From playing Tony the Tiger’s stunt double in a 1990s ad to modernizing Pro Skater, Tony Hawk is shredding the needle between then and now
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Tony Hawk is taking it back. The skate legend’s Pro Skater Series 3 + 4 hits shelves on July 11, bringing fans of the original series back to the days of cassettes, cargo pants, and kick flips. With everything Y2K making a comeback, it’s no surprise that there’s an appetite for a remake of the classic video games, but Pro Skater Series 3 + 4 didn’t just get a fresh coat of paint.
“We brought back the iconic classic levels from each of those games, and we’ve added to it,” Hawk tells Rolling Stone. “So we have some new levels, a lot of the classic skaters and characters, and also newer skaters and newer tricks. And so I feel like we’ve really made it an important update, while still paying attention to the nostalgia.”
The video game, which will be available for the Xbox, PlayStation 4 and 5, Steam, the Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2, combines the two separate video games into one, following the format set by 2020’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – PlayStation 5
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Nintendo Switch
As anyone who’s played the game can tell you, the soundtrack was a crucial part of the experience, and the new games feature some familiar bands. There are some newer artists, too, including Fontaines D.C., 100 Gecs, and Vince Staples.
“Initially, I wanted the game to represent the culture of skateboarding in the ’80s when I was growing up; especially at the skate parks and the backyard ramps, it was punk rock music. But I never imagined the soundtrack would be so well received. And so when we’re here 25 years later, I understand that people value that so much.
“And so I was trying to also introduce them to new bands at the same time, it can’t just be that same track list that you had. I feel like we owe it to the fans to bring it into a new age. We also picked other tracks by bands that were in the original games, and so some people had comments on that, but I just felt like, ‘Hey, I’m here to help you discover new music or music you haven’t heard.’”
That’s not to say Hawk is afraid of leaning into nostalgia, as the skater is partnering with Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes mascot Tony the Tiger, who will make an appearance at Hawk’s Vert Alert skate competition, with in-game tiger-themed gear to boot. The Tonys go way back; Hawk appeared in an ad campaign in 1990, playing the tiger’s stunt double.
It’s hard to imagine now, but it was a big moment for the then-nascent sport of skateboarding, as well as Hawk himself. “Skating was not very popular in terms of the type of skating I did, too, where I was a half pipe skater. I didn’t have a love opportunity. So to be in that commercial and to be shooting it was kind of a big deal. And it’s something I bragged about for years, you know?”
Of course, skate culture has exploded since then. “I do feel like our game had something to do with that in terms of raising the profile of skating and creating a fan base. The only people who really loved skating before the game were skaters themselves. There was no fan base, no one’s going to show up at a skate event as a spectator. And thanks to [the games], they appreciated the difficulty, the nuances, the passion. With the rise of X Games and now the Olympics, I feel like there is an actual fan base for skateboarding that doesn’t necessarily participate but appreciates the talents.”
