Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remastered Review

__ My childhood experiences__ Let's get this out of the way for a moment: Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a masterpiece. By perfectly recreating the first two outings of the iconic skateboarding series, this remaster gives me everything I could ever want from a game. I am amazed that somehow there is something so good and pure in the world.

I first played Tony Hawks Pro Skater, as many did, as a kid who was frustrated with the complexities of real skateboarding in the early 2000s After hours of fighting with my awful body just to do an ollie - please why is this so difficult - felt nice starting a game where the fundamental trick could be done with a single button. I kicked over huge half pipes. I slid past the blades of a helicopter. I marveled at the unlockable Rodney Mullen videos. I sang along to Rage Against the Machine's 'Guerrilla Radio', music that was otherwise never allowed in my house.

As you might imagine, I had high hopes for Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 + 2 - which we'll call THPS1 + 2 from now on because that name is way too unwieldy. We haven't had a good Tony Hawk game in a decade or more, depending on who you ask. To be honest, I haven't been too impressed with the series since Tony Hawk's Underground took a near-permanent residence in my GameCube in late 2003, and none have reached the impeccable heights of Tony Hawk's 2000 sequel Pro Skater 2.

The idea that one of my all-time favorite games popped up for a date with modern consoles was a dream come true. Fortunately, Vicarious Visions managed with THPS1 + 2. Since I got my hands on the excellent Warehouse demo last month, I have been amazed at how the studio replicated the mechanics of the original games almost perfectly. While there is a detailed tutorial to keep newcomers and veterans up to date, muscle memory took over almost immediately. I had no problem battling huge combos quickly - well, huge for me - and achieving goals in the full game.

The gameplay THPS1 + 2 also includes a host of smaller changes that make it that much better. Mechanics from later games, such as tutorials, reverts, and backbone transfers, have been added to the base, opening up additional scoring options at levels where they were previously unavailable. New challenges extend the amount of time you spend in each stage. Heck, you can even press the right stick to skip the current track if you just don't feel it. I also appreciated that the music is consistent, meaning restarting a run to get a trick or challenge just right doesn't result in a faltering, skipping soundtrack.

That said, THPS1 + 2 is mostly the same game - or games, I think. The levels, although much nicer this time, are so perfect that I couldn't detect any major changes. Secret areas are still unlocked in the same way, like the helicopter grinding in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2's Hangar level. I could even use decades-old guides when I couldn't remember where the next letter in SKATE or a secret videotape was hidden. It was like returning to a family home and being overwhelmed with nostalgia, with general details eventually giving way to painstaking memories.

The conclusion Few gaming experiences like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater these days. Skateboarding has only gotten more complex. And while there is certainly a place for projects like Skate and Session, which offer a more realistic take on the extreme sport, they are never quite as satisfying as the series that started it all. Even with all its changes, THPS1 + 2 perfectly captures a moment in time. It's a corrupted Polaroid photo that has been scanned, digitized and lovingly retouched. It's gravel cut from a scraped knee. It's a good night's sleep unaffected by nightmares and insomnia. As always, it is exactly what I need now.