After going through N64 games and its versions of Tony Hawk games lacking a bit in presentation, it’s nice to finally play a full version of the game. The full, good quality songs really add so much to the game, and the soundtrack for Pro Skater 3 is no exception. When I was younger, I played a lot of Pro Skater 4, and a lot of the muscle memory from that still applies to Pro Skater 3, and it still feels great.

The create-a-skater is very solid this time round, and you can upgrade your stats by finding tokens in levels. There’s some more interesting objectives as well that encourage you to explore each level, some of which are larger than previous games, but not too large, all of it filled with interesting sections and ways to transfer tricks from one section to the others. It’s the kind of game where you’ll have fun pulling off tricks and linking combos even when you’re doing the non-trick challenges. There are also even more interactive elements, and you can even trigger an earthquake in one level.

There’s also a few more fun special characters this time, such as Wolverine and Darth Maul alongside some silly ones like the Neversoft eyeball in a Frankenstein body (who starts with one point in every stat), a demoness and Kelly Slater on a surfboard, so there’s a lot of fun to be had. I’m still not overly fond of the time limit, but it’s still an incredibly solid skateboard game with an addictive nature.

Great

Attaining that elusive high score is still as relentlessly enjoyable today as it was when, say, Space Invaders appeared in arcades just over twenty years ago and, ultimately, it’s all you need – a hefty slice of gameplay that’ll keep you coming back. Tony Hawk’s 3 has that in spaced.

Neil Randall, NGC Magazine #67

Remake or remaster?

A remake is currently in the works.

Official Ways to get the game

There’s no official way to play Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3.