THPS1 was the catalyst that set me onto a new social path when I started high school in 1999. THPS2 etched it in stone, and became a campfire for my friends and I to gather around whenever the weather was too bad to skate for real. THPS3 continued it.
To say I wouldn’t be who I am today without these games isn’t hyperbole. THPS introduced me to a counter culture that I hadn’t previously known existed, but immediately felt like I belonged to. I found a healthy form of self expression, a way to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, and met many, many wonderful people who were never competing against me, but always encouraging me to try again and showing me different ways of doing tricks to be more successful.
And even though I never became a great skateboarder, I could still bond with these people over the games. This trajectory change was life-altering for me, and dare I say, possibly even life-saving.
Tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of THPS1’s release, and I hope to honor it by playing through each of the original 3 releases on an original PSX (PlayStation 1, for you youngins out there).
Cheers to Tony Hawk, Nevrsoft, Vicarious Visions, Activision and everyone else behind these games. I am living proof that your art and your passion means more than just pixels on a screen and money in the bank.
6 Comments
Wow, what an amazing milestone!
Seriously amazing soundtracks!
Can you still land a kickflip?
LIGHTS OUT,GUERILLA RADIO
thats the first time i ever heard that song and that band
Tony Hawks games taught me to Skate and meet girls. Played them for hours as a kid
Absolute classics. Sunk hours and hours into 2 & 3 and then most of the sequels. This post is getting me feeling all nostalgic (and old).