Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3: Does the Classic Hold Up Today?

Revisiting Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3: Still the GOAT in 2025?

It’s 2025. Skateboarding games have had their ups and downs, but one name still echoes through the halls of gaming history louder than a busted rail grind: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3.

Often cited as the best skateboarding game of all time—and still holding one of the highest Metacritic scores ever—THPS3 dropped in 2001, when cargo pants were cool (again) and PlayStation 2 was just starting to dominate living rooms.

But was it really that good? Or are we just riding a nostalgic wave?

I dusted off my copy, booted up the PS2 (after praying it still worked), and jumped back in. Here’s how Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 holds up in 2025—and why it’s still kind of untouchable.

🎮 The Big Leap from PS1 to PS2

Let’s talk context: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 was already a game-changer. It introduced the manual, refined the trick system, and basically became the gold standard for skateboarding games.

So how do you follow that up?

With Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Neversoft leveled up hard. This was the series' first step into the next generation, and boy, did it show. The game ran at 60fps, had more environmental detail, bigger levels, more interactive elements, and actual people walking around.

It wasn’t just a visual upgrade—it felt faster, smoother, and way more alive.

🌀 The Revert: A Game-Changer (Literally)

One of the biggest gameplay additions in THPS3 was the revert. At first glance, it’s just a simple move—hit R2 when you land from a vert trick, and you chain into a manual.

But that small tweak absolutely redefined how combos worked. Suddenly, you could chain a halfpipe line into a street line and back again, creating endless, ridiculous combos that felt like poetry in motion... if poetry involved a guy doing a 360 Christ Air off a mall roof.

This mechanic gave the game infinite depth for skilled players, and once you got the timing down? You felt like a god.

🗺️ The Levels: Iconic as Ever

Let’s be real: THPS3 has some banger levels.

• Foundry kicks things off with fire-spewing pipes and tight quarters.
• Suburbia? Creepy and weird in the best way—with haunted houses, bats, and electric line grinds.
• Tokyo and Airport bring that chaotic, fun energy, and Cruise Ship is a late-game gem full of secrets.

Even Canada, which I kind of hated as a kid (because I kept falling into the dang water), has charm. These maps are vertical playgrounds, filled with hidden areas, explosive set pieces, and just enough jank to feel like a PS2 game in the best way.

🦸‍♂️ Darth Maul and Wolverine: Peak 2000s Energy

Let’s talk unlockables. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 said, “Hey, what if you could kickflip as Darth Maul?” Or tear up the Foundry as Wolverine, claws out?

Yes. That actually happened.

These weren’t just cosmetic reskins either—they had their own movesets. Maul literally uses the Force to board slide. It was dumb, ridiculous, and absolutely perfect for a game that never took itself too seriously.

Also, you could unlock a cheat menu, create your own skater, and build your own skate park. The amount of stuff to do in this game was just insane for 2001.

🎧 The Soundtrack: Pure Adrenaline

Okay, let’s talk tunes. The THPS3 soundtrack had a tough act to follow—THPS2 is legendary. But over time? This one’s grown on me hard.

You’ve got:

• Motörhead – "Ace of Spades" (pretty much the theme song)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Ramones
• CKY (Because yes, Bam Margera enters the chat here)

Every track perfectly fits the game’s fast-paced, rebellious vibe. You could start a run, slam into a grind, and Ace of Spades kicks in—pure bliss.

🤝 Multiplayer and Online (Yes, Online in 2001)

This game had online multiplayer. In 2001.

Let that sink in.

On the PS2, if you had the right setup (and a lot of patience), you could actually compete in skate battles online. It was clunky, sure—but revolutionary.

Offline multiplayer was still where most of the magic happened though—trick attack, horse, graffiti—it made for endless sleepover battles with friends.

🧠 Twitchy But Tight Controls

Coming back to THPS3 in 2025, I forgot how twitchy the controls are. It feels tight, maybe even too tight if you're coming from the smoother remastered THPS1+2.

But once it clicks? Oh man. There’s a rhythm to it. And that’s what makes this game endlessly replayable. It’s not just about finishing objectives—it’s about style.

You feel like a skater pulling off something impossible.

🔥 Does It Still Hold Up?

Short answer? Yes. Absolutely.

Long answer? Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 might just be one of the best arcade sports games ever made. It took everything great about its predecessors, added meaningful gameplay depth with the revert, gave us iconic levels and unlockables, and delivered one of the most fun gameplay loops ever put in a controller.

The game is still fast, still fun, and still rewards skill and creativity. And for a game that’s almost 25 years old? That’s saying a lot.

🎯 A Timeless Classic

You don’t need nostalgia goggles to see why this game is still rated so highly. THPS3 was—and still is—a near-perfect blend of arcade gameplay, creative level design, and punk rock attitude.

If you've never played it, find a way. If you have played it? Fire it up again and see how far you can push that combo meter.

Because Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 didn’t just raise the bar for skateboarding games.

It built the damn ramp.

For more retro rides through gaming’s golden age, stick with us at Land of Geek Magazine—where nostalgia never bails.

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