It’s almost amusing how effortlessly this remake of skateboarding games taps into my millennial nostalgia. The moment Ace shows up in the skater montage on the title screen, I’m transported back to the early 2000s, reliving memories of playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games in the messy bedrooms of teenage boys. Over two decades later, I can practically smell the lingering scent of Lynx Body Spray.
In 2020, the initial titles from Tony Hawk received a refined release driven by the resurgence of Y2K nostalgia. These games are combined into one package featuring refined controls and a refreshed aesthetic that preserves the original’s gritty vibe, a sentiment echoed in the releases of 3 and 4. Levels, skaters, and parks from the 2001 THPS3 and 2002 THPS4 are all included, alongside new faces from the sport, such as Riley Hawk.
“You can connect unconventional and dangerous combos.” Photo: Activision
I vividly recall these locations—factories, university campuses, snowy Canadian skate parks, and time capsules nestled in central London. Curiously, the zoo level features empty animal exhibits (why?), but otherwise, these tightly packed urban obstacle courses are quite familiar. (Sadly, the Skaterpunk soundtrack is not what it used to be—there are numerous omissions and disappointments, although some new tracks do help to soften the blow.) Between grabs, spins, flips, and manuals, you can string together wild and daring combos across the maps, discovering hidden semi-pipes amongst power lines and walls.
Check out the trailer for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
I have to admit, it’s not easy. My initial hours in these games were quite the experience. I struggled with the controller, falling over repeatedly as I tried to hit the minimum score during the two-minute runs. Have I always been this bad at these games? Regardless of my past muscle memory, I’m slowly piecing together my virtual skating abilities. There are now more complex movements and lateral tricks, making it feel like a more arcade-like experience compared to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, serving as a solid entry point for new players.
Like any real sport, it requires patience and practice: once the combos started flowing after several hours, it felt like a true release. I still don’t believe there’s a better skating game than the classic Tony Hawk.
WIn the late ’90s and early 2000s, countless parents purchased Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater for their kids, unaware of the profound influence it would have on their musical tastes. From Bad Religion to Papa Roach and Millencolin, these games became the ultimate compilation albums, mirroring the failed spins and grinds their players experienced.
While FIFA games are known for their licensed soundtracks, they often feel detached. In contrast, the Pro Skater soundtrack felt like a raw, handmade mixtape, soaked in sweat and nostalgia from countless sessions at the local skatepark.
“Most bands were picked because they came from the skate scene. Even the hip-hop from the original punk era, which dominated the skate culture in the ’80s and ’90s, led to a realization: ‘I never thought I’d be a tastemaker, but my loyalty to the culture shaped that role,'” remarked one artist.
“Tony was deeply involved in punk rock,” shares Chris DeMakes from Less Than Jake before their performance at this year’s Slam Dunk Festival. “Ultimately, he had to approve the bands for the soundtrack, which reassured me,” added Roger Lima from the same band: “Skating and music culture are so intertwined; it makes sense for there to be a truly authentic soundtrack.”
The influence of these games on participating bands has been unparalleled. “I recall playing previous iterations of THPS and dreaming about a chance to be featured,” shares AFI bassist Hunter Burgan. “Yet, we didn’t fully grasp the immense impact it would have long after we’d been on the soundtrack. I can’t tell you how many people have approached me over the last two decades saying THPS3 introduced them to AFI.”
“Tony had to approve the band on his soundtrack, so I felt better about it” … Less Than Jake. Photo: Piers Allardyce/Rex/Shutterstock
“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater made me realize that all my closest friends were metalheads,” Demakes reflects. “I spoke with John Feldman of Goldfinger, and even though Superman wasn’t a worldwide hit, it became a breakthrough for them through the game.”
When the first Tony Hawk Pro Skater launched in 1999, those grey PlayStation discs served as vehicles for punk rock, introducing the genre to countless unsuspecting youth. Now, 25 years later, new artists are featured alongside the bands that originally shaped the game’s sound.
“These games have drastically shifted my musical preferences!” expresses Sammy Ciaramitaro, vocalist for hardcore band Drain. “They brought punk and a wealth of other incredible music to my childhood room.” Drain is one of the newer artists included in the soundtrack of the remake. “Our inclusion signifies the evolution of hardcore,” he adds. “We feel privileged to join forces with Turnstile and hope young players discover our music while gaming.”
Other bands like Ataris, which weren’t on Tony’s radar back then, dreamed of being featured in future installations. “We’ve matured alongside the Pro Skater franchise,” says bassist Mike Davenport. “During our rise in the late ’90s, we felt honored when our track ‘All Souls Day’ made it to the 2020 Pro Skater 1+2 remake.”
Davenport recalls moments from their tour: “On our tour bus, we were playing Pro Skater when our driver yelled, ‘Look outside!’ Suddenly, the TV flew towards us, and we instinctively swatted it away. Unfortunately, the TV and PlayStation perished, but we were spared.”
Davey Havok performed at AFI in 2007. Photo: Reuters/Aramie
After joining the franchise in 2002, Jake feels a sense of pride returning to the Pro Skater series decades later for the remake. “We’ve been around for 33 years, and it’s great to be invited to video games.”
“As long as there are gamers, there will be opportunities to connect them with music,” remarks Burgan.
This legacy of the Pro Skater soundtrack continues to resonate. There’s even a cover band dedicated to performing it live. “When they followed us on social media, I was shocked. I never thought he would actually perform on stage with us,” says one band member.
In a viral Instagram moment, Tony Hawk surprised the audience at the 900 in East London, joining Agent Orange and Goldfinger for a frenzied performance. “We’ll always be grateful for him showing up, especially since he appreciates bands covering songs from his game,” says Shaw.
“I can’t sing every song” … Tony Hawk at the 900 in London in 2022. Photo: Doug Young
“Five bands from the video game series have only performed covers,” Hawk stated. “My surprise appearance was a thrill. I’m proud of the soundtrack, but I can’t sing every song or recall the lyrics!”
Since the original Pro Skater, its soundtrack has continuously benefitted the featured bands. “I met Tony at a music festival recently,” shares Burgan from AFI. “His passion for music makes being part of THPS even more special.”
While the Pro Skater franchise solidified its legacy, Jake reflects on how easily it could have gone the other way.
“Imagine creating a product that missed the mark,” he chuckles. “But in Tony’s case, he had a fantastic game that kids embraced wholeheartedly.”
“Pro skater games might not have made an immediate impact,” Lima acknowledges. “But every aspect was effortlessly cool, monumental for us… we’ve lost count of how many times fans mentioned it. Check the comments on YouTube and you’ll see. Many haven’t heard of us until now.”
Marine biologists identify new species of skate Leucolaja It lurks in the deep waters of the southwestern Indian Ocean.
brown long nose skates (Leucolaya longirostris), holotype of an adult male viewed from the dorsal side. Scale bar – 5 cm. Image credit: Weigman others., doi: 10.3390/biology13060405.
members of the genus Leucolaja A small to medium sized skate, usually with a short, obtuse snout.
To date, 14 valid species of this genus have been identified, primarily in the Atlantic Ocean, but also in the Indian Ocean.
“The 14 species currently described are Leucolaja It reaches a maximum size of 30-120 cm and is found in the Indian and Atlantic oceans. ” Dr Simon Weigman by the Leibniz Institute for Biodiversity Change Analysis and colleagues.
“Of these 12 species, Leucolaja Compagnoi and Leucolaja wallasei They also live outside the Atlantic Ocean, in continental waters in the southwestern Indian Ocean. ”
The newly discovered Leucolaja This species is the fourth known species of this genus from the western Indian Ocean.
named Leucolaya longirostris (common name is Brown Longnose Skate), apparently endemic to the Madagascar Ridge in Walters Shoals.
“In the 1970s and 1980s, researchers working on the Madagascar Ridge, a raised area of the ocean floor in the southwestern Indian Ocean, collected a total of eight rare skate specimens at depths of 750 to 1,050 meters.” biologists said.
“Despite the long snout, this specimen could definitely be assigned to the genus. Leucolaja This is due to the typical characteristics of claspers. ”
“It can be easily distinguished from all 14 congeners by its long, sharply pointed snout,” the researchers said.
“Furthermore, it appears to occur only on the Madagascar Ridge, away from the known distribution areas of all congeners, and its clasper morphology exhibits several unique aspects.”
brown long nose skates (Leucolaya longirostris), holotype of an adult male viewed from the ventral side. Scale bar – 5 cm. Image credit: Weigman others., doi: 10.3390/biology13060405.
Leucolaya longirostris These are medium-sized skates with a total length of 71.1 cm or more.
Males mature at about 60 cm. The largest known female is 70cm long. The smallest known specimen is a young female with a total length of 27.6 cm.
recognition of Leucolaya longirostris Provide new insights into morphological variation within the genus Leucolaja “This constitutes a very unusual and noteworthy addition to this genus Sketchi,” the researchers said.
“Nevertheless, the very limited distribution of this new species raises concerns about its ability to sustain fisheries, and it may be susceptible to capture in longline fisheries, particularly deep-sea trawl fisheries.”
“Although little information is available about fisheries operating in the region of the Madagascar Ridge, this deep-sea skate tolerates intensive fishing pressure, potentially due to its slow-life history characteristics and low productivity. You may not be able to.”
“Walter's Shoal has had good catches in the past and this pressure may return in the future,” they added.
“As a fishery targeting orange roughy (Hoplostessus atlanticus) and Kinmedai (Belix Decactylus) have typically used mesophoric trawls on the ocean floor, but new species may have benthic refugia. ”
“However, further research is needed to investigate its distribution, life history, population size and trends, and threats.”
“This is essential to improving data collection and research and making more effective conservation and management policy decisions.”
a paper Report findings published in journals biology.
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Simon Weigman others. 2024. Description of a noteworthy new type of skate shoe Leucolaja Malm of the southwestern Indian Ocean, 1877 (Radidae, Radidae): Introducing 3D modeling as an innovative tool for visualization of clasper characters. biology 13 (6): 405;doi: 10.3390/Biology 13060405
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