While the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series may be more fresh in the minds of modern audiences thanks to its longevity and recent releases like the Pro Skater 1 + 2 remake, it's far from the only important gaming product the titular arena skater was involved in. Tony Hawk's Underground 2 is perhaps the greatest example of the extended Pro Skater legacy, and it's a title that shouldn't be lost to time.
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 is the sixth entry in the Tony Hawk series, directly following the first Underground game released just a year prior, in 2003. Both games emphasized rebellion and self-expression as central themes, leaning into prominent depictions of skater culture at the time. These games were both more mature and more childish than their Pro Skater predecessors, with narratives designed to appeal to older teens rather than all ages, and humor that even the most emotionally stunted adult would struggle to find funny without the mitigating role of nostalgia. As is to be expected, Tony Hawk's Underground 2 doubles down on everything that the first game strove for, and in the process, serves as a time capsule of skateboarding culture of the time, for better or worse.
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Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Is 2004 Skater Life Essentialized
What Makes Tony Hawk's Underground 2 So Special
If the main Tony Hawk series is inspired by the arena skating that made their namesake such a sensation, then the Underground spin-offs were entrenched in the grungy world of street-level skating, defined by the guerrilla tactics and disregard for authority that the sport's greatest detractors associate with it. Underground 2 precedes the likes of EA's Skate series, and is among the gaming industry's first cracks at capturing this subculture. While it might not be the most realistic representation of what skating was like in 2004, it certainly captures its spirit.
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 plays like its Pro Skater counterparts, but it looks, feels, and sounds totally different. Many of the game's levels are characterized by their connection to real-world locations, replete with references to pop culture and early internet memes like the Star Wars Kid. The Pro Skater games always had a tenuous connection to reality, but Tony Hawk's Underground 2 wipes its feet on realism, with a roster that includes the likes of Bigfoot and Benjamin Franklin, who can also be discovered in the game's levels themselves.
One word will likely come to mind whenever one reminisces about Tony Hawk's Underground 2: attitude. While earlier Pro Skater games present a mostly squeaky-clean image of skateboarding, Underground 2 leans into the notion of skaters as rebels and troublemakers; the game is defined by chaotic antics and a bucking of the rules, its characters and narrative epitomizing what just about every pre-teen boy in 2004 thought was cool.
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 wears its Jackass influences on its sleeve, featuring celebrities like Bam Margera and Wee-Man in its single-player story and as playable characters.
What's Next for Tony Hawk's Underground 2
Sadly, Activision reportedly canceled development of Pro Skater 3 and 4 remakes, indicating that remakes of the subsequent Underground spin-offs may be no more than pipe dreams. But with so few games managing to truly capture the cultural trends and character of the mid-2000s, it would be a shame for the short-lived series to fade into obscurity.
Games like the upcoming Skate 4 may paint a portrait of modern street skating culture, but the Underground games will always be windows into the past. If Activision ever decides to defibrillate the series, it should keep in mind this unapologetic attitude, letting it remain as a window into an era that is being increasingly looked upon with nostalgia.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2
- Publisher
- Activision
- Platform
- PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4|5, Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S S
- Rating
- Teen
The 2020 fully-remastered Tony Hawk's Pro Skater & Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 games have been combined into one epic collection, rebuilt from the ground up in incredible HD. Players can skate their way through various levels and challenges, all while listening to an awesome soundtrack.
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