Our hands-on with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 this week seemingly had it all. There was no shortage of nostalgia as I explored the old tours from the third and fourth titles of this storied franchise. It was certainly a relief to see that developer Iron Galaxy, who pitched the project in the wake of Vicarious Visions being rebranded and set to work elsewhere, has shown the same care in reviving these games, even if there are a few who deemed Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4’s open-park, quasi-free roam format sacrosanct.
Be sure to read our full preview to see why you shouldn’t be concerned by the creative choice to explore parks like College and Alcatraz in two-minute increments, I’m here to gush a little about one of Iron Galaxy’s original contributions to the game, a new park called Waterpark.
Set in the Mojave Desert, this seemingly belly-up, fenced-off waterpark still managed to feel like a standout even amidst classic stages like College and San Francisco. Its design is so on-point that I’d bet the uninitiated would mistake it for a returning level, like the rest of them. Not only is it full of tasty lines and set pieces, but its ruinous facade feels like a rare piece of world-building in what is an otherwise action-fronted series.
From its sky-high former slides, now ramps, that would never have been up to code, to its cute mascot, which I presumed to be a beaver based on his eye-rolling dam pun, there’s a wonderful amount of character packed into this mid-sized park. Being what is effectively a theme park, there’s a lot to drink in here, including an interactive pirate ship, complete with cannons that’ll burp smoke on occasion.
Read our full hands-on preview here.
Read our interview with Iron Galaxy about all things Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 here.
There’s a crudely constructed castle set that ties into two set pieces. After ascending to the park’s loftiest heights, atop the aforementioned slides, a breathtaking transfer into the castle’s keep, which just as quickly sees you rocketing out its exit and over the park’s central piece, a jetting water fountain. This particular line also ties into one of the level goals, which is hard-flipping over said fountain.
I think the verticality offered by the level is perhaps its most striking thrill, and having the park’s S-K-A-T-E line start low before tempting gravity by grinding the top of one of the park’s highest slides, only to swoop into the guts of a bowl-mouthed slide to collect the final letter is truly a ripper line. The rides might be closed, but it would appear there’s more than one way to skin a … beaver?
Whether there’s a possible future that sees Iron Galaxy assume the responsibility of putting out a brand-new Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game remains to be seen, but as far as auditions go, I think Waterpark is a brilliant first step. Although it delivers on vibes of a stolen summer, its real strength is how confidently it is designed from stem to stern.
When the two-minute countdown begins, and you enter the park via its pastel waterslides, it’s hard to know where to go first.
The cheapest copy of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is $74 with free shipping on Amazon.
