We’ve gathered together eight of the best skateboard games for you to have a look at and decide upon your next purchase. Fans of the extreme sport have a lot of video games out there which look to provide the rush and the thrills that skateboarding is known for. And over the years, these titles have evolved in a large way, offering newer experiences each time. The games which we’ve listed in the space below are mostly easily available on old as well as current platforms. Skate, grind, perform tricks and do lots more in these awesome titles which never fail to excite skateboarding fans. So without wasting much time on introductions then, let’s get going with the list.
1 – Skate
Apart from a fully realized city fraught with rewarding skateboarding opportunities, one of the main highlights of Skate is its superbly innovative control scheme. Instead of button mashing, it allows you to perform your tricks using analog sticks, adding a sense of uniqueness to the whole affair. Available for the PS3 and the Xbox 360, it features amazing graphics as well as a sick community system for sharing your finest tricks with the world. Skate’s multiplayer modes amplify the fun furthermore.
2 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
This game set the stage for the fantastic story modes the future Tony Hawk’s titles were to offer. You skate around in large areas, performing tricks at will, and are offered story missions by NPCs scattered around in the environments. Lots of gameplay elements such as spine transfers, skitching and more were introduced to the series by this game, whereas the regular array of insane tricks was present in it as well. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 was released for the GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation, PS2 and the Game Boy Advance at first, but right now, it can also be played on your Windows and Mac machines.
3 – Tony Hawk’s Project 8
Released back in 2006, this neat offering was released for the PS2, Xbox, PSP as well as the PS3 and the Xbox 360. Its title refers to the Project 8 competition which is the main focus of its utterly enjoyable story mode. Massive levels are on offer for you to explore in Tony Hawk’s Project 8. Featuring the who’s who from the world of skateboarding, it renders extremely pleasing experiences thanks to its stellar gameplay mechanics. Some of the innovative ones include a nail the trick option which slows down time for you to spin your boards in a myriad of ways, and the ability to control your characters during crashes to earn points for the most hurtful of bails.
4 – Skate It
Skate It might be available for the Nintendo DS and iOS, but it’s the Wii version which we’re interested in mentioning over here. That’s because it’s motion-based controls are a sick treat to indulge in. And moreover, this version also let’s you perform your tricks while stepping on the Wii Balance Board, providing an all the more realistic skateboarding experience. And did we mention that Skate It is a pretty challenging game? It encourages skill-based skateboarding, instead of just running around town performing random tricks. Its multiplayer modes are worth having a crack at as well.
5 – Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland is all about its diverse campaign mode which has been infused with a well written story as well as some really interesting gameplay scenarios. It renders a large sandbox world for you to jump in, and apart from skateboarding, it also has its focus set on parkour and BMX. Its varied environments as well as its well voiced and noteworthy characters give Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland a level of originality which is hard to forget. Originally released for the PS2, Xbox and GameCube in 2005, it also made its way to the Xbox 360 in the same year, and to PC in the following year.
6 – Tony Hawk’s Underground 2
Equipped with the kind of situations and humor that features in MTV’s Jackass TV shows and the gameplay model which skateboarding video game fans have come to adore over the years, Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 establishes its own individuality without much effort. Allowing you to grind and perform tricks on diverse locations from around the globe, this game also delights with its brash art style and its neat soundtrack. It even contains a Classic Mode with goals like collecting S-K-A-T-E and Secret Tapes against a 2-minute timer. Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 was launched for the PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PSP and Windows back in 2004.
7 – Skate 2
A stellar sequel to an already stunning first game, Skate 2 came was received thunderously by fans and critics alike when it came out for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2009. Transpiring five years after the events portrayed by its predecessor, it presents its old gameplay model in a familiar yet somewhat fresh tone, giving fans yet another reason to jump into it. Skate 2 kicks in a heap of new tricks to perform, and a pleasing multiplayer mode as well.
8 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD
This latest entry to the franchise is nothing but a high-definition revamp of the levels featured in the first two games from the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater sub-series. Available through Xbox Live, PSN and Steam, it even features a DLC adding revamped levels from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. The PC version however, does not feature support for online multiplayer which is a superb addition to its console counterparts.
Conclusion:
Those were all the best skateboard games which we’d like for you to play. These titles are available now to be purchased for the platforms we’ve mentioned in their descriptions.