Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 Tips and Tricks

These tips will help you skate like a virtual pro.

For years, players wondered if the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series would make a comeback, especially after the motion controlled Tony Hawk: Ride and Shred. Well, good news, skateboarding fan, the time is now.

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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 returns to the classic style you know and love from the earlier games in the series, while at the same time adding modern day features, including online play (for Xbox One and PlayStation 4) and the ability to design your own skating utopia to share with others in Create-a-Park.

If you picked up the game and want to shred, these tips will help you pull off insane combos.

Missions and Collectables

With each new level you unlock in the game (created stages don’t count) you’ll have plenty to do, between objectives and special missions littered throughout each course.

The traditional missions include collecting the carefully hidden S-K-A-T-E letters, completing a signature C-O-M-B-O with the marked letters (you need these in one string – don’t forget to manual) and finding hidden items like a VHS tape, destructible swag crates and DVDs. The more you collect, you closer you get to finishing the stage.

Secondary missions vary depending on their location in the level. For instance, some will ask you to make your way through a series of rings in the quickest time possible, while others require you to do consistent tricks in order to keep your head from exploding. You’ll see the size of your head based on a percentage tucked away in the corner.

The more missions you complete, the more stars you’ll unlock, which let you make your way to newer levels in the game. In addition, you’ll earn stat points, which you can apply to your character to make him a better skateboarder. Make sure you pay attention to the categories so you can improve in the areas where your rider needs help the most; speed and the ability to reach great heights, for example.

Missions have a three-star ranking: Am, Pro and Sick. As you might guess, Am is for amateur and one star, while Sick earns you three. If you don’t earn three stars on a mission, not to worry – you can always go back and try again. Practice makes perfect, after all, and with all the skills in your arsenal (including grinds, grabs and manuals), you’ll want to nail the best ones so you can unlock everything the game has to offer.

Get Ready to Slam

One new technique introduced with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 is the slam.  If you’re in mid-air, pressing the Y or triangle button (depending on which version you have) will send you plummeting to the ground in a hurry. This is good if you want to nail mid-air combos and quickly come down, or continue your grind without getting too much air.

There’s a catch, however – the slam technique is associated with the same button as grinding. If you’re trying to grind on a rail and you’re in the air, you’ll begin the slam first. Not to worry, though, as you’ll still get on the grind – just be careful when you come down so you don’t end up bailing.

When it comes to aerial moves, save the slam for when you absolutely need it, like if you’re pressed for time during a mission or taking on a friend and eager to get back into scoring position. Otherwise it’s best left alone, as you can still score plenty of points with grabs, spins and other moves while in the air.

Bring Your Friends

One cool new component with Pro Skater is the ability to compete with friends, either in high-score battles through Xbox Live or PlayStation Network, or in direct match-ups to see who can score the best in real time. This is a great way to see what other skating fans can do in the game, so don’t hesitate to jump into a match. Even if you get burned in terms of score or completion time, you still get a better grip of what kind of tricks you can execute in the game.

When it comes to creating a skate park, go crazy.  Think about what other players will enjoy, like awesome grindable rails or plenty of jumps. Experiment and don’t be afraid to make tweaks, then invite friends and show them what you can do.

Now see Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 in action, and let us know what you think of the game.


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Prima Games Staff
The staff at Prima Games.