Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4is finally here, and with it comes a heavy dose of nostalgia for longtime gamers and skaters. This series had a chokehold on the gaming industry’s extreme sports genre, andTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4is a solid rework of the original game.
There are some changes that have been controversial, though. One of the biggest changes is thatTHPS 3+4only features a piece of the original soundtrack. Despite that shake-up,THPS 3+4is an exciting flashback to the days of extreme sports games, and the arrival of this remake hopefully opens the floodgates for a fresh offering of these titles.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Can Hopefully Bring Extreme Sports Games Back Into the Spotlight
Of course,THPS 1+2also had the chance to ignite such a renaissance, but even though that didn’t happen, the demand for moreTHPSis promising. Tony Hawk helped showcase skateboarding as a respectable sport, which bled over to other extreme sports, like snowboarding, BMX, and motocross. In the early 2000s, extreme sports games were a staple of the industry, with titles likeKelly Slater’s Pro SurferandMatt Hoffman’s Pro BMXusingtheTHPSfranchiseas a blueprint for other kinds of sports-based games.
Beyond the licensed offerings in the genre, there were games likeSSX Tricky,Aggressive Inline, and theMotocross Madnessseries that capitalized on the rise in popularity of extreme sports. There’s the possibility thatTHPS 3+4could spark more remakesfrom not just theTHPSfranchise, but other extreme sports titles as well. This is likely more wishful thinking than anything, but if further franchise remakes aren’t on the table, then a brand-new offering of games in the genre would be a welcome change of pace.
The Heyday of Extreme Sports Titles is Long Over, At Least for Now
Skateboarding, BMX, and snowboarding may not be as big of a part of pop culture as they were in the early 2000s, but that doesn’t mean they won’t come back in full swing.THPSblends both nostalgia and modern trendswith its new soundtrack and skater roster, and that alone demonstrates that there is still plenty of room for the extreme sports fever to take over once more.
There have been a few modern games that have put a twist on the extreme sports formula. Titles likeRollerdome,Rush, andDescendershave all offered fresh extreme sports gameplay.
Skating Has Reached Even Greater Heights Since the Reign of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
Since the firstTHPSgame hit the scene, skating has evolved so much that it’s now an Olympic sport, as is BMX racing, with snowboarding being part of the competition since the late 90s. Now, with modern celebrity skaters like Nyjah Houston, Aori Nishimura, and Chloe Covell, there’s a whole new generation that could lead the way for more skate-focused games. With competitors like theSkatefranchisegearing up forSkate 4, the two series may have what it takes to bring the extreme sports genre back into the spotlight.
EA has yet to announce an official release date forSkate 4, but the game has been undergoing playtests.
THPS 3+4 is a Reminder of a Strong Legacy
Some of the changes toTHPS 3+4may ruffle the feathers of those who prefer the original’s approach to things, but this remake doesn’t just offer a trip down memory lane,it introduces theTHPSseries to a fresh audience. There are plenty of gamers who have never experienced the franchise, butTHPS 1+2andTHPS 3+4make that possible. Tony Hawk played an integral role in bringing skateboarding into the mainstream, andTHPSis a clear reminder of that. There’s no telling if extreme sports games will reach the same heights as they did in the early 2000s, but one can at least dream.
