I’m Afraid Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Might Be Missing What Made THPS 4 Special

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 will bring back the nostalgia of the THPS series while also updating it for players today. While that's cause for excitement, the more players learn about the next remake in the series, the more there's room for disappointment. The beloved Career mode from THPS 4 may not end up in this next game, and it's a real hit if that's true. Career was one of the best modes in the original game.

For those who played the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, it's easy to remember how great it was, thanks to a big change in freedom. Today, roaming around RPGs with huge open worlds is common. In fact, it seems like games are trying to outdo each other with each expansive world. However, skating games tended to feel more arcade-focused, and that's where Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 stood out.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 Might Not Have 4's Career

Players May Lose A Beloved Mode

The upcoming release of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4has people excited, but there's also a lot of uncertainty. The main concern comes from the promotional materials that describe the remakes as having "streamlined goals in a two-minute format" (per PlayStation Blog). That is different from the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 career mode, which allowed players to move freely throughout the level. The two-minute format only gives players a short bit of time to move around, getting as high of a score as possible or completing challenges.

A skater performing a high-flying trick on an icy course in a screenshot from the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and 4 remake trailer.

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Players need straight answers about what comes in a remake and what doesn't. Development of remakes tends to leave developers with difficult decisions on what to cut and what to leave. If it takes a while to add a feature, even if the blueprint is there in the original, it will likely get cut. If Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 did remove the career mode, it could change the experience for players.

Changing The Formula Made THPS 4 Stand Out

Career Mode Was The Best Part

Tony Hawk skating in Pro Skater 3 + 4 over an image from Tony Hawk's Underground

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 made big changes compared to earlier games in the series that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 should include. The most important change was the introduction of its Career mode, which was different from the previous games with timed levels. Instead of playing in short, two-minute sessions to achieve goals like collecting letters that spell S-K-A-T-E or getting high scores, players could just skate around and see things. It gave a sense of discovery that wasn't there before.

Players could meet characters in the game who would give them missions which were similar to the arcade time limits, but that was a way the player got a sense of progression. Every mission giver seemed to have a problem that only a skateboard could solve, and it's one of those things that made the player feel like they were important. That kind of thing helped keep the game immersive and made Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 one of the best in the series.

This was fun because players didn't just have a list of objectives to complete, and the open exploration made the game feel more rewarding.

I remember being terrified of a mission giver who said the ghosts in a prison wouldn't be quiet. The only way to shut them up was to perform tricks and get a certain high score. The thought of ghosts watching me and the creepy-looking quest giver scared me, and I remember it to this day. You can't get that reaction if you don't let playersexperience the game at their own pace.

It's easy to forget how stressful that time limit was. I think time limits make games a lot less fun. While some people find joy in beating their own records, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 isn't a game marketed to speedrunners; it's one that appeals to a generation that hasgrown older and wants to take a load off and relax.

A Streamlined Remake Is Better Than Nothing

We're Finally Getting Something We've Asked For

At the end of the day, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 needed to be made. If the developers found that adding a career mode would have been too much, that's the way it is. There are still a lot of reasons to be excited about the release. Even if the career mode is less extensive, there are many improvements that should make the game feel better overall.

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There will also be new skaters, parks, and music, which adds more content for returning and new players. Focusing on streamlined gameplay and modern updates isn't just about cutting back; it's a smart way to keep the core elements that made the series popular. By refining what has already worked and adding thoughtful features, the developers are creating a focused experience that captures what the originals did but has noticeable differences.

The potential loss of career mode in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4is a big one, but the benefits may outweigh it. If the overall game is modern, more polished, and fun, who are we to ask for anything else? However, if Activision does remake any more Tony Hawk games, I'd like to see the free roam mode as a standard and not an option that gets taken out in development.

Source: PlayStation Blog