In total, there are 31 professional skateboarders who are in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, a remake of the popular arcade skating franchise’s third and fourth games. Each of these skaters excels in different aspects of the sport. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t skaters who are better at certain things than others.
Choosing the “best” skater in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is difficult because every player will prioritize different attributes over others. So, I’ve decided to divide the skaters into two categories: Vert and Street. Yes, I’m aware there’s also a Park style, but there are only three skaters in the base game who have this as a base style, so I figured it would be kind of redundant to include it. Also, none of these skaters have been leveled up at all. These are their core stats at launch.
Best Vert Skaters In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
Bucky Lasek
While Tony Hawk is synonymous with the Vert style (and a much more recognizable star internationally), Bucky Lasek was perhaps, at his peak, the best in the world. And his attributes in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 reflect that. When it comes to Air, Hangtime, and Spin, Lasek boasts a 7 rating in all of them. It’s not quite prime Lasek, but it’s certainly “very good” Lasek.
Tony Hawk
To virtually nobody’s surprise, Tony Hawk — the king of vert skating — takes one of the top spots here for vert skaters. By default, Hawk has a 7 rating in Air, 6 in Hangtime, and a 7 in Spin. Overall, he’s one of the most balanced when it comes to the Vert style, and if big air is your goal, then skateboarding’s favorite son is a must to use.
Lizzie Armanto
A former silver medalist at the X-Games, Lizzie Armanto boasts pretty good stats for Vert purposes, despite being designated as a Park skater. In fact, her base stats aren’t too dissimilar to Lasek’s. Without any leveling up, Armanto has 7 in both Air and Hangtime, and a 6 in Spin. She also has decent Lip Balance, meaning she’ll be good if you decide to do a lip trick instead of hitting air on any halfpipe. Armanto is an incredibly underrated choice, and one you should definitely try.
Rune Gilfberg
They don’t call him the “Danish Destroyer” for nothing! Rune Gilfberg is one of the most decorated vert skaters in X-Games history, and his non-leveled-up stats show it. Having a 7 in both Air and Hangtime, Gilfberg will be one of the better aerial skaters in the game. His 5 Spin is a bit of a disappointment, but his balance in virtually everything but Manual Balance makes up for it.
Best Street Skaters In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
Rodney Mullen
It doesn’t take a fortune teller to determine that Rodney Mullen — one of the most innovative and creative skaters in history — is among the best ground-based skaters in the game. He’s got 6 in Ollie, 8 in Spin, 7 in Switch, 7 in Flip Speed, and an 8 in Manual Balance. If you’re trying to chain combos together, then Mullen will have the perfect skillset for you.
Shane O’Neill
You’d be hard-pressed to find a skateboarding competition that Shane O’Neill hasn’t won gold in. And that’s because when it comes to street skating, he’s one of the very best to step on a board. Shane O’Neill is middle-of-the-ground when it comes to ollieing, but his skill on both sides of the board, Flip Speed, Rail Balance, and Manual Balance make him elite on the asphalt.
Geoff Rowley
Anybody who watched the old Flip videos back in the day can tell you that Geoff Rowley is one of the most talented people to take to street skating. It can even be argued that he was rivaled only by Mullen at one point. In turn, he’s a beast in THPS 3+4! He’s got a 7 Ollie, 8 Rail Balance, and a 7 Lip Balance. As a street skater, the only place where he’s kind of weak at is in Manual. But, given Rowley’s guerrilla style, that doesn’t really matter.
Tyshawn Jones
One of the hottest young skaters to come out of the East Coast — and the youngest to ever win Thrasher’s prestigious “Skater of the Year” award — Tyshawn Jones attacks the pavement with some of the most fluid, yet aggressive styles I’ve ever seen. Which makes sense, considering he’s a Bronx kid (shameless New York pride over here). In the game, Jones is treated as the prodigy he is. He’s got 7 Ollie, 7 Flip Speed, and is even decent in the air. Sure, he lacks in Manual and Rail Balance, but he’s one of the easiest skaters to turn into an elite all-rounder due to none of his base stats being below a 3.
