Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 (Switch) Review

When sport franchises go astray, typically the one means for them to proper the ship is to return to what labored and provides it a refresh. The Tony Hawk sequence suits the invoice completely. For each sport within the sequence you keep in mind, there’s one other 2-3 crammed in between. In 2020 Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 1 + 2 rose like a phoenix and reminded longtime followers why they used to benefit from the sequence within the first place. Now it’s 2021; it’s lastly time for the Change to get its flip to crank up the Rage Towards the Machine and skate.

Whereas it’s been some time for the reason that first two Professional Skater video games got here skating into our hearts, the sequence has come and gone. Professional Skater 1 + 2 takes you again to the place all of it started, racking up massive level combos as you skate round phases, aiming for prime scores, accumulating S-Okay-A-T-E and discovering the elusive hidden tape. Every stage provides you a guidelines of targets to finish that go in direction of unlocking the subsequent space. This remake retains what made the unique video games enjoyable to play whether or not you’re returning after a Professional Skater sabbatical or new to the sequence. To not relaxation on their laurels, the remake additionally brings some enhancements from different video games within the sequence, making combos and transferring across the phases really feel even higher.

Given it is a remake of the primary two video games, you’ll discover the skaters have returned. Tony Hawk is, after all, right here, aged to mirror the endless march of time. He’s joined by the unique skaters from the primary two video games, additionally aged to present occasions, as you make them do skate tips in your amusement. Some skaters are coming back from later entries, together with Tony Hawk’s son Riley Hawk, and newer skaters together with Leo Baker and Tyshawn Jones, amongst others. The brand new additions herald some contemporary faces and a few always-appreciated inclusion, offering a way more various roster to pick from.

Should you favor to focus your time and improve factors on a custom-built skater, then the create-a-skater choice is for you. There won’t be in depth choices, however as you progress via and tick targets from every stage’s checklist, you’ll get the money to splash on new clothes and boards.

Returning to the basic phases from these video games shortly turns into an existential glimpse into how way back it was while you performed them the primary time. They’ve all been remade to look a lot nicer than the PS1/N64/DC originals, with some additional flourish added in. For instance, a few of the phases have aged together with us, it might appear, with the Buying Mall wanting as run down as most of us are feeling this 12 months. I’m nonetheless not 100% positive how I really feel about all the visible modifications; it’s a cool design selection whereas retaining the structure and look of the unique. Simply don’t anticipate every thing to look because it was within the originals.

Whereas I performed numerous the primary two video games, the one I actually sunk probably the most time into was the GBA port of Professional Skater 2. Skating again via these phases, it seems that even outdoors of that port’s isometric view, I nonetheless keep in mind lots of the layouts. The layouts all really feel immediately acquainted, solely with the advantages of skate strikes that weren’t initially current in 1 and a pair of make transferring round in these areas even higher.

The soundtracks had been additionally fondly remembered components that really feel core to the sequence. It could’ve been unusual to return to those phases with out Goldfinger’s ‘Superman’ or the radio edit of Rage Towards the Machine’s ‘Guerilla Radio’. Virtually all the songs made it again whereas additionally bringing alongside much more new music to assist hold the beats contemporary. They’ve performed a superb job protecting the brand new music per the vibe of the originals. Now we simply need to hope for Motörhead’s ‘Ace of Spades’ if we ever get a THPS3 remake.

I all the time discovered button mashing will solely get me thus far within the Professional Skater video games. Ultimately, I must study what I used to be doing. There are assists accessible if you wish to toggle excellent steadiness, grinding or no bailing. These are nice if you wish to take pleasure in skating round and unlocking phases faster.

When you’ve exhausted each sport’s ranges, you’ll be able to all the time create a park of your personal. That is accessible at any time, though to get entry to extra objects, you’ll have to hit sure ranges. I didn’t spend a lot time inside this mode. In case you are keen to place a while in, you may make a wild skate park to unleash your skate tips on.

Professional Skater runs properly; it all the time felt prefer it was operating easily at a reasonably strong 30fps. It, after all, gained’t look as refined as the opposite variations, particularly when there are next-gen upgrades simply out. Should you’ve performed on the opposite consoles, you may discover element lacking and the same old Change downgrades, though it by no means bothered me. If you need the flamboyant 4K visuals, you then may be wanting on the mistaken model..or console. A number of the hundreds are longer, though by no means too lengthy. We’ve seen Activision port a bunch of their video games over to the Change now. Professional Skater is one other strong port.

Whereas Professional Skater is a good remake of the unique two video games, the largest disappointment is as soon as once more having to attend so lengthy for an additional Activision port to make it to the Change lastly. There may should be additional work performed to make it play in addition to it does on the getting older {hardware}, however they’re all the time introduced a lot later. It’s a observe that casts a shadow over the Change releases of those video games, which is a disgrace as a result of every one in every of them has been fairly good. One problem I had throughout the sport was the web integration meant each time I opened up the sport, I’d cop an electronic mail from Activision letting me know I accessed my account from the sport. Solely it did this even when simply reconnecting on-line after bringing it out of sleep mode. One time I had 4 emails letting me know.

Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 1 + 2 is a good remake, made even higher by being on the Change. Whereas the skaters and phases might have aged, they’ve nonetheless bought it. Hopefully, that is the sport to revitalise the Tony Hawk video games; even some extra remakes could be wonderful. With Vicarious Visions now engaged on different tasks, hopefully, Activision can hold the momentum going and usher in a brand new period of nice Tony Hawk Professional Skater video games. It would’ve been a wait, however the Change is one of the best ways to sneak in one other run.

Ranking: 4.5/5