It wouldn’t be a stretch to call Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 two of the most beloved, iconic games of the PlayStation era. The series went downhill in its later years—the less said about Tony Hawk Ride, the better—but Activision is looking to recapture Pro Skater‘s heydey with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2, a new remaster that combines the original two games into a single package due out in September this year.
The remasters are being developed by Vicarious Visions, who were behind the Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy. In their earlier days, Vicarious Visions also created a number of Game Boy ports of various Tony Hawk games, so in a way, this is a return to their history.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 brings back all the original levels and pro skaters from the first two games, with the expected HD visual upgrade (with 4K support for compatible consoles). There’ll also be some new features, like online multiplayer, new tricks, more secrets to find.
Fans will be glad to hear that the Create-A-Skater and Create-A-Park game modes are back, after their notable absence from 2012’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD. Players will be able to share their created parks online, as well as “remixing” parks shared by others.
Finally, the remaster will bring back “many iconic and fan-favourite songs from the soundtrack that defined a generation”. Activision’s wording suggests that the soundtrack probably won’t feature all the tracks heard in the original games, but that’s one the problems that come with remastering a pair of 20-year-old whose soundtracks were made up almost entirely of licensed music.
“Getting the chance to bring back the original two games which had such a meaningful impact not only on gaming, but on an entire sports genre, has been an epic experience for our team, many of whom worked on the original series” said Jen Oneal, Studio Head at Vicarious Visions. “We’re
taking what you knew and loved from the original games and mixing that with enhanced creative tools which will allow gamers to invent brand new ways to play the game they love. We’re confident it will be the ultimate Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater experience fans have been asking for.”
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and is due for release on 4 September 2020. It’ll be AU$69.95 in Australia, or AU$84.95 for a digital deluxe edition with “unique content and in-game gear”. There’ll also be a physical collector’s edition for AU$169.95, which includes all the digital deluxe content and a limited-edition Birdhouse deck.
