Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 review – high score grindset

Towards all odds, in 2025, it actually seems like Tony Hawk video games are again. Professional Skater 1 + 2 reintroduced the Birdman and his expert set of skaters to the world, and Professional Skater 3 + 4 is now right here to solidify a spot within the gaming zeitgeist. EA is bringing again the Skate sequence too, which might solely imply one factor: skating video games are again, they’re right here to remain, and Tony Hawk is as soon as once more the main man.

Professional Skater 3 + 4 is precisely what you’d count on in the event you’ve already performed 1 + 2. This a whole remake of the third and fourth mainline video games within the Tony Hawk sequence, with the fourth recreation receiving a big overhaul to make the challenges work inside a two-minute timer, which was changed by a mission construction within the authentic recreation. Which will divide a number of followers which have a gentle spot for Professional Skater 4, however outdated heads know that the timer is what carries Professional Skater’s arcade-like expertise.

It does divide the 2 remade video games considerably, although. Careers might be progressed by way of individually, and whereas the three half of three + 4 is mainly as you bear in mind, 4’s ranges are very clearly designed for a recreation with no time restrict. They’re a lot bigger, and the traces to navigate them aren’t fairly as tight. It’s slightly awkward, but it surely’s nonetheless a good way to return to traditional phases.

When you simply need to unlock every stage as you fly by way of the sport, then that’s simple sufficient and doesn’t require an excessive amount of of a dedication, however discovering every elective space and unlocking every secret provides you an appreciation and mastery of these ranges. On a Video games Accomplished Fast stream, one of many hosts referred to the Tony Hawk video games as “Tremendous Mario 64 on a skateboard,” and it’s surprisingly poignant. Whereas Mario 64 permits you to discover phases at your leisure, it additionally affords sufficient motion tech to let expert gamers carry out unbelievable jumps and tips. The Tony Hawk video games are the identical approach, and that’s why the assorted items of motion tech are so beneficial.

When you might solely play with the tips and combos that have been out there within the authentic video games, you may be shocked at simply how limiting it may well really feel. Every title within the sequence added, eliminated, and refined numerous tips and strategies, and now the remake duology has cemented the perfect Tony Hawk expertise. It’s so good that I worry a future Tony Hawk recreation – and I do hope that there will probably be extra – would possibly break issues by attempting so as to add an excessive amount of. By way of gamefeel and physics, 3 + 4 is near good.

There’s fluff, although. It’s nice to see a roster of traditional skaters and youthful abilities which have hit the scene since, however there’s a huge library of unlockable skate decks and outfits which might be very, very simple to disregard. When there isn’t an actual story connected to the profession expertise, I can’t discover myself caring an excessive amount of for attire and the way my skater appears, particularly not when there are such a lot of professional skaters to select from. 

Create-A-Park continues to be right here, which is certainly appreciated, although it doesn’t matter what I attempted my Nintendo Change 2 refused to log me into my Activision account, which meant I used to be unable to get pleasure from multiplayer and present these parks to on-line mates. It’s early days although, and I’m keen to disregard this challenge, together with the time that ranges loaded to a black display which pressured me to restart.

Total, the expertise of enjoying the sport on Nintendo Change 2 is surprisingly good. Positive, issues can look a bit too gentle whereas enjoying in handheld mode, however when docked to a 4K TV it appears surprisingly good. I’ve change into used to enjoying blurry, 30 fps variations of PS4 and PS5 video games on Nintendo Change, a lot in order that there was a second the place I forgot I used to be enjoying this recreation on a Change 2. It genuinely appears like a fully-fledged console model of the sport, and never a handheld pill system being blown up on an enormous display.

Finally, you already know in the event you’re going to love Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 3 + 4. When you performed and loved the final remake, it’s mainly a vital recreation on any platform. Whereas I don’t take care of the litany of customization choices, the core gameplay is implausible and the traditional ranges have been recreated superbly. 3 + 4 has nearly every part you’d need from a remake of Professional Skater 3 and 4.