Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 returns thanks to the guys over at Vicarious Visions and still plays as good as it ever did. This is due to tight controls, great music, and brilliant design that has yet to be topped in the world of skateboarding games.
Do a kickflip!
The game is easy to pick up and play, with slick, satisfying moves, but is also hard to master. Each level requires high point combos and just learning each area thoroughly in order to progress. Each skater also has special moves such as Tony’s McTwist and 900 or my go-to Bucky Lasek’s Airwalk and Misty Flip. These skaters can also be customised in the remaster with new outfits and boards, or you can also make your own skater and take them online.
The aim of the game is simple, do tricks (such as flips, grabs & grinds) to earn score while trying not to wipe out. Areas you can skate in also have objectives, like collecting S-K-A-T-E letters, finding the hidden VHS tape and location specific goals (such as grinding on police cars). These individual tasks need to be completed in order to progress to new areas as well as competition parks.
My favourite level on Pro Skater 1 is probably San Francisco Streets. The damn tape is hard to get to but once you find the super secret hidden fountain jump you’ll feel like a genius. Hanger from THPS 2 is also great and has loads of fun secret areas (NY City is also really good). An honorable mention has to go out to Jack Black driving around in a golf buggy in the level School 2.
The soundtrack is arguably just as good as the skateboarding itself, as for me it represents some of my all-time favourite tunes. They added new songs for the remaster, however fans will recognise Goldfinger’s ‘Superman’ and Dead Kennedys’ ‘Police Truck’ instantly.
The Pro Skater collection reminds me of a previous era, an old-school game that requires the player to learn (or pause and look at) character combos, similar to the likes of Tekken and other fighting games.
Vicarious Visions have done it again, with yet another stellar remastered collection. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a faithful remaster that gives older gamers a chance to relive their glory days, as well as younger gamers and aspiring skateboarders something to cherish for years to come.
To read more about the site: Go here
If you want to read more about us: Click here
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
The Good
- Awesome OST
- Great line-up of real-world skaters
- Responsive controls & cool tricks
- Online features
The Bad
- Levels can sometimes feel restrictive