Back on Board: Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 Review

Back on Board: Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 Review

Oct 14, 2020 0
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As far as skateboarding games go, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 is a near-flawless remake of the original classics. Vicarious Visions has put a lot of effort and passion into re-imagining the Neversoft titles through the faithful recreation of our favourite maps, updated graphical quality, and by reflecting the current skateboarding culture.  

A Blast from the Past… and the Present?

As the game loads up for the first time, players are greeted with an opening cinematic, showing off the old skaters, who have all been faithfully aged to reflect the times. This also reflects the current state of the skateboarding world as it sets the stage for the newest generation of pros, who make their appearance later in the cinematics. The generational transition is flawless and does not feel disjointed or thrown in one bit.  It showcases just how much the culture has changed over the years and allows players to celebrate the new and old on their favourite maps from the original games. A notable distinction is how much the sport has transitioned from being mostly male-dominated to being more gender-inclusive. It features three more female skaters (Lizzie Armanto, Leticia Bufoni, and Aori Nishimura) and one non-binary skater (Leo Baker). 
New Skaters

New Skaters

Another welcome feature is the choice playlist that accompanies gameplay. An excellent throwback to the music of the time with 22 of the original songs while also including some new tracks to keep things fresh.

Lots of Challenges

As players explore the various maps from both games, they have multiple challenges available to complete. These are very helpful for keeping things interesting as play can become quite repetitive after a while. As an added incentive, there are even a few secret challenges in each map that will unlock as you explore the levels and perform various tricks and combos.  Also, skater-specific challenges can assist in unlocking new skaters, skateboards, and other bonuses.

Different Ways to Play

In addition to default play in offline mode—where players can complete challenges and work on their combos—there are also options for practice and online play. For those looking for a simple time, free skate is available for those looking to learn the locations and practice tricks without a time limit.  For a bit of a challenge, free skate is also open in small session intervals so that you can choose whichever map you want regardless of in-game progress.
Skater Grinding

Skater Grinding

For an added challenge, players can join a group of people online and participate in small events. Winning each competition affords you different rewards and is quite fun to change your play style. Lastly, for the more creative skaters, there is a build mode to design their skateparks. For those who are not that creatively inclined, any of these creations are easily playable through the custom maps menu. These maps tend to vary from incredibly fun to barely playable (which is relatively standard with custom maps); thus, it is up to the player to choose what they want to try out.

A Good Run

All in all, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 is a wonderfully crafted recreation of the series, and Vicarious Visions has succeeded in honouring such a beloved series. While there are some graphical issues such as clipping here and there, it almost keeps with the nostalgia of the game and doesn’t take away from the beauty of the newly rendered locations.  While it’s a simple game, there is nothing better than skating around trying to find new combos and pulling off the coolest tricks possible.
Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 Title Card

If you’d like to read another one of our reviews, please check out: Twin Breaker: A Sacred Symbols Adventure Review — Breaking New Ground Special thanks to Vicarious Visions for providing us with a review copy of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2
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About author

Nick Mammoliti

I enjoy long walks on the beach, followed by copious hours spent inside avoiding the sunlight. All kidding aside, as a creative person I am constantly on the lookout for an experience when I play games. I have been gaming since I could form memories and I have a preference for games with a good narrative. That being the case, Writers Mind in Halo: Reach holds a special place in my heart.

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