If you go through a skate bible from the past three decades, you'll see that every page and psalm has a variety of computer games. Of course, although you'll be attracted to the lengthy index of Pro Skater chapters right away, it's worth noting that there's a lot more hidden between the lines that hold it all together, believe it or not. And it isn't our way of slamming the Birdman or any of the other famous masterpieces that Neversoft releases under the Hawk's wing. It's simply that there are a few extra pools and halfpipes to think about.
While the genre as a whole has yet to establish new roots in today's industry, there are still a number of ambitious developers working tooth and nail to educate both gamers and extreme sports enthusiasts. And that's a pain. Alternatively, you might be radical. Or, at the very least, anything along those lines. The point is that, although skateboarding has faded in popularity over time, the world and its cloisters of skaters remain devoted to the platform and its game history. While we're on the subject of history, we should commemorate the events that catapulted the sport to new heights since its beginnings. Radical Heights, apologies.
5. Skate 3
Players quickly began to embrace the desire for something a bit more realistic, with physics that dared to go back to the fundamentals, after spending a great deal of time with Neversoft and its pipeline of exaggerated skate hits back in the early noughties. And, rather than having a stage where virtually everything could be accomplished with the press of a few buttons, players wanted to experience the real-life difficulties that come with mastering the basics of skating. And, fortunately, it was about the time EA started working on the Skate trilogy.
While the previous two chapters of Skate 3 were impressive, EA clearly tapped onto something far bigger with the third and final installment of the series. Skate 3 created an all-around package that went on to become one of the finest and most realistic skating experiences ever seen in a video game, with elements carried over from the previous installments. Even now, as we welcome hundreds of newcomers to the category, EA's beloved trilogy remains one of the all-time great extreme sports games.
4. Skater XL
Skater XL was another excellent addition to the platform that chose for the realism that intertwined with skating, drawing the attention away from Neversoft and their library of spooky skate chapters for a second time. Easy Day Studios, like EA, took a trial-and-error approach to its urban skate chapter, which luckily resulted in some of the greatest gameplay we've seen in a long time. Yes, it's simplistic. Nonetheless, a great addition to the skate bible.
Rather than giving you the tools to perfect a line without requiring a lot of talent, Skater XL requires you to put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears simply to string together the fundamentals. Skaters may seek to improve their abilities with every rail, curb, and quarterpipe sprinkled like stepping stones on a path to fame and riches, with a spool of concrete jungles available to explore and adapt to.
3. Session
Since EA canceled Skate in 2010, fans have been clamoring for a resurrection, with millions of people still playing the original three games a decade later. Thankfully (and this is really happening), Black Box will be returning to the studio in 2021 with a new take on the franchise, which means Skate 4 is definitely in the works. But that isn't what we're here to discuss, particularly when the spiritual successor is lurking in the shadows.
The session, like Skate, follows a rigorous framework that will not hold your hand while you learn the fundamentals of skating. Instead of giving you a full guidebook on how to carve your legacy on the board, Creature Studios offers you the flexibility to build your own skill trees from the ground up. The session will have you traveling back and forth a hundred times over simply to master the fundamentals and create realistic lines, whether it's an ollie, a kickflip, or a bank transfer.
2. Tony Hawk’s Underground
While some may claim that the Pro Skater series might have carried the skateboarding platform for all time, Neversoft failed to replicate the appeal of the first two chapters, resulting in a third and fourth chapter that was poor at best. Thankfully, despite its unprecedented sales numbers, the skate kingpin deviated from the worn-out formula and created a new blueprint for the Hawk empire, one that would go on to set the basis for every subsequent release.
Tony Hawk's Underground was the first game in the series to enable players to jump on and off the board while maintaining the best-selling skate mechanics that helped propel the Pro Skater timeline forward. Overall, Underground crammed everything gamers liked into one long story, with much more than two-minute skate sessions to keep players occupied. Tony Hawk's Underground delivered a neatly compressed story that went on to be bookmarked by all gamers and skate fans alike. From rags to riches, scuffed decks to signature trucks, Tony Hawk's Underground delivered a neatly compressed story that went on to be bookmarked by all gamers and skate fans alike.
1. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is, of course. And, yes, we did place the double-barrel combo at the top of our list. But, let's be honest, both skate chapters are dripping with replayability and nostalgia, with each level evoking memories from our youth because to its distinct setups and secret places. The basic truth is that both Pro Skater 1 and 2 are deserving of a spot on our list; we just can't decide who should be the ultimate winner. As a result, we've declared the remastered collection to be the greatest skating game of all time.
Of course, this package would not have existed if the first Pro Skater chapter had not been published in 1999. And it's because of this that we're compelled to return to the origins of the classic skate series. Pro Skater is a skateboarding game that has all you could desire and more. Pro Skater has it everything, from fast-paced trick sets to an adrenaline-fueled challenge checklist, legendary hidden collectibles to punk rock/hip hop music. Then there's more.