Tony Hawk Reiterates Decisions Behind Song Choices In Pro Skater 3 + 4

And why certain classics didn’t come back

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 launched on various platforms this week, and although it’s an exceptional nostalgia trip to the prime era of the series, it clearly has some variations. Aside from the modifications to THPS4, the soundtrack lacks several well-known classics.

The Birdman himself previously clarified to fans months back his desire to incorporate “some different tracks” – featuring different songs from some of the same performers.

Currently, in a recent discussion with BBC News, he reiterated how this choice was, in fact, aimed at exposing players to new music they may not have encountered before. He also reminded fans that he isn’t the sole decision-maker regarding the game’s soundtrack – recognizing the team’s influence, but he did manage to integrate a few of his selections in the new release:

Tony Hawk: “These days, it’s just what I feel fits, and what I’m drawn to – I’m not the only one making decisions about these soundtracks, but I did get to include a couple of bands… I also chose tracks from artists who were already featured in the game, but a different song, and not everyone agreed with that choice, but I think ‘let’s keep it fresh’ and also ‘here’s a chance to discover new music’, and I believe that at the start that is what people anticipated – once the soundtrack became a key element of the game, players were like ‘ok’ what are you going to present to us next?”

His recent comments about the game’s soundtrack also address an inquiry regarding why Alien Ant Farm’s track ‘Wish’ was omitted from the latest version – with the reason, presumably, linked once again to the idea of making space for “new artists and new songs”:

“I wasn’t specifically targeting them, it was more about making space for new artists and tracks as well, and not everything gets included, it’s nothing personal, and I appreciate that fans have an emotional connection to that song [Wish], particularly regarding our game, so you know, simply stream it on your chosen service if you wish.”

The preceding release Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 employed a comparable strategy with the soundtrack, and the character lineup in the new game adheres to the same pattern (like the former game) – blending legends and emerging pro talents. Tony discussed this in the same interview, along with the selection process:

“I aimed to keep it contemporary obviously, while still honoring the legends that we had in the earlier titles, and it also revolved around who was still actively skating, who was still part of the scene. It’s a fine balance, but I’m genuinely excited to have individuals like Chloe Covell, to have Rayssa from Brazil, and Andy Anderson.”

Skater and Jackass star Bam Margera also joined towards the final stages of development, prompting Tony to “quickly reach out to Activision” requesting his inclusion. You can find more details about Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 in our review on Nintendo Life.

What are your thoughts on the soundtrack in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 so far? Let us know in the comments.