Man, it’s wild to see what happened to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise. One minute, we were soaring with million-plus sellers like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, singing along to “Guerrilla Radio” while landing 900’s. The next, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 came out, confirming the death knell of the franchise. (The movie Pretending I’m a Superman goes over most of this in more detail.)
Or so we thought. Thanks to Vicarious Visions, who previously brought Crash Bandicoot back from the dead with the N. Sane Trilogy, we now have Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 Remastered, which brings the franchise roaring back in grand fashion. Everything about this game is pretty much perfect, from the improved controls to the gorgeous graphics to the wonderful soundtrack, which mixes old and new quite well. So what makes this game stand out? Let’s break down everything that makes it such a smooth ride.
That Elegant Gameplay
First off, Vicarious Visions knows what makes Pro Skater tick gameplay wise. They probably had a handful of discussions with the series’ original developer, Neversoft (who are now a part of Infinity Ward) about what to do and what not to do with the game. Fortunately, they leaned towards the former here, as Remastered doesn’t miss a beat in the gameplay department.
All sorts of tricks can be executed here, from reverts to manuals to aerial tricks that astound the mind, including that precious 900 coined by Mr. Hawk himself. The higher your trick count, the more combos you can score; and the more objectives you can complete in a level. Not to mention the fact you can go into a full collectathon and complete certain tasks to get further ahead and unlock new territory, like the school, the dam and more.
While the objectives don’t differ for each skater (even Officer Dick has to follow the same rules as the others), it’s refreshing to have so much to do. What’s more, you can enter a free skate mode and try to get as much stuff done as you can in one run. It’s a small addition, but one that’s sure to be a hit with fans that want to show their stuff, just as they did in the late 90s. The gameplay feels wonderful and highly responsive. And even if you screw up, it’s easy to get back up and try again, thanks to a neat little “revision” where you simply get back on your board with a “glitch” instead of having to wait. It’s really cool.
This one’s lots of fun to play, whether you’re getting into the series for the first time or remember mastering it way back in your PlayStation days. It’s that good, and wide open to everyone. And that’s not including the online options, where you can challenge others for scoring superiority. Just make sure your skills are up to snuff first, yeah? Otherwise, you’ll get “shredded”, as it were.
A Swell Looking Transfer
For Remastered, Vicarious Visions basically built the original game engine from scratch, keeping all the things that made it work so well in the first two games, but also making it fresh and worthwhile. The end result is absolutely staggering, a beautiful title that runs at 60 frames per second (for the most part) and shines in every bit of detail. The neon-lit objectives are great to see, and the little things – like how the wall first breaks apart in the warehouse – is astounding.
The only downside is that the loading time can take just a scoonch longer than expected. But it’s worth it once you hit the pavement and show what you can do on the board.
Not to mention the variety of skateboarders. There are old and young versions of some of the favorites here, and they look great. What’s more, you can unlock Officer Dick, portrayed by Jack Black, and have some real laughs. Check out a preview of him in action below.
I’m also a fan of the soundtrack, which mixes old and new together. Not every song from the original games are here, but most of them are, including “Guerrilla Radio,” “Bring the Noise,” “Police Truck” and more. There are some new tunes as well, and they fit in surprisingly, not missing a beat when it comes to capturing the thrill of skateboarding. It’s well worth a listen, no matter which tune you start with.
Finally, the atmospheric sound effects are a dream. Your board effects actually change depending what you’re skating (or grinding) on, and the little features with each level are something as well. Vicarious Visions did their homework here, and it shows.
Don’t You Dare Miss This Ride
We’ve seen a number of excellent remasters this generation, including Vicarious Visions’ previous work on N. Sane Trilogy. But it’s going to take a lot – a lot – to topple the mighty Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 Remastered. It perfectly recaptures everything we loved from the original games, while adding enough fresh ingredients and online goodness to make it feel completely new. It’s a nice trick, one that’s pulled off in spades.
Now the real question is what Pro Skater games will we see remastered next for a new generation to enjoy. I vote for Pro Skater 3 and American Wasteland, simply because I’m all about the old-school.
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