EA’s latest skate. changed up the series formula quite a bit, and not necessarily for the better. The decision to go free-to-play, and the microtransaction mess that always adds, was not necessarily appreciated by fans. It still has the foundations, but it does feel like it forgot its roots.
As a result, Skate 2 and Skate 3 feel like completely different games in modern times. Skate 3 continued to be popular until late 2015, when mega YouTubers like Jacksepticeye were putting out hilarious content around it. The wacky physics, the sheer amount of tricks, and all the cool stuff you could pull off made it a mainstay for skateboarding games.
These days, Skate 3 is looked back on with rose-tinted nostalgia glasses, but purists have even more love for Skate 2. While the latter game definitely builds upon the foundations of Skate 2, it does change a lot of things. This is why more than fifteen years later, fans of the franchise argue over the better game. Let’s take a look at the strengths of both and see which one actually nailed it.
What Skate 2 Gets Right
Playing Skate 2 back in 2009 was something truly special. The loading screens had a unique style with gameplay footage and video tips. But to those who played the game back then, the immediate “wow” factor was the map. New San Vanelona’s post-earthquake aesthetics were striking, and the gritty vibe felt perfect for a “street” skateboarding experience.
Every corner hides something: a seamless hubba ledge, a risky gap over train tracks, or maybe the huge gaps at the Mega Compound. This doesn’t mean the world rolls over you; railings have skate stoppers, and guards often chase you for doing tricks. Hire Big Back as your enforcer to see him suplexing security and clear your path.
Going back to this one, the reason it’s remembered for being more “realistic” is actually because it’s more methodical. The animations are a bit longer, your skateboard feels heavier, and each trick feels more impactful. This, combined with the yellowish, gritty filter over everything, gives off the perfect dirty, real-world skating feel. Session is the closest we’ve gotten to this vibe and feel since.
What Skate 3 Gets Right
Skate 3 flips what the previous game had to offer in all the right ways. For those who want endless skateboarding fun and the chaos that comes with it, this is the game for them. It does not want to be rebellious and accepts the fact that it is a mainstream skateboarding game. The world feels brighter and more welcoming, like a dream about skateboarding where everybody is on your side.
Adding on to it, the tricks are looser and do not require flawless precision. This does mean that tricks feel a bit less “impactful”, but they’re more wacky. The city also feels like it is designed specifically for skateboarding, containing ridiculous ramps, large railings, and unlimited skating spots. Everything is polished: details are crisp, saturated colours, and realistic graphics.
The main reason why the game actually blew up is the extras it had to offer and the amount of wacky glitches it had. The create-a-park editor allowed you to build mega-ramps or custom bowls; perform the “Backwards Man” and gain an extreme amount of speed to cross humanly impossible gaps.
It’s…different. So different in fact that you can’t even call it much better or worse. And therein lies the problem. Both of these games are more similar to each other than the latest skate. However, they’re also different in terms of vibe, feel, and animation, rather than the fundamental.
Why Skate 2 Is For The Purists
When picking between these two, there’s no wrong answer. Skate 2 and Skate 3 are both pure heat; two games that single-handedly defined a generation. Cop them on a cheap Xbox 360, dive straight in, and you’ll get the idea why these masterpieces are still relevant to this day.
With that said, Skate 2 is the game that actually feels more like skateboarding in real life. It flawlessly captures the real thing, never forgetting the chaos that came along with skating in the early 2000’s. That nerve-wracking feeling of always looking out for security, and unforgiving physics that demand perfect timing, make it incredible.
Skate 3 often feels larger than life, and that’s absolutely what a lot of people love about it. The latest game takes that idea too far, but I don’t want to harp on about that again. So, in conclusion, both are great games, but Skate 2 feels raw, real, and honestly, imperfect. One has the polish, the other has more soul and grit.
