Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 is both a bolder and more conservative sequel to its 2020 predecessor. In the nearly five years that have passed since Vicarious Visions remastered Pro Skater and Pro Skater 2, new developer Iron Galaxy has stepped in to remaster 3 and 4, adding a few ideas of its own and making a strong case that the studio should be given the reins to the franchise. While some of the changes to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 are controversial, the implementation of those ideas shows that the developers were right.

First, let’s make something clear: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 is one of the best video games of all time. Originally released in 2001, the third entry in the THPS series added new tricks, like the revert, and special combos that expanded the tricking system for more elaborate combos. THPS 3 featured some of the series’ best levels, including the iconic Foundry (looking more gorgeous than ever), and cleverly designed locations Canada and Airport, and a series of smartly designed objectives. THPS 3’s levels, objectives, and skaters — including the return of skater/rascal Bam Margera — remain in tact, play wonderfully, and look spectacular.

The third game in the franchise was a generational leap at the time, and added new combo extenders like reverts, spine transfers, and wall plants. These moves were retrofitted into 2020’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2, so the gameplay in the latest remaster doesn’t feel like the leap forward of games past. Instead, the gameplay of THPS 3 and 4 constitutes more of a continuation of that experience, now slightly more refined.

I’ve loved relearning the levels and tricks of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 in the remaster; the original was an important game to me, and it’s been a thrill to revisit that time with a glossier coat of paint (and having the experience of playing THPS 1 and 2 behind me).

But Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 does not hold the same place in my heart. The “remastered” version of that game in THPS 3 and 4 is quite different from the original. It’s more “reshaped.” Iron Galaxy has remade the more open-ended Grand Theft Auto-inspired missions of THPS 4 into a more classic format; levels from the original game have been reworked into runs with two-minute timers, with mission objectives (e.g., get a sick score, find the hidden S-K-A-T-E letters) similar to the first three Tony Hawk games.

I take no issue with this. In fact, this is precisely how I want to consume a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game, in discrete chunks, with solid level design and replayability so I can shoot for higher scores, longer combos, and perfected runs.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 also introduces brand-new levels to the 4 half of the remaster. New level Waterpark in particular showcases Iron Galaxy’s talent in understanding what makes a good THPS level; it’s full of winding rails to grind and an empty lazy river to skate through, and it just feels so smooth. But it’s also of a piece with the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise. Waterpark slots in perfectly.

Beyond Waterpark, Iron Galaxy has created a couple more levels (Pinball, Movie Studio) that are strong enough that they should ease the sting of other cuts made from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 to adapt it to the classic THPS style. Again, this is all gravy to me, a person who loves the first three THPS games, and kind of tapped out until the disappointing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD and the disastrous Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5.

Die hard THPS fans will probably feel differently, and will likely also feel strongly about the sweeping soundtrack changes in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4. While THPS 1 and 2 brought back the majority of music from the first two games, with some solid additions, the 3 and 4 remaster takes a wildly different approach. Only a fraction of the tracks from the original 3 and 4 return in the remaster, though some artists featured in those two games are represented via different tracks. Again, I’ve made peace with this. As much fun as it was to be washed over with nostalgia when Dead Kennedys’ “Police Truck” and Lagwagon’s “May 16” played over runs in 1 and 2, I appreciate hearing something fresh in 3 and 4.

Tony Hawk himself said that the decision to drastically switch up the remasters’ soundtrack was his choice, and his reasoning is sound. “It was my choice to pick some different songs by the same artists featured in THPS3+4 OST. I’m hoping that discovery is half the fun, and a big reason that these soundtracks resonated in the first place. So listen and enjoy the ride. More to come… both old and new.”

As I’ve spent the past week with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4, I find myself agreeing with Hawk’s and Iron Galaxy’s choices here. I’ve played the THPS games for very specific reasons: short-burst runs where I challenge myself over and over and over again, and, yes, to hear some new and classic music. The 3 and 4 remasters are providing me with everything I crave from a THPS, while also making me hopeful about the future of the franchise.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater has changed hands from developer to developer, oftentimes for the worse. But Iron Galaxy’s work on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 shows that the studio is a capable steward of the franchise, and should all parties involved move on to either more remasters or a brand-new Tony Hawk game, it’s in the right hands. Play Waterpark and I think you’ll agree.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 is out July 11 for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on PS5 using a prerelease download code provided by Activision.