It's time to bust out your old punk rock playlists and party like it's 2000 all over again, because Activision has just announced Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 And 2 - Remastered. As the name suggests, the upcoming title has combined the first two (and best) games in the iconic skater series and thrown in a ton of improvements and all-new features.
The game, which is being developed by Vicarious Visions, is headed to PS4, Xbox One, and Epic Games Store on September 4th. It features 4K HD, online and local multiplayer, and most of the songs from the original soundtracks. We're also getting all of the original pro skaters and all 19 levels from the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2. I may need to lie down.
Basically, this is exactly the kind of remaster we've all been dreaming of for the past several years. As a massive fan of the franchise, I couldn't be more thrilled. Take a look at the trailer below.
"The fans have been asking for these games to be remastered for quite some time," Vicarious Visions Chief Operating Officer Simon Ebejer told GAMINGbible over the phone. "It's been 21 years and these games are iconic and beloved by so many that it just seemed like the right time to do it. We were ready, we were able, and Tony was up for it."
Perhaps most exciting for those of us who grew up adoring these games is that the remaster will feature all original skaters and levels, as well as nearly all the songs from the original soundtracks. According to Ebejer, Vicarious Visions did what it could to secure as many of those classic tracks as possible... although he declined to comment when we asked if there'd be any new additions to the remastered soundtrack.
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"Right now I'm excited to talk about having tons of music from the original soundtrack including some of my favourites like Goldfinger, Rage Against The Machine, Anthrax, Public Enemy," he explained. "With regards to trouble getting all the songs... you know, it's been 21 years."
"Music licensing has changed in that much time, so some of the licensers can't even be tracked down. But we've done a great job getting as much of the original soundtrack as we possibly can. So I think that fans are gonna be so stoked. They're gonna get to hear their favourite tracks from the original and I'm really excited."
We also asked whether hidden characters - such as Spider-Man - would be back in the game. Unfortunately, it sounds as if while all standard levels and skaters are present and correct, we're going to have to wait just a little bit longer to learn about any secret characters. I really hope we can still play as Spidey, but I doubt it.
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"Right now, we're just talking about the Pro Skaters from the original game," Ebejer said. "Super excited to have all of them signed back up and in. With regards to potential for secret skaters and things like that? We'll have to save those surprises."
Other classic features, like the park builder and ability to make your own skater, are back - complete with online functionality so that you can share your creations. You'll also be glad to know that, according to Ebejer, Vicarious Visions has worked hard to ensure that the remaster feels as close to the original games as your remember, at least in terms of gameplay.
"The challenge of a faithful remaster is knowing where to push the boundaries and what to keep sacred, right?", he said. "So it's important to capture the original experience, but still have the room to modernise things to appeal to today's audience. And some of the ways that we're doing those things... the handling and controls are super tight. It's gonna feel like the originals and you're gonna get that excellent gameplay experience when you're in the game."
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We'll have to wait and see how the game feels in our hands before we can get too excited, of course, but I feel pretty confident that this is shaping up to be one heck of a nostalgia trip. September can't come quick enough. For loads more on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 And 2 Remastered, head this way.
Featured Image Credit: ActivisionTopics: GAMING, PlayStation