2020 sucks. Want to let your brain slip back to 1999 for a while? This news might help: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 are coming back, complete with a full-blown graphic overhaul, online multiplayer — and, yes, the song “Superman” by Goldfinger.
Here’s the announcement trailer, which does a great job of showing just how much better things can look 20 years later:
THPS 1 and 2 were originally published by Activision and developed by Neversoft — a studio that, sadly, is no longer around. These remakes, meanwhile, are being built by Vicarious Visions — a team that Activision acquired back in 2005, and is probably best known for its 2017 remake of the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy.
A return to THPS’ roots is probably the right move for Activision right now; the last title they managed in the series, THPS5, was a bug-ridden mess that was largely slammed by critics and fans alike. As long as they get the mechanics and “feel” of this one right, nostalgia-factor alone should make it work.
The two titles will be sold as one “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2” package, and will feature every level and pro skater found in the originals — now in glorious 4K, with all of the 3D models and levels recreated from scratch. Also returning is most of the original soundtrack; licensing changes over the years prevent the remake’s soundtrack from being exhaustive, but most of the jams you remember should still be there.
THPS1+2 will be picking up a few tricks that didn’t appear in the series until THPS3 — perhaps most notable are reverts, which let you build absolutely massive combos and hit otherwise impossible scores.
Another big feature coming to the remakes that the originals lacked: online multiplayer. You’ll be able to play any level online with friends, or share levels you’ve pieced together in the “Create-A-Park” editor.
Tired of playing 1 and want to check out 2? Vicarious tells me you’ll be able to hop back and forth between the two titles pretty quickly, and that they’ve added a progression system that meshes the two together — so it’s less like playing two entirely separate games, and more like one game with two distinct halves.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is expected to hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on September 4th for $39, with pre-orderers getting access to the Warehouse level before the full game ships. Sadly, no mention of Switch support.
