Product Description

The world's best skateboarding game reinvents itself to give users the real-life experience of a hardened amateur skater. A completely new, non-linear career mode lets you choose the goals you want to accomplish: challenge pros head-to-head to beat their best tricks, take off to a competition or just skate solo to conquer a gap. Make your way through the game as an amateur and then conquer your pro's special challenge to unlock the more difficult professional world. Evolving levels change depending on the specific skater's goals and accomplishments--toggle different skate elements on and off (quarter pipes, benches, kickers) to change up lines. The newly upgraded Ultimate Skatepark editor allows user-set objectives such as high scores, hidden tapes and combo completion. You can create a dream park and give it to a friend to session. Skate as Tony Hawk or one of 12 other top pros. Improved skater physics and animations now allow skating on moving objects such as cars, trucks or cranes. New improvements also include more realistic balancing, bails and board dynamics. The game also has a comprehensive online feature in which up to eight players from across Europe can go head-to-head in new multi-player modes such as Goal Attack and Capture the Flag.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6554 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: ACTIVISION
• Released on: 2002-11-22
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Review
Just in case you didn't know, the Tony Hawk's series is the best skateboarding sim ever--and now, with the release of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, it's even more so. Skateboarding is taken far more seriously nowadays, with legions of baggily trousered youths now able to refer to moves such as a bluntside or overcrook with a perfectly straight face. Indeed, the list of silly names for ridiculously dangerous stunts has been increased for this latest sequel and you now have the added ability to skitch (hold onto the back of a moving car) and grind through traffic. The big new change, though, is the career mode, which now has specific goals and milestones for all the different skaters and really adds to the replayability.

Curiously, the graphics are still not particularly good, with the same slightly muddy, undefined look to them that the developers presumably now think is all part of the fun. They have however thankfully realised that having time limits for the levels was an unnecessary limitation and, except for a few specific missions, you've now got all the time in the world to graze your knees and cave in your skull. Add in a new and improved online mode and you've got everything the discerning extreme sportsman could desire. --David Jenkins

Edge
"Is it worth buying if you've played a Tony Hawk's game before? Eminently."

Computer and Video Games Magazine
"In terms of exciting, entertaining and satisfying gameplay Tony Hawk's 4 just about has the upper hand. 9/10."

Customer Reviews

One of the Best
Tony Hawks 3 was a bit of a disapointment when it followed Tony Hawks 2, which was considerably better than Tony Hawks 1.
But Tony Hawks 4 offers a whole new world to the gamer.
They've done away with the 2:00minute time limit,leaving the skater with as much time as he/she wishes to use.
Players can now choose the goals they wish to accomplish, take on a pro head to head, enter a competition or simply skate around.
Benches, kickers etc. can now be toggled on or off to suit the players needs, so now you can choose wether you want that annoying bench to be there when you drop off the rail, or not.
Players start of as an amateur and then they must conquer the pro specific goals to make it into the more difficult professional world.
On create-a-park, players can now set high scores, hidden tapes, and combo goals.
The new , more realistic animation allows skaters to skitch(grab onto,so being pulled along) on moving objects,such as cars and even elephants.
There are also now mini games which may be completely irrelevant to skating, such as betting on rhinos.
Players have far more freedom, on a comletely revamped game.
This is definatly one of the best games to play. Lets see how long Tony Hawk can keep producing these games, and how long we'll keep buying them.

Remains the best skating franchise around
The Tony Hawk's series has been accused of running out of steam. While the third version was excellent, it offered little that the second title didn't. Neversoft has obviously sought to change things with this version, but despite this, the game is very similar to the last one. One change (albeit purely cosmetic) is that there's something very English about THPS4. From the inclusion of a London level to the presence of The Sex Pistols on the soundtrack, THPS4 has obviously been, at least in part, tailored for us Brits.

In terms of presentation it remains almost identical to the previous three iterations. Fourteen pro skaters are included (Jackass star Bam Margera is once again involved) as well as the now-mandatory create-a-skater facility. Nine levels are included in all (seven regular plus two secret ones) which vary from a shipyard to a zoo. The selection of one and two player modes remains the same as THPS3, however, THPS4 includes the option for online play for up to eight players. Interestingly, the graphics are still a little below what may be expected from a PS2 game, but nonetheless they remain capable. The soundtrack, however, is simply awesome. The Sex Pistols, Aesop Rock, NWA, Iron Maiden and Run DMC all make an appearance giving the game unquestionably the best soundtrack ever.

The only major difference is the removal of time limits on each level. The levels are much, much larger now, and the player is given the freedom to skate around to their heart's content. Now, the player has to approach any citizens standing around to begin a quest. There are now sixteen challenges on each level, which is somewhat higher than the amount found on the previous game. This may involve the by now standard collection of 'S,K,A,T,E' or something more novel like helping a prisoner tunnel out of Alcatraz. There is a definite emphasis on fun in this game, as many of the games available have no bearing on the player's progress (playing tennis or betting on two prostitutes having a fight).

Other additions include the ability to 'skitch', that is to hold on to the back of a moving vehicle (or elephant) to earn extra points. New pogoing tricks are available to the more advanced gamer as well. Finally, the player can now transfer over the spines of pipes to rack up even longer combinations. Each of these functions has been included to help the player produce longer combinations and therefore gain larger scores. The new mission structure enables these new skills to be introduced gradually, but THSP experts should have no problem picking up the new abilities.

For me, the removal of the time limit makes this iteration of THPS a slightly poor relation to the third version. The appeal of the Tony Hawk's series for me has always been attempting to rack up 500,000 point plus combos. THPS4's reliance on comedy somewhat removes the emphasis from gaining huge scores. While not the best, it is undoubtedly the most varied version of the franchise, and fans of the series should consider this an essential purchase.

The 4th in the Hawks series made the best even better!
At first I was unsure whether to buy this game, purely becasue I could not see how it could better its predecessor, apart from the graphics of course!
But I kept my faith in the Hawkster and bought it anyway.
On the first go it is instantly clear that the graphics are superior than those in number 3, being sharper and possesing far more detail. The game though, initially felt like I was just playing a tweaked version of the last one as it had the familiar tony hawks feel to it.
After I got stuck into the missions though, it becomes apparent that the new mission system, where you free roam the area and choose the objectives by talking to people, is actually very good.
It gives a fresh take on the series and combined with the massively amplified evironments, is much better.
The missions are more varied the gameplay is spot on perfect.
I would recommend this game to skaters and non-skaters alike and would like to see any sane person give it a bad review.
Great game, great soundtrack and great improvement! Buy it!!!