Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 were announced as the first reveals in Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest stream.
In a trailer, the new remastered version featured a makeover on familiar locations players can roam around in with a collection of skateboards. Both also keep the same gameplay style seen in the original cult classic titles from 1999 and 2000. Almost mimicking the original Tony Hawk games, each title also plays in 4K resolution while its visuals were compared with screens from the older versions. Players even got a glimpse at split-screen multiplayer and a series of Legendary skaters that can be unlocked.
The first two games were produced by Neversoft Games, who helped push the skateboarding genre forward in a mix of third person action and skilled button combinations for tricks. Players in the first Tony Hawk Pro Skater games had to time their jumps and skateboard directions for performing aerial feats. A new and revised soundtrack will also play over the experience for skaters just like in the originals.
Keighley also sat with Tony Hawk and Vicarious Visions Studio Head Jennifer Oneal over video chat, who both shared details on the game’s revival for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. One of the biggest details came from adding a new level creator, letting players make their own skate parks for others to try out in sandbox fashion. Hawk was also involved in adding more to the look and feel of Pro Skater for two games.
“The basis of it was the feel,” said Hawk, adding the focus of the remasters was to make the movesets respond better than it did before for players. “There’s been a lot of requests over the last few years, I would say over five years and I can sense it ramping up. Especially when we approach the 20th anniversary of the release of the first THPS.”
“Online gaming is naturally an expectation from the modern game world,” Oneal said. “Of course, we got all of your favourite modes from Multiplayer that are now online, but it’s interesting because I think actually Splitscreen is still kind of a novelty these days so we’re bringing that back.”
The couch-coop is the tip of a nostalgic iceberg for fans of the series, who will also be treated to modernized Create-a-Park and Create-a-Skater modes. These features can also be used for sharing while a release stated players can access familiar skaters “including Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Steve Caballero, Geoff Rowley, Andrew Reynolds, Elissa Steamer, Chad Muska, Eric Koston, Rodney Mullen, Rune Glifberg, Kareem Campbell, Jamie Thomas and Bob Burnquist.”
Player who pre-order the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 & 2 collection can also have early access to the legendary Warehouse map featured in the original games while the collection is set to release on September 4, 2020 for the PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Jack Black, aka. Jablinski Games will also be streaming a demo of the game’s iconic map shortly after the reveal. A demo is also coming soon over digital download with early access opportunities.
