Welcome to my world
- NA release: 18th November 2001
- EU release: 3rd May 2002
- JP release: 27th June 2003
- Developer: Neversoft
- Publisher: Activision (NA/EU), Success (JP)
- NGC Magazine Score: 87%
- Mods Used: Widescreen Code
After going though N64 games and its versions of Tony Hawk games lacking a bit in presentation, it’s nice to finally play a full version of the game. The full, good quality songs really adds so much to the game, and the soundtrack for Pro Skater 3 is no exception. When I was younger, I played a lot of Pro Skater 4, and a lot of the muscle memory from that still applies to Pro Skater 3, and it still feels great.
The create-a-skater is very solid this time round, and you can upgrade your stats by finding tokens in levels. There’s some more interesting objectives as well that encourage you to explore each level, some of which are larger than previous games, but not too large, all of it filled with interesting sections and ways to transfer tricks from one section to the others. It’s the kind of game where you’ll have fun pulling off tricks and linking combos even when you’re doing the non-trick challenges. There are also even more interactive elements, and you can even trigger an earthquake in one level.
There’s also a few more fun special characters this time, such as Wolverine and Darth Maul alongside some silly ones like the Neversoft eyeball in a Frankenstein body (who stars with one point in every stat), a demon and Kelly Slater on a surfboard, so there’s a lot of fun to be had. I’m still not overly fond of the time limit, but it’s still an incredibly solid skateboard game with an addictive nature.
Great
Attaining that elusive high score is still as relentlessly enjoyable today as it was when, say, Space Invaders appeared in arcades just over twenty years ago and, ultimately, it’s all you need – a hefty slice of gameplay that’ll keep you coming back. Tony Hawk’s 3 has that in spaced.
Neil Randall, NGC Magazine #67
Remake or remaster?
Pro Skater 3 and 4 really deserve a remaster.
Official Ways to get the game
There’s no official way to play Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3.
GameCube Games by Date
2002: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2003: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2004: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2005: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2006: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec