As a gaming enthusiast who grew up with the digital concrete under my virtual feet, I can confidently say that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater has left an indelible mark on my gaming journey. The series, with its simple yet captivating gameplay, was more than just a skateboarding platformer; it was a testament to the power of creativity and exploration in video games.
On September 29, 2024, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater marked a remarkable 25 years since its debut. Let’s take a walk down memory lane to revisit its origins and the impact it made as an innovative entry in the platformer genre.
In the 1990s, skateboarding saw an era of exhilarating progression as pioneers such as Tony Hawk showcased jaw-dropping feats that redefined the boundaries of what was thought achievable. These included groundbreaking stunts like the ‘loop of death’, a daring 16ft ollie between water towers, and the inaugural 900 spin. Unbeknownst to us at the time, these daring acts and their innovators would pave the way for one of the most iconic video game franchises ever created: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the iconic 1999 game, and its influence on arcade gaming is as potent as ever. It’s the title that gave birth to eight follow-ups, raked in millions in sales, and inspired countless tricks like kickflips and heelflips. Even today, it maintains the same level of popularity it held during the peak of the X Games era. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater revolutionized skateboarding’s cultural impact, inspiring people from all walks of life, particularly children, to take up real-world skateboarding after virtually exploring an old, abandoned mall on their digital boards.
Tony Hawk and other skaters weren’t merely transforming skateboarding into a craze, they were elevating it into an extreme sport. Skateboarders seemed almost like superheroes as they deftly ollied over traffic and grinded across power lines in the real world. The Birdman aimed to capture that exhilaration when he decided to collaborate with a studio. The demo from Neversoft made everyone – not just skateboarders – feel like they were flying high on a skateboard, like a superhero.
In a 2017 interview with Jenkem, he stated, “When Activision contacted me, I immediately knew it was the project I had been eagerly waiting for. It was already enjoyable to play, requiring no prior skating skills, and the control mechanics were straightforward.
The journey Birdman takes, from a warehouse in California to a military facility in Roswell, New Mexico, is widely recognized as one of the greatest skateboarding games ever made due to its accurate portrayal of skating culture through music and style. However, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater gained massive popularity for more reasons than that; its exploration and platforming elements were some of the most exhilarating in the genre. The gameplay, particularly considering it was released only a few years after Super Mario 64, was as agile and responsive as any other platformer available at the time.
In a 2019 interview with The Ringer, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater producer Scott Pease emphasized that they didn’t want players to unintentionally perform actions they didn’t intend. Even if those actions seemed fun, their goal was for the game to follow exactly what the player commanded. In other words, when you press a button and then get connected to a rail, it feels like you’re the one performing the action, rather than the game taking control on its own.
In simpler terms, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater isn’t like typical sports games such as Mario or Fall Guys because it focuses on skateboarding tricks and precise timing for jumps. Just like other platformer games where the main objective is to navigate through challenging paths, Tony Hawk’s gameplay revolves around combining moves in a smooth sequence. However, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater also includes some fun, arcade-style elements, similar to the exciting adventures of characters like Mario and Astro Bot.
In the real world, performing tricks such as skateboarding on a movie theater marquee in Minneapolis or executing an ollie over a cable car in San Francisco wouldn’t normally occur. However, these daring feats are possible when Red Bull organizes stunts like that. Essentially, they were exciting activities to enjoy while exploring open spaces.
Each initial park offered an harmonious blend of exploration, jumping puzzles, and eventually challenges tailored to various themes, ensuring a distinct form of enjoyment during each two-minute run. Initially, you’d traverse to familiarize yourself with the area, then hunt for hidden treasures, and later, strive to optimize your route to gather everything quickly and maximize points in a level. This setup guaranteed that players would want to revisit levels multiple times.
Each subsequent game contributed in its own way to enhancing the liveliness of their respective environments. Pro Skater 3 introduced pedestrians, Pro Skater 4 added wildlife, while Underground allowed for a closer, hands-on exploration by enabling players to dismount from their boards.
In its initial release, “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” was constructed using the foundation laid by Neversoft’s preceding project, “Apocalypse,” where Bruce Willis caused destruction. This game had straightforward skating mechanics, with a limited repertoire of tricks and the main method for combining them being grinding and wall riding. Subsequent games would refine this experience, introducing manuals, more fluid ways to combine tricks, and advanced gaming technology that enhanced the realistic feel of skateboarding in a virtual world.
The blend of amazing moves and spacious play areas drew a large crowd. This quality made Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater a game accessible to just about everyone. While the techniques were significant, the freedom to skate as you pleased was truly captivating.
In an independent conversation with Polygon, Pease expressed that many individuals shared skepticism, saying, “That’s not feasible. It’s impossible to create a game solely based on tricks. It won’t succeed; no one has ever attempted it before. It’s unrealistic, man, you’ll exhaust the speed.” However, they decided to focus on emulating authentic skating in a genuine setting, enabling players to roam freely, discover routes, and express their creativity.
The studios responsible for creating the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series, including those that later dropped the Pro Skater title and the studio that produced the 2020 remaster, have ceased operation. Notably, the studio behind the 1999 hit, Neversoft, disbanded in 2014. Similarly, Vicarious Visions, responsible for the 2020 remaster, was integrated into other Activision Blizzard teams.
Despite the team no longer developing it, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 has been exceptionally successful. In just two weeks, it managed to sell over a million copies. Interestingly, players have kept busy exploring the create-a-park mode, even with minimal support for the remastered online modes.
As a passionate gamer, the adoration I, along with countless others, have for the straightforward fun of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater is truly amazing. The news that a remake of the second and third games in the series was turned down, opting instead for Call of Duty development, left us heartbroken.
Activision considers Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater as a crucial part of its current lineup, hinting that there might be more remakes or new games coming up. With Microsoft now in charge, there’s a possibility it could be revisited. It would be thrilling to see a fresh game build upon the remarkable concept of a skateboarding platformer, but the influence of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater will always remain alongside Mario’s in gaming history.
In a heartfelt Instagram post marking the game’s 25th anniversary, Tony Hawk expressed gratitude towards Activision, Neversoft (may they rest in peace), and everyone who played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater back then. Although he can’t reveal much about the series’ future, he hinted that there will indeed be more to come.
Today, there’s just as much enthusiasm for outstanding platform games as there was back in 1999, as games like Astro Bot, Super Mario Odyssey, and even Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 have demonstrated. These titles appeal to both new and seasoned players, making them feel instantly comfortable on the digital skate park of a new Tony Hawk game. If The Birdman continues to ensure that the gaming experience mirrors the excitement of real-world skateboarding, fans will be thrilled.
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2024-10-01 19:09