Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 Review: A game of the decade contender

Tony Hawk'due south Pro Skater is hands one of the biggest franchises in video game history, simply recent entries have non only failed to capture the magic of the original games, only honestly tarnished the reputation of the series. Tony Hawk'due south Pro Skater 5 was an absolute disaster and there's an increasing number of spinoffs focusing on gimmicks over gameplay. Does anybody remember Tony Hawk's Ride?

It makes total sense for a franchise that'southward clearly lost its way, to revisit its roots, and reevaluate what fabricated these skating games so special in the first place and that's exactly what Vicarious Visions did with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. This team managed to replicate the incredible, tight gameplay of these iconic titles and even make two games that are literally decades erstwhile, wait and feel like a modern game.

With a fresh glaze of pigment and some boosted features, it becomes crystal articulate just how alee of the times the first ii Tony Hawk'south Pro Skater games were.

The new golden standard for video game remakes

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Cover Art

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2

Bottom line: Tony Hawk'due south Pro Skater ane + two manages to deliver a gaming experience greater than my fondest memories of the franchise. These classic games look and feel improve than ever.

Pros

Gorgeously recreated stages
Drastically increased customization options
Tight and rewarding gameplay
Endless replayability

Cons

No private online matchmaking or Free Skate

Remaking that archetype feeling

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Downhill Jam Source: Windows Primal

Category	GameNameXXX
Title	Tony Hawk'southward Pro Skater 1 + 2
Developer	Vicarious Visions
Publisher	Activision
Genre	Sports/Skateboarding
Xbox Version	Xbox One X
Game Size	26GB
Play Fourth dimension	20 hours
Players	1-ii Players Local/1-8 Players Online
Launch Price	$40)

As someone who spent hundreds of hours playing Tony Hawk'southward Pro Skater ane + 2 growing up, I went into this remake with a laundry list of expectations and a whole lot of muscle memory. Unfortunately for my fingers and my brain, this muscle retentivity was tied to sub-30 FPS on the PS1, and then initially adapting to a locked 60 FPS on the Xbox One Ten was pretty intense. I spent the starting time several sessions crashing simple combos that I would accept nailed with ease dorsum in the day, but once was my reflexes defenseless upwards with the increased frame rate, everything clicked in a big fashion. These games didn't experience every bit proficient as I remembered them, they actually felt better.

Additional mechanics from later Tony Hawk games like wall-hopping and reverts completely changed my philharmonic game. I was able to revisit classic runs from my favorite stages and stretch my combos even further thanks to these additional features. While you practice have the option to switch to classic Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + two control schemes, these restrict your ability to wall-hop, revert, and even transmission, but if y'all're interested in experiencing the about faithful feel of these classic games, this is a actually cool detail for long-time fans.

Even afterwards all this fourth dimension, I really can't stress enough how smashing these games feel. Even players who never touched the originals tin dive into this remake and accept a nail trying to beat their own high scores or assemble fun collectibles cheers to its perfectly crafted arcade design. Sometimes revisiting a game you love reminds of its glaring flaws, but with Tony Hawk'south Pro Skater 1 + 2, information technology only reinforces why this franchise was such a massive success.

Bring tha noise

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Tracklist Source: Windows Central

The only thing as important equally the gameplay in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater franchise is the killer soundtracks. The music of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater ane + 2 divers a generation and perfectly embodied the spirit of skateboarding culture. This special blend of rock, hip-hop, alternative, and even heavy metal, didn't really exist in any other genre at the time.

The soundtracks for Tony Hawk'southward Pro Skater one + 2 are hands two of the best of all fourth dimension and having the songs from the original games render with this remake, is a huge feat and an even bigger win when it comes delivering on that classic feeling. In add-on to the tracks from the original soundtracks' 22 artists, Tony Hawk'south Pro Skater 1+2 adds 37 new songs, bringing the full to a staggering 59. While some of the new artists don't evangelize the same skate-hype as infamous tracks like Guerilla Radio by Rage Against the Machine and When World'due south Collide past Powerman 5000, there are still some pretty smashing standouts from artists like Mercules, Billy Talent, and Zebrahead. Thankfully, you take the option to customize your skate playlist and skip any tracks that don't deliver on your skate vibe.

There'due south actually something for everyone here on the music front and I'm a bit diddled away by the team'due south dedication to delivering on what was nearly definitely a licensing nightmare. Besides, in case anyone needs a reminder - 'No Cigar' by Millencolin still hits hard.

Archetype stages truly brought to life

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Secret Tape Source: Windows Key

As we see more and more studios evangelize incredible remakes, it becomes very apparent just how much we filled in the gaps of the original's graphical limitations with our imaginations. Going back and watching footage of the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, I couldn't believe how poor the draw altitude was and how banal the environments looked. I vividly remembered these areas feeling alive and vibrant, but now they are more often than not dull and filled with greyness fog.

The updated Tony Hawk's Pro Skater i + 2 somehow manages to nowadays environments that are more detailed and dynamic than even my wildest imagination as a kid. Stages like Venice have bustling backgrounds with bounding main waves, flocks of seagulls, and even sailboats. With a seemingly endless depict distance, you really experience similar these places exist in a world and not simply equally an isolated serial of ramps and rails in a video game.

The amount of detail in the recreated stages from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater i + two is genuinely jaw-dropping. You can finish anywhere on any stage and marvel at all the small-scale touches Vicarious Visions put in to reimagine these iconic locations. The updated mall is incredible and a flake depressing, as all the shops from the original games are now boarded up and vandalized – mirroring the modern-day decline of the shopping mall. As a fan of the original games it was incredible seeing my favorite stages meticulously reconstructed and anyone jumping in for the start time will still be impressed by these gorgeous environments.

Tons of customization and collecting

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Character Customization Source: Windows Central

1 of my favorite elements of the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 was creating my ain skater and living the Pro Skater dream. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater ane + 2 expands character customization in some huge ways. The number of boards and clothing options is so much more expansive than the original games. Yous have hundreds of options to choose from. Not just can you change your deck, grip record, trucks, wheels, outfit, and appearance, just you lot tin also customize your profile to share your favorite deck and emblem with other players online.

The expansive skateshop offers a wide range of items you can buy with your difficult-earned skate cash, but there are also special unlocks tied to specific in-game challenges – including some amazing animated decks. Collecting SKATE and completing all stage challenges in both Tony Hawk's Pro Skater one + two also unlocks fun modifiers like Tiny Skater and low-gravity. And for players looking to forever leave their mark on the skating landscape, the new and improved create-a-park gives some pretty impressive stage cosmos tools. You can even upload and skate other player's creations online.

With over 700 challenges, hundreds of unlocks, and a great suite of customization and cosmos tools, this is easily the most expansive Tony Hawk'southward Pro Skater experience to engagement. You literally and figuratively take a serious amount of stuff to grind.

Local and Online multiplayer

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Online Modes Source: Windows Central

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 brings back all your favorite local multiplayer modes and introduces a collection of new modes for local and online play. Horse and Complimentary Skate make their return, but are unfortunately restricted to local play at the moment, but the classic Flim-flam Attack and new modes like Combo Mambo and Combo Challenge are available to play in local or online multiplayer.

A simplified party system and playlists for casual or competitive play, quickly throw you lot and upwards to 7 other players in a streamlined matchmaking system with a randomized array of these game modes. While I appreciate the overall simplicity of the matchmaking procedure in Tony Hawk'south Pro Skater 1 + 2, I really hope the team has plans on expanding the options for online play. As it stands, you tin't create a private skate session with your friends, choose a stage, play Free Skate or Horse, or even play created stages with other players.

The local options are far more robust than online play right now, just that didn't end me and remote friends from playing for hours at a time. With a few tweaks to online matchmaking, this could easily exist the perfect Tony Hawk's Pro Skater multiplayer experience.

Why I dear this remake

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Hangar Source: Windows Central

The remake of Tony Hawk'southward Pro Skater ane + 2 is a 18-carat triumph. Rarely does a game, especially a remake, meet my admittedly lofty expectations, just in the case of these 2 archetype skating titles, Vicarious Visions absolutely blew me away. They managed to make two of my favorite games of all time look and feel ameliorate than they ever have.

With beautifully recrafted stages, a massive drove of modes and unlocks, and gameplay that just doesn't go old, there's so much to dear here. If Resident Evil 2 prepare the bar for quality video game remakes, then Tony Hawk'south Pro Skater one + 2 has successfully Airwalked over it and set a new gold standard.

Exterior of a single complaint regarding a somewhat restricted online offering, this is a perfect remake and stands firmly as my Game of the Twelvemonth for 2022. I'll have some serious internal debating to do, but there's even a genuine possibility this remake will end upwards being my game of the decade.

The perfect remaster

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 2 Cover Art

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater one + ii

New means to play these classic games

Playing Tony Hawk'south Pro Skater 1 + 2 feels so much better than ever before. Take hold of some friends and experience the king of skateboarding games.

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