose of fast and fluid skating with visual polish, a meaty selection of content, and some fantastic new additions that manage to make the experience feel fresher than ever. It’s not without compromises, especially with the revisions made to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 content, but the end result is still a hugely enjoyable revival of two of the most iconic skateboarding games ever made.

Check out some screenshots down below:

From the moment you drop into your first run, it’s clear just how slick this remake feels. The controls are as responsive as ever, rewarding players who take the time to string together manuals, reverts, and grinds into massive combos, with the experience built on the same excellent foundation as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. Series veterans will feel right at home, and newcomers won’t take long to get up to speed.

Visually, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 absolutely looks the part. The classic levels have been given a modern facelift that retains their personality while improving aspects such as lighting, textures, and overall atmosphere to make them feel more modern. Standout favourites such as Tokyo, London, and San Francisco now pop with more life than before, but every park feels freshened up and carefully treated to ensure each feels special. The new levels introduced – Movie Studio, Waterpark, and Pinball – slot in exceptionally well too, with each creative and well-designed, offering both strong layout variety and dozens of easter eggs so that they sit nicely alongside the classics.

Where the game makes its biggest change is in how it handles Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4. The original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 broke away from the traditional two-minute run formula, introducing more open-ended, goal-based exploration where you’d interact with different characters to unlock objectives, but that freedom is gone here. In order to unify the package, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4’s levels now follow the classic timed format, which streamlines the experience but loses some of the flavour that made the original stand out so much when it released. For those who hold Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 close to the heart (like myself), the change is a bit of a letdown, with it stripping out a key part of what made the game feel different and forward-thinking at the time. On top of that, a few levels are missing entirely, and others like Kona and Zoo have been changed into competition stages, which removes some of their original charm.

“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is damn good remake that delivers an experience that lives up to the high standard of each title.”

Still, it’s a credit to the developers that even with this shift, the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 levels remain an absolute blast to play and the objectives they do offer still feel great. If you never played the game in its original form, honestly, you’ll find what’s on offer is just as compelling as all of the other titles that have been remade… it’s just that the exploratory, freeform vibe that so many gamers would’ve been used to has been lost.

Another point of contention is the soundtrack. While the collection includes some brilliant additions and keeps the high-energy vibe that defines the series, it’s missing key tracks from both Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4. Songs like ‘TNT’, ‘Express Yourself’, and ‘Seneca Falls’ were some of the notable absentees for me, and that’s a real shame for fans who associate those tracks with countless hours of skating. That said, the new playlist isn’t bad by any means – it’s still packed with energetic, skate-ready bangers that suit the tone of the game well… I just missed some of my favourites.

One of the biggest highlights this time around is just how good Create-A-Park feels. It’s easily the most refined version that the series has ever had, offering more intuitive tools, smoother controls, and an impressive range of props. You can add your own goals to custom parks too, which adds new depth and lets players essentially design their own mini campaigns. Whether you’re building technical trick parks or wild, imaginative playgrounds, the system is responsive and rewarding, and for creators, it’s a dream come true, adding serious long-term value to the package as more players contribute inventive, skateable worlds. The only shame? There’s no way to play created parks in online multiplayer, which feels like an unusual omission.

Check out some screenshots down below:

One of the game’s biggest strengths lies in its wealth of content and customization. There’s a huge roster of skaters to choose from, mixing legendary pros like Rodney Mullen and Bam Margera (yes, he’s here, don’t worry) with modern stars such as Rayssa Leal and Yuto Horigome. Custom skaters are more flexible than ever too, offering a wonderful selection of tools to refine your appearance and what you’re wearing. Whether you’re playing solo or online, there’s a lot of heart and detail here, and it’s clear that the developers care about both honouring the past and inviting players to create their own style.

The package is also packed with challenges to complete, secrets to uncover, and collectibles to find. Beyond the standard objectives, each level has hidden decks, cash icons, and stat boosts to uncover, whilst the vast selection of extra challenges add even more replayability, making this one of the meatiest entries in the series to date. If you’re someone who enjoys ticking off objectives and chasing 100% completion, there’s a LOT to dig into.

Multiplayer returns as well, with familiar modes and one standout newcomer: HAWK mode, which involves hiding and finding letters across the map. It’s a fun twist that adds a new dimension of strategy and exploration, and when played with friends, it’s something that’s easy to lose hours with… I genuinely loved it.

Developer: Iron Galaxy
Publisher: Activision
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
Website: https://www.tonyhawkthegame.com/