Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is right around the corner, and if the 1+2 remake is anything to go by, the remake will be a lot of fun. We’re getting new characters, maps, and even a Doom Slayer Skin (Digital Deluxe Edition only). Expect an excellent soundtrack, stunning visuals, and some changes to Create-a-Park mode.
Most importantly, you get to revisit every iconic level, now rebuilt with stunning detail. In between all this excitement, now’s a great time to look back at every level from THPS 3 and 4 to see how they stack up. As a diehard fan of the series, I certainly have some strong opinions here, so this will be fun.
18. Kona – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
Kona Skatepark is a real place in Jacksonville, Florida. There’s a lot of history behind this place, and it’s one of the oldest and most iconic skateparks. Unfortunately, the in-game version of the game isn’t great. This THPS 4 map has a very awkward flow to it because of some of the poorly placed ramps and bowls that don’t allow for smooth combos.
The Snake Run Slalom goal is one of the hardest goals throughout the series. I like a good challenge, but when it feels like the level is actively working against you, that’s just bad design. The whole level feels like it doesn’t fit the arcade gameplay of Tony Hawk. At least the Magic Bum makes a return here.
17. Carnival – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
From the name alone, you’d expect a colorful and chaotic level filled to the brim with stuff to do. To an extent, this THPS 4 level does deliver on that theme. You get a shooting gallery, interesting rides, and even an alligator. Despite all that creativity, it turns out to be a bit boring when it comes to the actual skating part.
There is a bit of verticality here, and you can grind on rollercoaster tracks. However, the rollercoasters are going during all this, meaning they can throw you off. It’s a small map too, which contrasts quite a bit with most of the bigger levels. Accessing the higher-up areas is also a bit difficult because of the controls.
16. Suburbia – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Most of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 maps are great, but Suburbia is an exception. On paper, it has a lot to offer: varied terrain, a haunted house, themed goals, and a unique residential setting. Unfortunately, it feels quite cramped and disorganized at times. There aren’t really any cool vertical movements available, except for the powerlines.
Half the map feels empty, and the skating lines that are available to you aren’t that great. The goals are interesting enough, though, and they work with the theme. It’s just that there is no real flow to this map, as it feels like it just has a lot of random obstacles placed together.
15. Shipyard – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
You either love it or you hate it. The net positives here are the great lines, the grimey aesthetic, and all the ramps. Gameplay-wise, I’ve found it easy to score high-scoring combos because of all the grinds and ramps available. With that said, while I personally find this map interesting, I have to acknowledge its flaws.
The level design will feel quite unintuitive to a lot of people. There’s just a lot going on here — a water hazard, grindable ropes, and shipping containers that can ruin the flow. The water hazard is the most annoying part, and that pushes so many people away from this map. Aesthetically, most people will also find this unpleasant. Personally, I think it works well, but it is a bit jarring compared to other maps.
14. Chicago – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
This level was ripped directly from Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2. Which sort of explains why it doesn’t work so well in a Tony Hawk game. The cool thing about this map is that you get to see a lot of landmarks in the city. It’s also the only level in the game where you can land a backflip by skitching a car and jumping off the raised bridge.
Other than that, there’s no real draw to it. It’s a massive level, and the skating lines feel decent enough. There aren’t many memorable moments, too many empty spaces, and oddly placed ramps. Definitely not the worst map of the series, but very middle of the road.
13. London – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
The main attraction of this map is the verticality. One half of the map has two ramps placed on top of a building that allow for beautiful combos. This is where you’ll spend a lot of time on this one. You get wires to grind, quarter pipes to jump off from, and options to perform spine transfers.
Unfortunately, there’s a “flatlands” section of the map that feels very underwhelming. The idea was to add a bit of variety with this addition, but ultimately, you just end up avoiding this section. Half of the map has great flow and creative lines, but this section doesn’t. So, to sum up, London is great in some spots but dull in others.
12. Skater Island – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
While fundamentally better than Suburbia, Skater Island is just a bit forgettable. It’s a competition level and based on a real-world skate park. The inside section is actually quite fun, though I don’t think it holds up to other competition levels in terms of creativity. It also feels a bit lackluster in terms of personality compared to other THPS 3 levels.
There’s a secret unlockable area here that features a pirate ship. On the surface, it’s a neat idea, but that pirate shape is just not fun to skate on. There’s a stat point at the end of the bowsprit, and it is very difficult to get to. Since the original park was destroyed, it would be interesting if the new remake makes this a decayed or abandoned level.
11. Zoo – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
On paper, Zoo has a lot going for it. Aesthetically, it’s a very interesting map with fun goals, an elephant you can interact with, and a lion tamer who’s stuck in a cage with the lion. There’s not a lot of verticality to this one, and there are some areas that you would hardly visit while in free skate. The goals might push you to explore the bird places or the hippo pool, but not in free skate mode.
With that said, this one is a blast in career mode. Arguably, it has the best goals in the game. Luring the elephant into the aquarium, avoiding the alligator, and landing tricks in the giraffe pen is a lot of fun. It’s a decent sendoff for the game, but you’re better off revisiting previous levels for a better experience in free skate mode.
10. Tokyo – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
This is a very busy map with a lot of personality. Fitting, as it is called Tokyo after all. Getting the decks and statpoints in this one can be a bit annoying, simply because of all the moving parts. There are a lot of places where you can grind, plenty of ramps, and a lot of creative skating lines.
Unfortunately, that ends up being a bit detrimental. I enjoy a bit of chaos, but this one has too much going on even for me. For people who prefer a map that allows you to land big combos without getting in your way, this one’s not for you. However, for those of you who enjoy the chaos, there’s a lot to offer here. At the very least, it’s aesthetically pleasing.
9. Foundry – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
It feels almost criminal not to put Foundry in the top 5 at least, but I have my reasons. Foundry has a tight, well-designed layout with great flow and a lot of interactive elements. There’s a good bit of verticality here as well, and the molten vats and conveyor belts add a good bit of personality.
However, I think this one just hasn’t aged well. If you compare it to the previous first levels, Warehouse and Hanger, it doesn’t hold up in terms of combos and skating lines. I think this one will benefit heavily from the remake, as I was surprised how good Warehouse and Hanger looked in THPS 1+2. Aesthetically, it needs better lighting to win me back.
8. Rio – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
This is the first competition level in THPS 3, and one of the easiest ones in the series. This is one of the few levels from the original game that still looks good to this day. It’s just a simple, fun level with a lot of great skating lines. You can spend all day just going around the edge and the wires, and the fluidity of it makes it enjoyable.
You can see Christ the Redeemer staring back at you way off in the distance, which is a neat addition. One small flaw with this map: the section outside with all the cars is a bit annoying. Pulling off combos inside where all the ramps, verts, and kickers are available is easy. Doing that on the outer areas of the map isn’t. Still, it’s a solid, enjoyable map.
7. Cruise Ship – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
This is the final main level in THPS 3, and what a way to end a fantastic game. Aesthetically, it’s colorful, bright, and full of detail. You can knock people off the boat, run over random vacationers, and destroy the museum inside the ship. There’s an island if you look out to the sea, which is actually Skater Island.
The skating experience here is fantastic, there are plenty of ramps, grinds, and windows for you to destroy. Skating lines are great here, and landing a big combo is relatively easy. It’s a fast-paced level once you memorize all the routes, and that’s when it gets even better.
6. Los Angeles – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
If it wasn’t for the sheer impressiveness of Airport and Canada, LA would probably be the best map from THPS 3. There’s a lot to do on this map: start an earthquake, go through a car wash, and even knock cars off the highway. You get a lot of verticality in this one, and sometimes you’ll end up skating in places where you feel like you shouldn’t.
Arguably, it’s the best city map of the series. Getting the decks and completing all the goals isn’t too hard, while still a decent challenge. There are a lot of transfers and ramps for you to plough through, and landing a big combo on this level feels amazing. The best part is the attention to detail, from the random car chase to the Hollywood sign in the background.
5. College – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
Some might argue that THPS 4’s first level is also its best. While I don’t share that sentiment personally, it’s easy to see why College is so highly regarded. It’s open and vast without being boring. The level is very well balanced, with tons of interesting goals and varied areas. As the name implies, the level is set on a college campus complete with stair sets, rails, ledges, and plenty of quarter pipes.
This level fits the open, free-roam structure of THPS 4 quite well. The variety of goals, such as waking up the sleeping student or knocking over a giant football, is quite good. There’s a mix of street and vert elements here that make it a great stage for different playstyles.
4. San Francisco – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
When it comes to the best THPS 4 level, it’s a close call between San Fran and Alcatraz. Both levels have something different to offer. Alcatraz has a unique environment, while San Fran has its near-perfect skating lines. The verts, kickers, and rails here are all placed perfectly. There’s plenty of verticality here on the roofs, plenty of landmarks and wires, and gaps.
It ticks all the boxes for a perfect Tony Hawk map. The only thing missing here is more spine transfers. There is also a water hazard here, but thankfully, it’s not as annoying as other hazards in the game. The reason this map is so beloved is that you can add it into almost any Tony Hawk game, and it just works.
3. Alcatraz – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
Probably the most memorable from THPS 3. Alcatraz is a level that takes place in the actual Alcatraz Prison in California. The appearance, goals, and NPCs all fit this level perfectly, so the theme is on-point here. There are plenty of cool missions here, and the layout is perfect. You can go downhill and back up with ease, and even get on top of roofs without much difficulty.
The only thing missing here is a modern touch-up. With modern lighting and the fluid gameplay of the new remake, Alcatraz will stand out once again. This is a great sandbox-style level that allows you to perform any trick you want, wherever you want. It embodies that Tony Hawk experience perfectly.
2. Canada – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Canada is by far one of the most impressive maps in the Tony Hawk series. It has an excellent layout, a unique atmosphere, and plenty of great goals. The setting mostly consists of a snow-covered mountain resort, with wooden bridges that help you transition between sections. This flow between sections is the best part about this map, and it’s one that works with you rather than against you.
When a map has too much going on, it’s hard for it to flow well. Fortunately, Canada avoids that problem with excellent design. Every ramp and grind is well-placed, and the aesthetic of the map will make you never want to leave.
1. Airport – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Some Tony Hawk fans like the downhill levels, while others find them annoying. However, we can all agree that Airport is a fantastic map regardless of it being downhill. Doing a heelflip in the air while looking out at the planes on the runway will never get old. This is a map where it’s incredibly fun to go downhill, and just as fun making your way back up.
It’s got some pretty good secrets, an infinite grind loop with the bags and the escalators, and fantastic skating lines. By far one of the most unique maps in any skating game, let alone Tony Hawk. With the remake, they are reportedly changing up the vibe of this map a bit and switching it to night time.
Published: Apr 1, 2025 09:36 am