Why THPS 3 4 Skaters Still Rule the Virtual Halfpipe

Look, if you grew up with a controller in your hand during the early 2000s, those four letters—THPS—probably trigger a specific kind of dopamine hit. It’s the sound of a board clicking against a metal rail. It’s CKY or Goldfinger blasting through shitty TV speakers. But mostly, it's about the roster. When people talk about THPS 3 4 skaters, they aren't just talking about a list of names. They’re talking about the peak of extreme sports culture captured in digital amber.

Back then, picking your skater was a personality test. Were you a technical wizard like Rodney Mullen, or did you just want to huck yourself off a building as Geoff Rowley? Honestly, the jump between the third and fourth games was massive, not just in pixels, but in how those skaters actually felt.

The Roster That Defined a Generation

The lineup in these two games was basically the 1992 Dream Team but for people who wore oversized cargo pants. You had the staples, obviously. Tony Hawk was the balanced king. But Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 was really the moment where the "Street" vs. "Vert" divide started to matter because of the introduction of the revert.

Suddenly, vert skaters like Bucky Lasek and Rune Glifberg weren't just "the guys who do air tricks." They were combo machines. If you could revert out of a halfpipe into a manual, the game changed.

The THPS 3 Legends

• Andrew Reynolds: The "Boss." His style was all about those massive frontside flips and clean street lines.
• Elissa Steamer: A pioneer. She was the first female skater in the series and honestly had some of the best flip trick animations in the game.
• Bam Margera: This was right when Jackass was exploding. Bam wasn't just a skater; he was a rockstar, and his inclusion in THPS 3 felt like the cool older brother finally invited you to the party.

Then came Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4. This game blew the doors off. It ditched the two-minute timer—mostly—and let you wander around levels like Kona or Alcatraz. The roster expanded, and the stats started to feel more specialized. You’ve got Bob Burnquist, who was basically the switch-stance god. If you played as Bob, you weren't just skating; you were trying to find the weirdest, most technical ways to link a Fakie 900 into a grind.

Modern Faces in the 3 + 4 Remake

Fast forward to the 2025/2026 era, and we’ve got the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake. This isn't just a nostalgia trip. The devs did something pretty smart: they kept the legends but added the new blood that actually runs the skate world today.

You’re seeing names like Yuto Horigome and Rayssa Leal. It’s wild because Rayssa was basically a toddler when the original THPS 4 came out, and now she’s a playable character with stats that rival the Birdman himself. Adding Jamie Foy was another "real recognize real" move. Foy is known for hitting rails that would make most people retire on the spot, and his in-game character reflects that heavy, high-impact style.

The Full "Modern" Additions:

1. Yuto Horigome: The Olympic gold medalist. His flip speed is off the charts.
2. Leo Baker: Super technical, creative, and brings a totally different flow to street lines.
3. Chloe Covell: The young prodigy. Seeing her alongside Steve Caballero (who’s been pro since before she was born) is a trip.
4. Tyshawn Jones: Pure power. If you want to ollie over a literal building, Tyshawn is your guy.

The Weird, The Wild, and The Secret

We can't talk about THPS 3 4 skaters without mentioning the secret characters. This is where Neversoft (and now the remake teams) always let their freak flag fly.

In the original THPS 3, you had Darth Maul. Yeah, a Sith Lord on a skateboard. It made no sense, and it was perfect. THPS 4 gave us Eddie, the Iron Maiden mascot, and Jango Fett.

In the modern 3 + 4 remake, they’ve kept that spirit alive. You can unlock the Doom Slayer. Imagine the Slayer doing a Kickflip Backside Taylor over a gap in the Foundry while "Rip and Tear" plays in your head. It’s ridiculous. They also brought in Michaelangelo from the Ninja Turtles. He’s pricey—costing about 10,000 in-game credits—but skating as a turtle with a pizza-themed board is basically the peak of the medium.

💡 You might also like: Why Black Myth Wukong Trophy Guide Hunting is Harder Than You Think

Why the Gameplay Shift Matters for Your Skater Choice

There's a lot of drama in the community right now about the remake changing THPS 4's structure. In the original, you'd talk to an NPC to start a goal. In the remake, they’ve moved everything back to the 2-minute "classic" run style.

Some people hate this. They feel it ruins the "exploration" vibe of the THPS 4 maps. But from a "skater" perspective? It actually makes your choice more important.

When you only have 120 seconds to hit a Sick Score, you need to know your skater’s strengths. You aren't going to pick Bucky Lasek to do a tech-heavy street line in the Shipyard. You’re going to pick Rodney Mullen or Eric Koston.

If you're going for big air in the Los Angeles level, you want someone with a high Hangtime stat like Tony Hawk or Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins. The time pressure forces you to actually care about those little bars in the menu that we all used to ignore.

How to Maximize Your Skater in THPS 3 + 4

If you're jumping into the remake or even dusting off a PS2 to play the originals, you need a strategy. You can't just mash buttons and hope for a million points.

• Farm those Stat Points: Don’t just rush the goals. Every level has stat points floating around. If you're playing as a street skater, pump your "Air" and "Hangtime" first. It sounds counterintuitive, but street skaters already have good flip speed; they need the height to actually finish those flips before hitting the pavement.
• The Special Meter is Life: Don’t waste your special on a basic 540. Use it for the "signature" moves. For example, Andrew Reynolds' "Hardflip Late Flip" is a point machine if you can land it in a combo.
• The Revert-Manual Loop: This is the "God Move." In THPS 3 and 4, the game became about never letting your wheels touch the ground without being in a manual or a grind. Practice the timing: Quarterpipe Air -> Revert (R2/RT) -> Manual (Up, Down). If you master this, you can turn a 10,000-point trick into a 500,000-point combo.

Actionable Tips for New Players

If you want to dominate the leaderboards with these THPS 3 4 skaters, start with these steps:

1. Unlock the "Perfect Rail" and "Perfect Manual" Balance: In the modern remake, these are perks you can earn. They make holding a grind significantly easier, which is essential for the massive maps in THPS 4.
2. Custom Skater vs. Pros: While playing as Tony or Bam is cool, building a Custom Skater allows you to cherry-pick the best special moves from the entire roster. You can give yourself the "900" and the "Kickflip Underflip" on the same character.
3. Check the Secret Shop: Don't hoard your cash. Characters like Andy Anderson and Bam Margera are locked behind the shop in the remake. Bam is a must-have for the nostalgia alone, and Andy Anderson has some of the most unique "freestyle" animations in the game.

Skating in these games isn't about realism; it’s about the flow. Whether you're playing the 20-year-old originals or the 4K remakes, the skaters are the heart of that experience. Pick someone whose style you actually like, learn their specials, and stop worrying about the timer. Just skate.