The very first time I played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, it wasn’t the full game. Like so many people back then, my first taste came from a PlayStation 1 demo disc, back in the days when you could buy gaming magazines from the local newsagent. The Warehouse level was all you got, but that small, gritty space was where many gamers, myself included, discovered a newfound love for skateboarding. It was where you learned to ollie, grind, and string together your first clumsy combo before the timer ran out. My friend and I would spend hours on that demo alone, trading the controller back and forth, trying to beat each other’s high scores. Even with just that one level, it kept us engaged as we felt like we’d stumbled onto something completely new. So it feels oddly fitting that this new hands-on preview of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 takes us from the Warehouse to the Foundry, another industrial-themed space packed with rails, pipes, and potential. What’s the new Tony Hawks 3 + 4 like? Pop on some vans, slip on some baggy jeans, and let’s get rolling while we check out a preview build of Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 + 4.
For full transparency, this preview was based on a pre-release build of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, played on an Xbox Series X. The preview code was kindly supplied by the game’s publisher. At the time of writing, no demo or hands-on version has been announced for Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 ahead of launch.
What’s New (Or at Least Fresh)?
While the preview build didn’t unlock every secret of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, it gave a real taste of what’s to come by offering not just Foundry, but also College, another beloved level making its return. It was fantastic revisiting College, relearning old lines, hunting for gaps, and admiring the visual upgrades. Compared to the tighter, more enclosed Foundry, College felt far more open, with plenty of room to chain together big, flowing combos. The refreshed visuals and slicker movement made it a joy to skate, like slipping on an old, well-worn pair of skate shoes that somehow feel brand new.
That sense of discovery is what keeps these games endlessly replayable. Even in Foundry, simple experiments like jumping over the halfpipe to unlock the forge press and grinding underneath it led to fresh surprises. Finding these hidden paths and secret gaps felt just as rewarding as it did back on the GameCube. While the Create-A-Skater menu was visible in this build, other features like Create-A-Park weren’t accessible yet. Still, there’s already a fun surprise for fans: Doom Slayer is a playable skater if you pre-order the Collector’s Edition, which is a ridiculous but entertaining crossover.
The soundtrack feels perfectly tuned to the game’s vibe. It’s a great mix of lo-fi hip hop, punk, and rock that captures both the laid-back and high-energy sides of skating culture. Unfortunately, I can’t showcase any of it in this preview video, due to copyright restrictions, with streamer mode enabled to mute licensed tracks. But rest assured, it sounds spot on. Outside of what I played, the final game promises a lot: both Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 & 4’s full park rosters rebuilt in HD, an expanded Create-A-Park and Create-A-Skater system with shareable custom goals, a New Game+ mode, and eight-player cross-platform online multiplayer. It’s shaping up to be the most complete and polished version of these two games yet.
A Promising Return That Balances Nostalgia and New Tricks
Coming away from this early hands-on with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, I’m genuinely impressed by how well this remake walks the line between honouring the past and modernising the experience. For so many of us, the series started in that tiny PlayStation 1 warehouse, and remaking these later entries comes with the weight of those memories. Thankfully, just like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remake before it, this feels like a project made by people who understand what made these games special.
The classic levels are all here, looking better than ever, but the soul of the original remains intact, like tight handling, flowing combos, and that endless urge to chase just one more high score. Foundry and College both felt fantastic to play, offering old routes and new surprises to uncover. As for the Switch 2 version? Based on what I’ve seen from other launch titles, we can likely expect a sharp, great-looking port that takes advantage of the new hardware. For those sticking with the original Switch, considering how well Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 ran on that system, there’s every chance you’ll be in for a solid time too.
If you grew up with these games or even came aboard with the previous remasters, this looks like another must-play. With the full release just around the corner this July, it’s shaping up to be a great time to return to the skateparks once more.
