Nukezilla Review: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD (Xbox 360)

Summer of Arcade 2012 kicks off with the HD remake of the 1999 classic Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Can the fallen franchise get back onto gamers’ radar by returning to the well, or is it time to retire the Bird Man for good?

Just like the original, players have 2 minutes to collect items or preform various stunts to earn money to then buy different decks or stat upgrades. Each level provides some new stunts or items to collect, but the objectives remain fundamentally the same throughout the 7 levels from Pro Skater 1 and 2.

Some of the tricks learned from the later Tony Hawk games like manuals and new animations are in the remake, but later series additions like free running and reverts are absent as of now.

The redesigned graphics aren’t that impressive with muddy textures and blocky skaters, but luckily many music tracks from the original are here along with some new ones.

A decent multiplayer suite has been added, which includes a trick attack and a welcome free skate mode. There really isn’t meat to multiplayer, but it’s a nice addition.

Dowloadable content has been promised in the upcoming weeks for Pro Skater 3 material.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater was the pinnacle of game design and controls back in 1999, but in 2012 it really shows it’s age. The 2-minute time limit and repeating objectives really keep the game stuck in the 90’s.  Pro Skater HD is a proper port and the game is still a lot of fun, but those without the nostalgia might not get as much out of it.