That nostalgic feel of skateboarding-related action seems to be making a comeback from the days of Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 launches: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 remade. More skaters in the professional circuit, next-generation performance improvements, and three brand-new parks to shred on-the-possibly-not-so-gnarly originals.
And that is where the big pop comes in: Players are in a buzz-y state with excitement and frustrations. Already available, these are not merely Switch 2 upgrades: Some believed that they could buy the Switch 1 version and that would give them an automatic upgrade, or that they would be given an option; not close to it. LosFace Killer tweeted, in one smart description, how a GameStop employee told him it was supposed to be possible, but really wasn’t. Ouch. Nintendo, are you taking notes? Free upgrades ought to be automatic by 2024.
The physical-digital wars are cracking open like a skater’s road rash. Some people are mad about this so-called “code-in-a-box” trick whereby you pay for a physical case and then get handed an empty download code instead of the actual cartridge. Cunniliam begged Nintendo, “Please produce cartridges with varying storage sizes,” because, let’s be honest, nobody likes feeling cheated by an empty plastic box.
Then, there’s also the gameplay. Ashley Cummings a.k.a Jadenfire commented on the removal of free-roam: something present in the original GameCube version; why? Who the hell thought that would be a good idea to strip features? Then comes NehiChao on point: “That actually stupid why would they do that?” (Grammar TMZ got involved, but the message was understood.)
Calm responses are not universal, however. Dominic Ayers said the game looked “very awesome” after a friend was streaming it, while chadifer44 stated that THPS4 is their all-time fave. So, if you can get past the bumps, the hype is definitely real.
In summary: If you’ve been itching to either relive the golden era of skateboarding games or finally get into the craze, this remake is it for you. Looking kind of dirty, yeah? Best wait for it to be patched some more (or for that physical cart that isn’t basically a soulful receipt). Now go put those rails on. Or, you know, cry on the internet; both have merit.
