Tony Hawk is back and is better than ever in his latest skatepark outing. The Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review will explain why you should dust off your virtual skateboard and join in. While I don’t have leisurely summer afternoons to grind the game now, the remake still has that addictive “one more run” gameplay. If you loved the originals or recently checked out the 1+2 remake, you are in for a good time with this skateboarding game.
All is not rosy though, fans of the original 4th game will find some changes baffling and off putting. Developer Iron Galaxy has made plenty of changes to the tried and tested formula, especially to the 4th Pro Skater, to make it more like the previous entries. While I was initially disappointed, the solid gameplay and nostalgic music soon won me over. Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review will also discuss what significant changes Iron Galaxy made, and also detail the surprising new additions.
Table of Contents
Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review – Birdman is Back!
It’s already been five years since Vicarious Visions released the excellent Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2. The game brought the series back to life with a strong dose of nostalgia and classic arcade skating gameplay. Unfortunately, Vicarious Visions was promptly shut down, and the hopes of getting Pro Skater 3+4 were dashed. Fast-forward to 2025, and Iron Galaxy has taken over the development and released another skating masterpiece. The developers have taken more liberty with the classic, though. Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review will tackle the changes further down.
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Apart from developer differences, the game still looks and feels the same as the 1+2 remake. Vibrant graphics, good mix of physics, and instantly recognizable controls all make a comeback. Birdman himself is here, but so are plenty of returning faces. The new pros include Yuto Horigome, Chloe Covell, and Zion Wright, to name a few. Of course, Dam Margera is also back after fans bemoaned his absence in the trailer. As a fan of older games like Banjo Kazooie, I want someone to remake Jackass and bring Bam back there too.
The music is what made Pro Skater such a beloved videogame back in the day. The game introduced me to music I didn’t even know existed, let alone liked. So, I’m very pleased to hear memorable tracks from the original games included in the remake. The developers also put a good mix of hip-hop, metal, punk, rock tracks into the soundtrack, freshening it up for modern times. Fully fill the Special meter in-game, and the music also gets reverb, making the action feel alive.
Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review – High Levels
The package has both games along with their unique line of levels but everything else got tweaked a bit. The original games worked well together, from the first to the third new mechanics were gradually introduced, easing players into new tricks. The levels were also timed, giving players two minutes to rack points and complete objectives. While the time restriction might feel too strict, the two minute runs feel a lot longer when playing. Time management also adds to the urgency and makes you plan how you are going to tackle objectives.
The Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review has to mention some changes developers made to the fourth game. The original Pro Skater 4 didn’t have any time limits but instead opted for fully explorable levels and a mission structure. NPCs would give you missions like teaching frat boys a lesson, or jumping over elephants. Unfortunately, the Pro Skater 3+4 remake retrofitted the fourth game to play like the others. So no missions, no unlimited time, and also few goals to achieve per level. That is the biggest downside of the remake, and it dilutes the experience for veteran returning players.
Another downside is the lack of interactive elements in the levels. For example, the Zoo map is devoid of any animals, a bizarre choice to make. The only goal is to make as many points as you can, taking out any character from the levels. Thankfully, the actual level design remains phenomenal, there is a lot of fun to be had while exploiting them. Apart from Carnival and Chicago, all other maps return to the game. Iron Galaxy also made three new maps for the remake. While all three new maps are great, my favorite is the Waterpark. The water slides are great for grinds.
Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review – The Grind
Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review acknowledges the fun factor is still intact. Grinds, reverts, wallplants, manuals, and acid drops are as entertaining as they were almost two decades ago. Mastering the tricks and when and where they will yield the best score is part of the gameplay. You won’t feel shortchanged by the controls here; while initially complex, you’ll soon fall into a rhythm. I personally love Ollies and grinds, but that’s been my go to trick combo for a long while.
Combine tricks and nail combos to increase the score multiplier. The more diverse the tricks, the higher the score will go and the faster you’ll charge the special. Fill the special bar, and you can nail a high-scoring special trick to boost your overall score. It’s an addictive loop that is both rewarding and exciting to pull off. There is nothing like nailing a long combo and seeing your score go from 0 to an astronomical number.
Pro Skater 3+4 also comes with multiplayer. The old multiplayer modes are all there. In Trick Attack, you make the high score, Combo Mombo has you reach the highest combo, and in Graffiti, you paint the area by doing tricks. It’s the new HAWK mode that makes Pro Skater 3+4 multiplayer so much fun, though. A team hides H-A-W-K letters on the map, the other team has to find them. I’ve had a great time with this mode, especially when playing with friends.
Conclusion:
Despite some odd design changes, Pro Skater 3 and 4 Review has been an overall positive one. I enjoyed getting back into skating, racking up points and combos, and having a good time with friends online. I would’ve preferred if 3 and 4 were separately remade, with the 4th game retaining its own identity. Pro Skater 3+4 makes me hopeful for the franchise, and I can’t wait to see an original title made by Iron Galaxy.
I played the game on Xbox Series X and on GamePass, PlayRatedGames didn’t recieve an advance review code. Check out Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 Remake OpenCritic page to see how the game is doing in ratings.
