Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Released August 31, 1999 · consists of 8 releases.
Take control of real skaters and perform strings of crazy tricks in the first entry of the long-running Tony Hawk skateboarding series.
Overview
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (known in most European regions as Tony Hawk's Skateboarding) is a skateboarding game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision for the PlayStation on September 30, 1999.
The first game in the long-running Tony Hawk series, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater builds on the scarcely-populated skateboarding video game genre with easier accessibility, over-the-top stunts, use of licensed punk rock and ska music, and real-life professional skateboarders and skateboarding brands. The game and brand's name refers to vertical skateboarder Tony Hawk, who was then known for performing the first documented "900" trick.
The game was ported to the Nintendo 64 on February 29, 2000 (ported by Edge of Reality and published by Activision), the Dreamcast on June 29, 2000 (ported by Treyarch and published by Crave), and the N-Gage on October 23, 2003 (ported by Ideaworks and published by Nokia). The Nintendo 64 version is known for its censorship of both blood and vulgar song lyrics (granting it an "E" rating by the ESRB, as opposed to the original "T" rating).
A separate game was released on the Game Boy Color on March 2000 (developed by Natsume and published by Activision) featuring elements from the console versions but focused on skating on a half pipe in a side angle (Half Pipe Mode) and racing opponents in an overhead angle (1on1 Vs. CPU Mode).
Most of the assets of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was later included in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, with the latter two games being remakes.
Gameplay
In Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, players control their skater as they participate in two-minute runs (one-minute for special "competition" runs) where they complete specific goals in that time (such as earning a large score count by performing tricks and collecting symbols scattered around the level).
Controls
Players steer their skater with the D-Pad and jump by pressing the Jump button. Holding down the Jump button while on the ground causes the skater to crouch down, increasing their speed. While in the air, they can hold down a direction on the D-Pad and either press the Flip button to perform a Flip Trick (simple tricks that can be easily chained with other tricks) or hold down the Grab button to perform a Grab Trick (tricks that can be held constantly for more points).
Holding down a different direction on the D-Pad performs a different Flip or Grab Trick, which changes the point value of the trick (inversely proportional to the time required to execute the trick). Some advanced Flip Tricks can be held like Grab Tricks. If the player attempts to hit (or land on) a surface while a trick is in effect, the skater bails.
Also, while in the air, they can spin around by holding left on the D-Pad, right on the D-Pad, or either shoulder button, increasing the point value (for every 180-degree spins) of the trick in effect (also adding points for simple jumps). However, landing with the skateboard in the wrong position causes the skater to bail.
While in the air and close to a grindable edge (such as rails), they can press the Grind button to perform a Grind Trick (which lets them travel along the edge, earning points along the way). If they are close to a wall, they can press the Grind button to Wall Ride off the wall (earning points while increasing the skater's height). In both cases, they can press the Jump button to perform another jump. Pressing Up on the D-Pad and pressing the Grind button approaching straight on a halfpipe lip performs a Handplant.
After a trick is successfully executed, they can perform another trick, adding onto the current combo chain (adding to the overall point value of the chain while increasing the chain's score multiplier). The score derived from the chain is added to the overall score counter if the skater lands successfully on the ground. The score is lost completely if the skater bails at any time. Extra points can be added to the chain by collecting special pickups, and hitting Gaps (hidden locational points reached by performing a specific jump, grinding specific edges, and interacting with specific objects).
As the player lands more chains, their Special meter increases. Once the meter reaches its maximum capacity, the bar flashes yellow, allowing players to perform special Signature Moves (flashy Grab, Flip, and Grind Tricks that give a lot of points when successfully executed). When the bar is flashing yellow, it slowly depletes (and stops flashing yellow when the meter fully depletes). The meter fully depletes at any time when the skater bails.
Holding Up on the D-Pad while jumping performs a Nollie, and double-tapping Up on the D-Pad while jumping performs a Fastplant, each adding points during the jump. Players can also perform a Nollie by pressing either shoulder button on the ground (switching their stance) and pressing the Jump button.
Game Modes and Objectives
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater includes three single-player game modes (Career, Single Session, and Free Skate) and three multiplayer game modes for up to two players locally (Graffiti, Trick Attack, and HORSE). Levels, skaters, and boards can only be unlocked by playing through Career Mode (or by cheat codes).
Career Mode is the single-player campaign, as players lead one of the ten standard skaters (and two unlockable skaters) through all nine levels, unlocking new levels, skaters, and boards by collecting videotapes and winning competitions. Each standard level has five videotapes to collect, each by completing a specific objective in one run:
- Achieving the level's High Score.
- Colliding or grinding with five level-specific objects.
- Finding and collecting five letters (S-K-A-T-E) scattered throughout the level.
- Finding a videotape pickup somewhere hidden in the level.
- Achieving the level's Sick Score (which is larger than the High Score).
Three levels "competition" levels, in which players are ranked (by score) in three one-minute runs. The best two runs are averaged out and compared against the competition, and the player wins by placing in the top three.
Along with Career Mode, players can play Single Session, which are simple two-minute runs with the only objective of obtaining the highest score of each level, and Free Skate, which allow players to freely roam each level with no time limit or objectives.
Two players can play competitively in three multiplayer modes: Graffiti, Trick Attack, and HORSE. Grafitti and Trick Attack are split-screen simultaneous multiplayer, while HORSE is single-screen alternating multiplayer. In Grafitti, both players race against the clock to "paint" the level by performing tricks on objects. The player with the most objects painted wins. In Trick Attack, both players race the clock to achieve the highest score. The player with the highest score wins. In HORSE, players alternate ten-second turns to land a higher scoring chain than the previous one. If a player fails to land a higher score, then he/she gets a letter penalty and the required score resets. If the player gets the maximum letter penalty (making up a word, such as H-O-R-S-E), then the other player wins the game. (If the player fails to land a chain and the previous score is zero, then he/she does not get a penalty) A custom word can be chosen at the beginning of the game.
Levels
The game includes nine fictional levels (located in the United States) to skate on, each level consisting of either skate parks or other urban environments.
Warehouse
(Woodland Hills, CA)
Career High Score: 5,000 points.
Career Sick Score: 15,000 points.
Career Level Objective: Collide with five sets of boxes.
School
(Miami, FL)
Career High Score: 7,500 points.
Career Sick Score: 15,000 points.
Career Level Objective: Grind five lunch tables.
Mall
(New York City, NY)
Career High Score: 10,000 points.
Career Sick Score: 30,000 points.
Career Level Objective: Break five mall directories.
Skate Park
(Chicago, IL)
Competition Level.
Downtown
(Minneapolis, MN)
Career High Score: 15,000 points.
Career Sick Score: 40,000 points.
Career Level Objective: Break five "No Skating" signs.
Downhill Jam
(Phoenix, AZ)
Career High Score: 20,000 points.
Career Sick Score: 40,000 points.
Career Level Objective: Open five water valves.
Burnside
(Portland, OR)
Competition Level.
Streets
(San Francisco, CA)
Career High Score: 25,000 points.
Career Sick Score: 50,000 points.
Career Level Objective: Wreck five cop cars.
Roswell
(Roswell, New Mexico)
Competition Level.
Playable Skaters
Tony Hawk
Style: Vert (goofy stance)
Ollie: >>>
Speed: >>>>>>>
Air: >>>>>>>
Balance: >>>>
Signature Moves:
- 360 Flip to Mute (1500 points) - Down, Down + Flip.
- 540 Board Varial (2000 points) - Left, Left + Flip.
- Kickflip McTwist (4000 points) - Right, Right + Grab.
- The 900 (8000 points) - Right, Down + Grab.
Bob Burnquist
Style: Vert
Ollie: >>>>
Speed: >>>>>>
Air: >>>>>>
Balance: >>>>
Signature Moves:
- One-Footed Smith (grind, minimum 750 points) - Right, Right + Grind.
- Backflip (4000 points) - Up, Down + Grab.
- Burntwist (5000 points) - Left, Up + Grind. (approaching straight on the lip of a halfpipe)
Geoff Rowley
Style: Street
Ollie: >>>>>>>
Speed: >>>>>
Air: >>>
Balance: >>>>>>
Signature Moves:
- Darkslide (grind, minimum 750 points) - Left, Right + Grind.
- Double Hardflip (1500 points) - Right, Down + Flip.
- Backflip (4000 points) - Up, Down + Grab.
Bucky Lasek
Style: Vert
Ollie: >>>>>
Speed: >>>>>>>
Air: >>>>>>
Balance: >>>
Signature Moves:
- Fingerflip Airwalk (2000 points) - Left, Right + Grab.
- Varial Heelflip Judo (2500 points) - Down, Up + Flip.
- Kickflip McTwist (4000 points) - Right, Right + Grab.
Chad Muska
Style: Street
Ollie: >>>>>>
Speed: >>>>
Air: >>>>
Balance: >>>>>>>
Signature Moves:
- One-Footed 5-0 Thumpin' (grind, minimum 750 points) - Right, Down + Grind.
- 360 Shove It Rewind (1500 points) - Right, Right + Flip.
- Frontflip (4000 points) - Down, Up + Grab.
Kareem Campbell
Style: Street
Ollie: >>>>>>>
Speed: >>>>
Air: >>>>
Balance: >>>>>>
Signature Moves:
- Casper Slide (grind, minimum 750 points) - Up, Down + Grind.
- Kickflip Underflip (1500 points) - Left, Right + Flip.
- Frontflip (4000 points) - Down, Up + Grab.
Andrew Reynolds
Style: Street
Ollie: >>>>>>
Speed: >>>>>
Air: >>>
Balance: >>>>>>>
Signature Moves:
- Heelflip to Bluntslide (grind, minimum 750 points) - Down, Down + Grind.
- Triple Kickflip (1500 points) - Left, Left + Flip.
- Backflip (4000 points) - Up, Down + Grab.
Rune Glifberg
Style: Vert
Ollie: >>>>
Speed: >>>>>>>
Air: >>>>>>>
Balance: >>>
Signature Moves:
- Front-Back Kickflip (1575 points) - Up, Down + Flip.
- Christ Air (2100 points) - Left, Right + Grab.
- Kickflip McTwist (4000 points) - Right, Right + Grab.
Jamie Thomas
Style: Street
Ollie: >>>>>
Speed: >>>>>
Air: >>>>
Balance: >>>>>>>
Signature Moves:
- One Footed Nosegrind (grind, minimum 750 points) - Up, Up + Grind.
- 540 Flip (1500 points) - Left, Down + Flip.
- Frontflip (4000 points) - Down, Up + Grab.
Elissa Steamer
Style: Street
Ollie: >>>>>>
Speed: >>>>
Air: >>>>>
Balance: >>>>>>
Signature Moves:
- Primo Grind (grind, minimum 750 points) - Left, Left + Grind.
- Judo Madonna (1500 points) - Left, Down + Grab.
- Backflip (4000 points) - Up, Down + Grab.
Officer Dick
Unlocked by collecting all thirty videotapes with any skater.
Ollie: >>>>>
Speed: >>>>>
Air: >>>>>
Balance: >>>>>
Signature Moves:
- Neckbreak Grind (grind, minimum 750 points) - Left, Right + Grind.
- Assume the Position (1575 points) - Left, Left + Grab.
- Yeehaw Frontflip (4000 points) - Down, Up + Grab.
Private Carrera
Playable by starting the game with Officer Dick, then inputting a specific cheat code and exiting to the skater select screen.
Ollie: >>>>>>>>>>
Speed: >>>>>>>>>>
Air: >>>>>>>>>>
Balance: >>>>>>>>>>
Signature Moves:
- Ho-Ho Ho (2000 points) - Left, Up + Grind. (approaching straight on the lip of a halfpipe)
- The Well Hardflip (5500 points) - Right, Left + Flip.
- Somi Spin (5500 points) - Left, Down + Grab.
Tricks
Flip Tricks
The game includes eleven flip tricks. Each skater carries eight flip tricks, each representing one direction of the d-pad. Five of these tricks are used on all skaters, while three are determined by which skater players are playing.
Common:
- Kickflip (100 points) - Left + Flip.
- Heelflip (100 points) - Right + Flip.
- 360 Shove It (250 points) - Up + Flip.
- Impossible (250 points) - Down + Flip.
- Kickflip to Indy (grab, minimum 600 points) - Up + Left + Flip.
Up + Right + Flip:
- Fingerflip (grab, minimum 600 points) - Hawk, Burnquist, Lasek, Glifberg
- Hardflip (300 points) - Rowley, Muska, Campbell, Reynolds, Thomas, Steamer
- Varial (800 points) - Dick, Carrera
Down + Left + Flip:
- Varial (800 points) - Hawk, Burnquist, Lasek, Glifberg
- Sex Change (500 points) - Rowley, Muska, Campbell, Reynolds, Thomas, Steamer, Dick, Carrera
Down + Right + Flip:
- Front Foot Impossible (600 points) - Hawk, Lasek, Dick, Carrera
- 360 Flip (300 points) - Burnquist, Rowley, Muska, Campbell, Reynolds, Glifberg, Thomas, Steamer
Grab Tricks
The game (and all skaters) includes eight grab tricks, each representing one direction on the d-pad.
- Method (minimum 315 points) - Left + Grab.
- Indy Nosebone (minimum 315 points) - Right + Grab.
- Japan Air (minimum 367 points) - Up + Grab.
- Tailgrab (minimum 315 points) - Down + Grab.
- Madonna (minimum 525 points) - Up + Left + Grab.
- Rocket Air (minimum 367 points) - Up + Right + Grab.
- Stalefish (minimum 315 points) - Down + Left + Grab.
- Benihana (minimum 420 points) - Down + Right + Grab.
Grind Tricks
- 50-50 Grind (minimum 25 points) - Neutral + Grind.
- Nosegrind (minimum 125 points) - Up + Grind.
- Crooked Grind (minimum 150 points) - Up + Left/Right + Grind.
- Boardslide (minimum 100 points) - Left/Right + Grind.
- Smith Grind (minimum 125 points) - Down + Left/Right + Grind.
- 5-0 Grind (minimum 100 points) - Down + Grind.
Soundtrack
Original Release
- "Police Truck" by Dead Kennedys
- "Here and Now" by The Emies
- "Vilified" by Even Rude
- "Superman" by Goldfinger
- "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" by Primus
- "Nothing to Me" by Speedealer
- "Screamer" by Speedealer
- "Cyco Vision" by Suicidal Tendencies
- "New Girl" by The Suicide Machines
- "Committed" by Unsane
- "Euro-Barge" by The Vandals
European Release
- "Ain't Got Time to Waste" by Aim
- "Le Hot" by Grand Unified
- "Blue Thunder" by Aquasky
