A Parent’s Guide to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

If you’re an elder millennial like me there’s a good chance certain songs and sound effects evoke strong memories of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. With Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 out, it’s possible that a new generation is ready to discover basement-dwelling fun, seeking S.K.A.T.E medallions and chasing high scores.

Are your kids ready to grab a board and head to College (the map in the game, not actual college… yet)? Find out if Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is appropriate for your kids!

Is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Appropriate for Your Kids?

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is rated T for Teen, with Content Descriptors for Lyrics, Mild Blood, and Mild Violence. The rating also includes an Interactive Element for Users Interact.

According to the ESRB-assigned Rating Summary, “The game contains several pictures of zombies and skeletons; some loading screens and billboards depict zombies with blood stains and effects. Some song lyrics contain the word ‘sh*t’ as well as references to drugs (e.g., ‘I didn’t get my degree in how to smoke weed ’till I’m blind/So you could ruin my high’).”

Just because the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is rated T for Teen, doesn’t mean that everyone 13 and older can physically play the game. It’s important to remember that any game’s rating doesn’t aim to indicate the intended audience – but rather the content of the game and the context in which it is presented to the player. While Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is appropriate for teenagers (and I’d venture to guess that most teenagers will have a fine time playing), some may have more trouble perfecting the combo system and/or completing some of the more complicated button presses required for extending combos. If you’re not sure about whether your kids will have a good time playing, I recommend checking out gameplay videos, trailers, and reviews.

Where Can I Play Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 and How Much Does It Cost?

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is available physically and digitally the following platforms:

• Xbox Series X|S
• Xbox One
• PlayStation 4
• PlayStation 5
• PC (Steam, Battle.net, Microsoft PC Store)
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 costs $49.99 for the standard edition both physically and digitally. There is also a Digital Deluxe edition available for $69.99 that includes in-game skins, cosmetic items, additional songs on the soundtrack, and more.

It’s important to remember that any game’s rating doesn’t aim to indicate the intended audience.

Lastly, there is a Collector’s Edition available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S consoles. This includes the full game, everything in the Digital Deluxe Edition, and a full-size skateboard deck for $129.99.

What is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4?

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a remake of the original releases from 2001 and 2002 respectively. If you’re a Millennial like me, you may be able to skip this section and go get yourself some avocado toast. Just hearing segments of the early 2000s, punk-heavy soundtrack will almost definitely transport you back to your basement… desperately trying to nail a high score before the timer runs out. It may also transport you to the time you tried to skateboard yourself thinking, “It’s so cool in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, I bet if I practice I could do that too!”…. Only to find that it’s really, really hard, concrete really, really, hurts, and it’s impressive that your friend Robby can almost do a kickflip, but maybe this isn’t for you.

For the uninitiated, I like to think of the series as sort of fantasy skateboard games, where certain laws of physics simply do not apply if you’re skilled and/or creative enough. Want to grind a rail for an hour? Sure, go ahead. Want to rocket yourself 50 feet into the air and do 15 tricks? Yes, please! Are you interested in doing an infinite combo from the start of a level through the end? You’re in luck!

How Does Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Play?

Like many modern video game remakes, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 seeks to preserve the originals while improving the visuals and modernizing how the game plays. However, unlike some other remakes and remasters, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 also adds new levels, skaters (including the Doom Slayer from the M-rated DOOM series), and mechanics while still adhering to what made the originals appealing to fans. There is also an expanded Create-A-Skater option, allowing you and your kids to create and customize a unique avatar to trick through the game.

In the Career Mode, each level offers a bevy of rails, ramps, half-pipes, and more to trick off. Additionally, there are a number of collectibles (S K A T E letters, packages, etc.) that may require precise jumps and clever use of the environments to obtain. The core of the game comes from challenges presented in each level. These ask players to complete certain objectives, such as hitting a high score, nailing prescribed tricks, or interacting with the level in a specific way. Goals get increasingly challenging as players progress through the Career Mode, requiring a more well-rounded grasp of the array of tricks, combos, and multipliers at their disposal.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a remake of the original releases from 2001 and 2002 respectively.

Beating the Career Mode unlocks New Game+, which includes even harder challenges and skill-tests for each level. Fortunately, players can keep all of their collectables and unlocks for their New Game+ playthrough.

If you and your kids end up mastering every park in the game and are looking for a new challenge, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 also includes a Create-A-Park mode, allowing you to design your own levels.

Making Sure Your Kids Skate Responsibly

Odds are you’d never be OK with your kids heading to a skatepark without a helmet… and playing video games is no different. By “wearing a helmet” I mean taking advantage of the tools and resources at your disposal to make sure your kids have nothing but a good time when playing video games.

Checking a game’s ESRB-assigned rating information is always a great first step. But if you need more information before deciding what’s appropriate for your family you can look up gameplay videos, reviews, previews, and more. Some games even have demos or free trials so you can see first-hand what’s in a game before you decide it’s appropriate for your kids.

It’s also helpful to nurture an ongoing, judgement-free conversation around video games. Try keeping the door open for your kids to tell you what they love about a game or explain why they may be looking forward to something coming out. This will help you understand why they connect with the medium, which kinds of games they look for, and how they like to engage with video games as a whole. You may be surprised by how much learning, collaboration, and creativity is involved in their day-to-day game sessions!

Furthermore, it will help them understand that you’re on their side! If your kids see that you’re not there as a barrier to play, then they’ll be far more likely to tell you if they ever encounter something that doesn’t sit right with them while playing. Lastly, these conversations are a great way to start establishing household rules about what’s appropriate to play, when and for how long, whether they can communicate online while playing, and how much money (if any!) they can spend on new games or in-game purchases. Visit our Family Gaming Guide for more tips on how you can approach setting household rules.

To back up your household rules, make sure you’re setting parental controls on your kids’ devices. Virtually every device that can play video games includes the ability to manage what your kids play based on the rating information, set screen time limits, manage with whom they can communicate online, limit or block spending, and more. We have step-by-step parental controls guides at ParentalTools.org to help you get started!

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