Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 Critic Reviews

Vicarious Visions has delivered a superb remake of two iconic games without letting modern gaming’s vices get in the way.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+ 2 is a labour of love and an ode to the series’ glory days. Every inch of the game has been perfectly restored and updated for modern consoles and it's an absolute delight to play from start to finish. This is a must-buy for skateboarders, gamers and everyone else in between.

Vicarious Visions has proved that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater was more than just a product of its time, and that – like skating itself – it has every chance of penetrating the mainstream once again. The studio should be lauded for twice proving that it is a steward of 90s nostalgia, and that it can reanimate games to be just as good – if not better! – for their second turn under the sun.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 not only lives up to the beloved classic games, but it lives up to my memory of the beloved classic games; an important distinction. It walks the fine line of recreating the classics for a modern era, while never feeling either dated or burdened with new and unnecessary changes.

A final awesome thing about Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 is that although you’ll have to unlock levels in the game’s campaign mode, all of the levels are available to you from the get-go in Free Skate mode. It was wonderful to be able to skate around each of the levels in the game, refamiliarizing myself with the mechanics of the game before actually doing anything worthwhile. The decision to not gate levels is one that I greatly appreciated.

One of the greatest sports games of all time is back and every bit as good as you remember.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 and 2 is easily one of the best remasters available on the market today and does an excellent job of retaining the spirit and feel of the PlayStation era classics while adding on new features, music, and other options to propel these two entries into the modern era. The gameplay is still timeless and is sure to capture the attention of a whole new era of skateboarding fans that might not have grown up on the Tony Hawk series to begin with. Here’s hoping Activision and Vicarious Visions have plans for additional releases, as there are still more excellent entries in the franchise that are worth revisiting, especially if done so with the level of care and attention to detail that is present here.

Extraordinarily good.

Along with the professionals returning from the previous games (who have all been aged, and thus feel fresh again) there is a flood of recent talents added, too. Coupled with the new additions to the soundtrack that instantly gel with the rest of the package, you have an overall game that honors the current skateboarding culture. A return to the welcoming arcade-like gameplay of the franchise while giving everything a fresh coat of paint for the new era. This could be the start of the grand, new wave for the Tony Hawk's brand, and, even if it's not, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the king's return to the throne.

Basically, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is a perfect remaster. It feels the way you expect the game to and has everything I loved about these two games. Everything looks more gorgeous than ever before. You have extra tasks in the original levels. There are incentives to keep going back into all of the levels to complete tasks, unlock new customization options, get stat points, and work toward getting over 700 Challenges done. There’s a great multiplayer option. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 isn’t just as good as you remembered, it’s better.

Make no mistake, the Tony Hawk series is back in all of its resplendent glory. It’s awesome seeing the Birdman back up on his perch and coming back to these games after a decade of unworthy entries really felt like a revelation as I was immediately reminded of how much I’d been missing the series from my life. With tight controls, awesome music and a whole ton of new content in the form of challenges, this is as close to perfection you can get when attempting to update a classic franchise for a new generation.

Chaotic, fun, addictive, and rewarding. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 retains everything that made the games amazing in the '90s. It then adds a coat of fresh paint, better physics, and a more modern progression system to keep you playing after completing the classic objectives. This is an amazing package of games that will please old fans and new fans alike and I am so happy it turned out so well.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is just plain, good old-fashioned arcade fun. I think we could all use a healthy dose of that right now.

There’s a fine line between a remake and a remaster, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 doesn’t just expertly balance on it, It pops a 50-50 nose grind, rides that line with a devil may care attitude, and lands the trick perfectly. The biggest name in skateboarding is back, and better than ever.

Vicarious Visions nailed the remake of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1-2. They have given us a reminder about how much fun this title was back in the day, how much fun it is today, and assured gamers that anyone can pick it up and play it without much fuss. Is it perfect? Nope, but it’s near-perfect fun.

Vicarious Visions have restored two childhood favorite games with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater to near perfection and proven once again, rollerbladers drool, skateboards rule.

What the developers of THPS 1 + 2 managed to achieve is nothing short of miraculous. During the first minutes with the game I was sure I had traveled back in time and only some new songs on the soundtrack convinced me otherwise. The remake feels exactly like the original game and, simply put, it is absurdly good.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 pulls off one of the hardest tricks of all – providing a game that will appeal both to those who have fond memories of the original and those who are playing a skateboarding game for the first time. The controls are tight and responsive, the animations smooth and realistic, the levels are a joy to skate, and the game is a true and fitting tribute to its legacy.

Though some of the skaters might be past their prime, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is an incredible example of how some classics just never go out of style.

Because it nails so much about that original Tony Hawk experience, it's really hard to be mad at Pro Skater 1 + 2 for any of its downsides. The load times aren't enough to keep you away from the plethora of satisfying combos, and the lack of level goals for every skater isn't enough to keep you from jumping back in with a new character. Playing through the newly remade levels is immensely enjoyable, and that on its own is enough to call Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 a success. However, smart additions and an engaging challenge system make it an experience that's more than just a brief skate through Tony Hawk's past.