Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 marks a significant evolution in the franchise’s formula by introducing a redesigned career mode that emphasizes player choice and exploration. From the moment you drop into a level, there’s no ticking clock pressuring you to hit objectives immediately. You’re free to shred ramps, grind rails, and pull off combos at your own pace, allowing you to learn the layout and develop strategies before tackling specific goals.

When you’re ready to accept a challenge, simply seek out one of the pro skaters populating the map and chat them up to receive a new objective. This system feels borrowed from titles like Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX but works seamlessly here, offering both standard tasks—such as collecting the letters in SKATE or racking up a point threshold—and fresh twists like spelling out COMBO in one big, unbroken sequence. The risk-reward dynamic is palpable: botch a single trick and you’ll have to restart that run, pushing you to fine-tune your timing and precision.

Clear all the regular goals in a level, and you unlock the Pro Goal—a signature challenge unique to each skater. These final tests are fiendishly difficult and will force you to stack massive combos, pull off rare special tricks, or navigate the map with near-perfect efficiency. They’re a true testament to your mastery and provide a satisfying capstone to each area.

The pro roster is every bit as star-studded as you’d expect, featuring Tony Hawk alongside legends like Bob Burnquist, Steve Caballero, Kareem Campbell, Rune Glifberg, Eric Koston, Bucky Lasek, Bam Margera, Rodney Mullen, Chad Muska, Andrew Reynolds, Geoff Rowley, Elissa Steamer, and Jamie Thomas. Each skater has their own unique stat sheet and special trick, giving you plenty of incentive to swap characters and discover new combos.

Beyond the solo campaign, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 revives fan-favorite multiplayer modes—Graffiti, Trick Attack, Horse, and King of the Hill—while adding fresh options such as Capture the Flag and Combo Mambo. The game also supports System Link play for local network matches, though it notably lacks Xbox Live functionality on the original Xbox release.

On the PlayStation 2, THPS4 delivers parity with the Xbox version while bolstering its online features. Using either a third-party or official network adapter, PS2 owners can square off against friends over the net. As a bonus, the PS2 edition includes a one-level demo of Shaun Murray’s Pro Wakeboarder—a neat extra that you won’t find on other platforms.

Graphics

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 carries forward the series’ tradition of crisp, fluid animations and detailed character models. The skaters move with an impressive weight and momentum, ensuring that kickflips, grinds, and manuals look and feel authentic. Animations are buttery smooth even during complex combos, thanks to thoughtful motion-capture work and responsive animation blending.

Levels in THPS4 are expansive and richly detailed, ranging from sprawling college campuses to industrial shipyards and the iconic prison grounds of Alcatraz. Each environment feels alive, with dynamic elements like moving vehicles, interactive objects, and crowds of onlookers. Textures are generally sharp, and the draw distance is generous, letting you scope out the next trick from across the map.

Lighting and special effects further elevate the visual experience. Dynamic shadows, lens flares, and particle effects combine to make grinds sparkle and landings thud with satisfying impact. Water surfaces in skate parks shimmer realistically, and subtle touches—like scattered litter, graffiti tags, and animated banners—add personality to each locale.

Story

While Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 doesn’t feature a traditional narrative, its career mode framework provides a loose storyline: you’re an up-and-coming skater striving to prove yourself against the world’s best. The act of seeking out each pro to request challenges creates a sense of progression and personal interaction, as if you’re forging relationships on the street and earning respect with every completed goal.

Each level’s theme carries its own mini-story—the transition from a laid-back college quad to a gritty industrial port tells an unspoken tale of the skateboarding subculture’s reach into diverse urban environments. As you move from humble skate parks to high-stakes Pro Goals, you feel the stakes rise alongside the difficulty, driving you to hone your skills.

The ultimate narrative comes from self-improvement. There’s no cutscene-laden plot to follow; your journey is told through your evolving skillset, your ability to conquer previously insurmountable challenges, and the satisfaction of landing the game’s most technical combos. It’s a story built entirely on the player’s ambition and grit.

Overall Experience

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 stands out as a pinnacle of arcade-style skateboarding, blending accessible controls with deep mechanics that reward practice and creativity. The revamped career mode strikes the perfect balance between open-world exploration and focused objective-based gameplay, letting newcomers feel at home while offering veterans fresh challenges.

With dozens of levels, a full roster of skating legends, and a wide array of multiplayer modes, THPS4 delivers substantial replay value. Each map encourages experimentation—whether you’re hunting for hidden gaps, perfecting a monster combo, or facing off against friends online, there’s always something new to discover.

Platform-wise, the PlayStation 2 edition’s online support and bonus wakeboarding demo give it a slight edge, but both Xbox and GameCube versions retain the core experience intact. Whether you’re revisiting this gem or diving in for the first time, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 remains an essential title for any fan of fast-paced, trick-driven action.

Retro Replay Score

7.6/10