The remastered version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 is getting closer. MeinMMO author Max Handwerk is really excited about the game – but is also a bit afraid of a rude awakening.
Into the halfpipe, jump, right, down, circle, McTwist! R2, revert, down, up, manual started, and off to the next ramp. Combo, combo, combo!
Collecting many points in Tony Hawk games used to feel just as complicated as landing the ultimate combo in Tekken. One button here, a direction change there, quickly grinding over the railing and finally landing precisely to score those sweet, sweet points. Anyone who has ever stood on a virtual board will know what I’m talking about.
Just like other people can reflexively aim precisely in shooters, I’ve had fat skateboard tricks and combos burned deep into my brain over the years. No wonder: I believe I’ve spent more hours as a kid in no other game series than these crazy skateboard adventures.
Love at first kickflip
A full load of good memories: I still clearly remember how my brother and I first inserted a Tony Hawk game into our PS2. “Tony Hawk’s Underground” was the name of this cool, new game that we just borrowed from a video rental store that has long since closed.
With our childhood fantasy-created skater, who had a skull instead of a normal head, we rolled to driving punk music, aiming to become the greatest skater in the world. It was love at first kickflip.
In the coming years, iron flea market searches led to a steadily growing Tony Hawk collection. We played them all. Whether the old parts of the Pro Skater series or then-new titles like Underground 2 or American Wasteland – no Tony Hawk game escaped our console.
Unfortunately, the series gradually lost its magic due to more poorly functioning projects like the skateboard controller (Tony Hawk’s RIDE) or lackluster sequels (the technically weak Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5). As a result, it disappeared from my focus for a while.
Remake with online mode? Cool – I hope so anyway
THPS is back in play: When the remake of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 was announced, I was immediately fired up. There they were again, the old levels, the familiar skateboarding sounds, the insane soundtrack. The game is supposed to build exactly on the old games and expand them. With better graphics, more tricks, additional skaters – and a new online multiplayer mode.
Online, Tony Hawk could be played for the first time with Pro Skater 3; Pro Skater 1 and 2 didn’t have that at launch. For me, online skating is completely uncharted territory anyway.
Because: Little Max didn’t have an internet connection on his PS2 back then and didn’t do any combos online in the following years. Consequently, I primarily know Tony Hawk as a good couch co-op game. And that’s a bit concerning today.
Please, please, no rude awakening: All things considered, it would be pretty bitter if the remake doesn’t deliver on what it promises. Just as bitter would be to find out after all these years: Damn, I’m a noob.
Because even if I’ve skated through everything possible in the story and challenge modes of the Hawk games… What if I’m not as good at the game as my younger self always thought? What if my assured million combo, which I’ve perfected over the years in offline modes, has no value in online multiplayer? Because the large, broad THPS world pulls off way better combos?
MeinMMO colleague Maik Schneider, who usually tinkers with clever CoD combos, has already announced his intention to skate all noobs into the ground in online multiplayer. Sounds like there will be a direct trick tournament on the release on September 4. Until then, I’ll be training a bit more just to be safe. Where’s my PS2?
