Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a remake of two skateboarding classics from the turn of the millennium, made by studio Vicarious Visions, and it arrived on PlayStation 4 as one of the best-executed returns of an old franchise ever. All the levels from both games were rebuilt from scratch, but with the layout preserved with pinpoint accuracy, so a player who remembers where the rope hangs in the hall or where the hidden ramp leads will get their bearings within seconds.

The gameplay stays faithful to the originals and is built around two-minute runs, during which you complete a set of tasks: collecting letters, finding the secret tape, breaking records, and fulfilling passersby's requests. The trick system combines jumps, spins, rail grinds, and manuals, which let you link individual tricks into a single endless combo across the whole level. It's precisely this loop, where the player gradually discovers how to connect distant parts of the map, that's the reason the series hasn't aged in twenty years. The remake also adds later tricks like the revert to both games, so it plays somewhat more smoothly than the originals, and it adds an extensive skatepark editor and custom characters.

Technically it's an accomplished piece of work; environments are full of detail, the skaters' animations feel believable, and the game keeps a very brisk pace that's essential for precise trick timing. The music selection is a key part of its identity, since it contains a large portion of the original punk and hip-hop tracks alongside new additions. The reception was very favorable, and many reviewers called the game an example of how a remake should be done. The title's success also had an impact beyond the game itself, since it once again drew attention to nineties skateboarding culture and the music tied to it. For players who never experienced the originals, it's a surprisingly demanding but extremely addictive arcade game, where you play the same level over and over until you beat your personal record. On PlayStation 4 the game runs smoothly and the controls are readable enough that the basics can be learned within a few minutes, while true mastery takes dozens of hours.