THPS 3 & 4: Skaters Making a Comeback

Wow, so, let’s dive into a blast from the past, skateboarding style. Ever think about how those old-school skaters kinda flipped the script on what skateboarding even means? Seriously, these are the folks who basically made skateboarding cool before it was cool. Kinda like the godfathers of ollies and kickflips — and the stuff they did? No joke. Wild times.

Elissa Steamer — remember her? First chick to shred as a character in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Mind-blowing for her, seriously. She was all, “Being in the original games was epic!” I mean, she couldn’t say enough about it. It’s like she’s still riding that wave, totally stoked. Who’d have thought a game could buzz on so hard?

And Rodney Mullen, the kickflip king himself. Guy’s a legend, no doubt about it. He said getting tapped by Tony was like, “Whoa.” But, yeah, he had no clue how big it’d get. Picture this: first tour after the game dropped, and folks were so hyped to see him they had to hoist him on a van roof just so he could sign stuff. Like, what? The van literally shaking with fans. Talk about a mind-blower!

Plus, the game didn’t just beef up the tricks scene — it kinda slapped societal norms in the face. All of a sudden, skateboarding wasn’t just for the rebels. Parents started nodding along, saying, “Okay, maybe this isn’t just goofing off.” Mullen even said it’s not just a sport — it’s a vibe. Music, art, the whole shebang. Games like these? Yeah, they brought it all together. Finally, people starting to get it, and that’s pretty rad.

Oh, and July’s looking sweet with the return of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. Who’s ready to grind some rails? All the OGs will be there, primed to take it back to the pavement, just like old times. Skate or die, right? Anyway, where was I going with this…? Whatever, just keep rolling.