With all the horrible things 2020 has brought us, there have been a few nice things that kept us smiling throughout the last half of summer, all examples of nostalgia done right! With the brilliant Bill and Ted Face The Music hitting cinemas and home VOD, both season of Cobra Kai being released on Netflix, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 remake hitting game consoles, now is a wonderful time to get reacquainted with past memories and bring them along on brand new adventures.
Of course, Tony Hawk is like the gaming equivalent of Pringles: "Once you pop you just can’t stop," so if you found yourself unlocking all the levels and besting all the challenges already, fear not! There are many other secrets to keep you occupied.
Gnomes
Are gnomes cute garden ornaments or sinister bearded nightmare gargoyles? Well, according to game developers Vicarious Visions, they’re both. No one is really sure about the number of gnomes scattered throughout Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2, but there are at least a couple, like this little fella that can be found on one of the rooftops in School II.
More can be seen in the Downtown stage, watching TV. There may be others lurking around out there for you to discover, provided you have the courage to go looking!
You Found Me!
Less terrifying than the gnomes, but equally well hidden, every map in THPS 1 & 2 should have graffiti of a stickman with a shocked look on his phase and the phrase, “Oh, You Found Me!” written next to it.
Unlike say, the alien plushies, finding them all doesn’t give you some kind of freakish stick man secret skater, but it is a fun little easter egg nonetheless.
Secret Areas
One of the most exciting things about the original games was finding a secret area, and happily, they all make a welcomed return in this new incarnation.
Some are simple, like the bowl that can be found in San Francisco, but others are a little more tricky, such as timing the grind on a rail with the school bell to open up the gymnasium in School II. It seems the more difficult the entry, the more elaborate the play area, giving you a satisfying pay off for the challenge.
Statues
Speaking of secret areas, one can be found in the Marseille Park by knocking down a post so it breaks down a boarded up fence. Inside, not only can you find a gnarly little fountain area to grind and vert to your heart's content, but also a giant statue paying respect to the Birdman himself.
On top of that, both Tony and his son Riley can be seen standing either side of the city crest in Philadelphia.
Play As Jack Black
Secret characters have always been a big part of Tony Hawk's legacy, and while sadly, due to copyright restrictions, you can no longer swing board as Spider-Man, there is still some fun to be had, such as the return of the OG secret character, Officer Dick.
This time around, everyone's cranky police dude is portrayed by none other than Jables himself, Jack Black! Black has famously been a fan of the games for years, playing the originals in the back of his bus during Tenacious D tours, so it’s nice to see him be represented in this one.
Mount Rushmore
Skaters can discuss and debate for hours on end what four pros they would place upon their Mount Rushmore, but it appears for Vicarious Visions its possibly Tony Hawk, Chad Muska, Rodney Mullen, and Steve Caballero, as evident via the structure they have erected in the background of Skate Heaven.
At least, that’s who they appear to be according to some players, others think Bob Burnquist and Danny Way are some of the guises etched in stone, so really all the game makers have done is open up more debate and discussion on various comment boards across the web.
Skater Extermination
Another beloved mainstay of the franchise is the creative options for parks and skaters. You can progress through the game as your own customized character and live out your fantasies as yourself or whatever ollie popping Frankenstein you want to be.
However, if you get sick of the monster you have built, you can of course delete your creation, but unlike other games, where a simple click makes your skater blip out of existence, THPS 1 & 2 forces you to witness them get struck by lightning and crumble into dust and bones. That’s what you get for daring to play God.
Respect To Neversoft
This one may not really seem like a secret unless you’re playing the game blindfolded, but you’ll be surprised how much you can miss when your attention is focused on reverting into a manual so you can hop into a grind and continue a combo.
For example, in the Hanger, Vicarious Visions have paid respect to the original series creators Neversoft by hanging posters and banners representing past games in the series. It's a surprisingly nostalgic skate down memory lane.
In Memoriam
Some of the secrets in the game aren’t necessarily funny, but rather touching tributes to some of those lost during the making of the game. In the Chicago skatepark, there are posters dedicated to skating legend Jeff Grosso, who sadly passed away in March of this year.
Likewise, in School II, the gymnasium has now been named after Matt Helsom, a senior 2D/3D artist for Vicarious Visions who passed in 2019. It's a wonderful and classy display of respect from the game developers.
Lockdown
Finally, a somewhat haunting nod to the unfortunate reality that's plaguing us all at the moment. In the original School and NYC levels, you can see various video messages and guidelines focusing on Covid-19. In Venice Beach, you can see a plane with sky messages reminding you to wash your hands and wear a mask, and in character creations, you can opt to give your character a medical piece of face covering.
As dark as this all is, it actually explains why all the locations in the game seem to be completely devoid of people, apart from the odd mad taxi driver or magic bum. The world is in lockdown, so you might as well stay at home and keep yourself entertained by playing this brilliant game.