‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ remakes to join 2020 flock of skateboard games

“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2” will feature the same locations and skateboarders from the classic 1999 and 2000 games. Image: Activision/Vicarious Visions via AFP Relaxnews

A well-traveled extreme sports franchise is being given a comeback chance this year.

Remastered compilation “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2” is leaping onto PS4, XBO and PC from Sept. 4, with all of the skateboarders, levels, modes and moves from the originals intact.

Also on its way back is most (though not all) of the original soundtrack, plus local 2-player versus modes, an upgraded set of Create-A-Park and Create-A-Skater features, and a new online multiplayer section.

The announcement of “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2” coincided with its namesake’s birthday.

The original game released as Hawk was reaching his career peak, and he retired from professional competition in 2003, but his fame increased as the THPS franchise took off, generating another 16 entries in the time since then and now.

However, with “Tony Hawk” 2 and 3 widely regarded as the series’ best, fortunes began to slide after the release of spin-off “Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland”, and the last four franchise entries were regarded as profoundly disappointing, even 2012’s “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD” remake for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, since made unavailable for purchase after five years on digital storefronts.

This combined re-release of THPS 1 and 2 also fills in a gap left in publisher Activision’s May 5 financial report, in which the video game giant outlined plans to bring back an iconic 1990s character later in 2020.

Whether the compilation will land on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X remains to be seen, though both console brands have placed an emphasis on compatibility with games from the current console generation.

When it does arrive, THPS 1 and 2 will join a roster of skateboarding games to debut or reach full release in 2020: the very well received “Skater XL” graduates to PC early access on July 7 with a PS4, XBO and Nintendo Switch launch, fellow PC WIP “Session” is gunning for entry into the Xbox Game Preview perhaps as soon as the next few weeks, and rumor suggests that Electronic Arts is preparing a mobile version of 2010’s console title “Skate 3”. JB

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