Listening to music at just the right moment can leave a lasting impression. It was only after the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 that Tony Hawk and the Neversoft team realized the profound impact their skateboarding video game series was having on its audience.

“After the first game became a hit, we dove right into developing the second,” Tony Hawk shared with Rolling Stone. “It wasn’t until then that I grasped just how crucial the soundtrack was to our players. I always knew music played a big role in the game, but there was so much potential we hadn’t yet explored.”

In that same discussion, Brandon Young, a former Neversoft developer who now serves as the senior director for music affairs at Activision, reiterated this point. “I’ve received letters from parents thanking me for introducing their children to the music they loved two decades ago. People still talk to me about the Tony Hawk soundtracks today,” he said.

The announcement of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 in 2020 brought up two major concerns regarding the remakes of these iconic games. Firstly, Neversoft had been dissolved in 2014, passing the baton to Vicarious Visions. More critically, there was uncertainty about how many of the original licensed tracks would be included, given the complexities of modern copyright laws.

Nevertheless, 1+2 managed a fine balance. While a few tracks were missing, the majority of the beloved classics were retained. The team also added about 40 new songs, enriching the existing lineup with a mix of old and new tunes that seamlessly matched the game’s atmosphere. This release aimed to maintain the nostalgic feel while also introducing new music and a more diverse array of skaters.

One new track that really resonated with me was “Afraid of Heights” by Billy Talent. Its powerful chorus perfectly complemented the game’s dynamic, and it has since become a staple on my playlist. Every time I hear it, I’m transported back to my gaming days, skating across rooftops and gliding through empty courts. It’s a perfect example of music being in just the right place at the right time.

Anticipation and anxiety similarly surrounded the launch of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4. Vicarious Visions had been absorbed by Blizzard under the Activision Blizzard umbrella and subsequently lost its name entirely. Tony Hawk later revealed that Vicarious had been developing their version of 3+4 before the merger.

“The reality is, Activision was searching for someone to take on 3+4 but they didn’t trust anyone like they trusted Vicarious. They listened to other studios’ pitches but nothing caught their interest,” Hawk explained.

Eventually, they chose Iron Galaxy Studios as the developer. However, concerns about the soundtrack intensified, as promotional efforts focused more on new additions than on maintaining a balance like in 1+2. In the end, only 10 of the original 55 songs made it into the latest soundtracks.

The commitment to introducing new music—a thoughtfully curated playlist rather than an algorithm-generated selection—is still admirable, especially as games with licensed soundtracks become increasingly rare. Yet, this approach overlooks the vital importance of preserving the original musical essence as it was intended.

There’s a generational aspect to discovering music that should engage with emerging trends and ideas. New artists featured in the updated soundtrack, like Turnstile, Jeff Rosenstock, and Idles, draw from decades of influence from the bands that defined the original games, yet they are not confined to them. It’s crucial that these legacies are acknowledged and not dismissed outright.

Reflecting on the first Pro Skater game, Hawk noted in the interview, “I hope it introduced punk music to a new audience while respecting its roots. Punk encompasses a broad spectrum. John Doe once told me that, and it’s stuck with me ever since. My wife and I grew up in the ‘70s; what we consider punk isn’t what today’s youth might identify as punk. They’re talking about bands like Blink 182, Offspring, or Green Day, which all came later. We were there for the very beginnings with artists like Iggy Pop, Sex Pistols, and The Clash.”

In recent interviews about 3+4, Hawk mentioned that while he wasn’t the sole decision-maker for the soundtracks, he did suggest bands and picked various songs by artists already featured in the game to keep the selection fresh and help introduce listeners to new music. However, this latest bundle of remakes seems like Activision didn’t prioritize licensing songs as much as it did previously.

I may not have a deep nostalgia for these soundtracks, but I hold a special affection for the tracks in Tony Hawk’s Underground 2, which was my introduction to the series. Back in 2020, I wrote about how those songs have stayed with me for years. The significance of the track selection was immediately apparent, even for someone like me who didn’t experience how the licensed soundtracks shaped the earlier games. Now, I can’t imagine a re-release missing any of those tracks.

Licensed tracks complement the creative intentions of game developers, even if they originate from external sources rather than being crafted specifically for the game. Recent titles like Hi-Fi Rush and the upcoming Mixtape are designed to evoke particular eras and emotions, representing minor yet significant victories given the complicated history of copyrighted music in games. For instance, Spec Ops: The Line was quickly removed from sale after its licenses expired, and even a small detail like Toto’s “Africa” in Firewatch becomes integral to the experience, which is diminished without it.

Overall, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 presents a mixed bag of a remake. The free-roaming style of the campaign from 4 is missing, and the levels have been adjusted to fit the two-minute timer. Although there’s an option to extend the timer, the maps have been altered, with some transformed into tournament settings. The modern corporate approach overshadows the release, not benefiting from the inclusion of guest characters like the new Doom games, complete with thematic skate deck art and soundtrack tunes, as well as a character from 2023’s Mutant Mayhem movie. While real-life advertisements have long been part of the Tony Hawk series and skateboarding culture, their overt presence in this release is oddly celebrated as part of the game’s identity in its marketing.

Change can be positive, particularly when it aims to diversify the character roster or introduce new music. Under the umbrella of modern corporate licenses and tie-ins, 1+2 managed to strike a balance, respecting and honoring the roots that influenced generations. However, 3+4 feels more like a checkbox that needed to be marked in green. Approaching a remake with little intention to preserve the original legacy results in a product that not only lacks nostalgia but also misses out on the essence that made it special, leaving us with hardly a tribute at all.

Diego Nicolás Argüello is a freelance journalist from Argentina who learned English through video games. His work can be found in outlets like Polygon, the New York Times, The Verge, and others. He is also active on Bluesky.