Skate 3 vs. Skate. (2025)
By Mikko Francisco
The Skate franchise released its first game in 2007, and it was a huge success. It was a new touch on skateboarding games. It displayed a more realistic part of skateboard culture in a game, compared to Tony Hawk Pro Skater.
In the franchise, the player does challenges that range from a trick over a small gap, to a competition against AI skaters, and even jumping over a huge statue of a shark. Ever since Skate 3 launched on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, I begged for Skate 4, while many hated it, saying that it didn't live up to the others. Until a content creator made video on it and it regained Skate 3's sales.
After years went by, hope was lost; the studio and the servers of Skate 3 shut down. People still loved and enjoyed the game and when the servers finally came back up, so did the hope. However, Skate 4 stayed as a myth for a long time, and people could only hope.
The fans were shocked and ecstatic on June 18th, 2020, when it was officially announced that Skate 4 was in production. It took over a decade for the next game to be announced. However, they did not go with Skate 4 as its name.
It was named “Skate.” The reason for this name was because “This isn’t a sequel. It's not a remake. It’s not a reboot, a prequel; none of that.” stated by Cuz Parry, the creative director of the Skate franchise, “There will be no Skate 5 to 10.” (Skate. 2022). However, I will say Skate 4, for clarity. The release of the new game has many fans comparing it to the previous one, Skate 3, but what is different about them? And does it meet the expectations of the fans?
The Difference in Art-style
The new game’s art direction took a different approach to Skate 3. Many people initially complained that Skate 4’s artstyle was “too cartoony” or “unrealistic.” I think the real reason for the complaint is the character design. The map itself actually looks really good. The shadows that affect the city look really good, the sun rays look beautiful, and the textures are really good, especially for new generation consoles.
Image of Skate. (2025) season 1 comparison by from DIZE
Now, with “season one,” I feel like the map looks closer to the older games, mainly the time set around sunset. The map looks so much better than before, it is reminiscent of Skate 2’s yellow tint look, but it's only the change in lighting and shadows from the sun.
The characters in Skate 4 have a very cartoon style look, while Skate 3 tries its best to recreate a realistic model. The look of water in both games vary depending if it is the ocean or a small fountain. Both games have oceans and the texture in Skate 3 is a lot darker and less reflective than in Skate 4. However, people that do not care about the art-style have enjoyed playing the game.
In my opinion, the artstyle Skate 4 chose looks amazing, it looks more colorful and brighter than Skate 3. However this can upset the fans that loved the darker and gritty look of Skate (2007) and Skate 2.
Which Game has Better Online Gameplay?
Both Skate games contain an online feature. A player could invite their friends to skate around and do challenges. However, players in Skate 3 have trouble exploring the map online.
The party leader is required to load a new server just to move to another location that would normally be walkable in single-player. For me it was a problem, because I would want to go to a different spot close by, but everyone else wanted to stay. However, the multiplayer games that exist in Skate 3 like death-races and the game of S.K.A.T.E, which is like H.O.R.S.E but with skateboard tricks, make the multiplayer much more exciting.
Skate 4 allows the player to travel the whole city while playing with friends. In fact, the whole server is full of people to meet and play with. The new installment does not have the game of S.K.A.T.E. which makes me upset because all other Skate games have it. S.K.A.T.E. is popular in the skateboarding community and is really simple.
It feels like Skate 4 is meant to be a multiplayer game, and Skate 3 is built to be a single player game while also having online connection. Skate 4 excels in multiplayer connection and social play. For those that enjoy skating around and exploring the map with friends, Skate 4 is better.
Skate 3 Custom Maps Provided Variety
Another feature that should be addressed is that Skate 3 contains custom maps that other players can share and download. Other players in the party could join the host in a custom map that was built from someone else in the community. While new maps did not bring new challenges, it did bring more creativity.
People could skate in unique spots that do not exist in the true map. Custom maps was what I loved most about Skate 3, I spent hours creating my own map. I watched tutorials on how to become a better map creator, how to make realistic maps, and how to recreate real skate spots.
Skate 4 does not have custom maps, only an object dropper, which Skate 3 already has. The main way that Skate 4 has variety is with other people adding ramps, rails, or props to enhance the map. Skate 4 object dropper is easier to make big platforms and ramps, because it is possible to stick one object to another.
The object dropper in Skate 3 does not have the same feature. I favor Skate 3 custom maps. The custom maps variety provide for other play-styles either they prefer street or on ramps.
Skate 3 is at The Price of $19.99
For the base game of Skate 3 on Playstation and Xbox, it cost twenty dollars. For many people, that price is completely worth the game. For only twenty dollars, you get the whole experience of skating Port Carventon, the map, and experience the story of becoming a famous skater. Skate 3 reflects a skating experience that reflects real life.
Skate 4 is free on Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo. This is worth it for everyone, having a similar gameplay experience with Skate 3. Games that are free are almost guaranteed to have people install it and play. The free experience of Skate 4 exceeds my expectations.
Skate 4 has In-Game Purchases for Outfits
While both games have outfits and different clothing, Skate 4 has more variety of accessories at the cost of real money. It could cost twenty-five U.S. dollars just to purchase one outfit, a skateboard, trucks and wheels, and a couple stickers. While Skate 3 has purchasable downloadable content that includes new maps, clothes, and building items for custom maps.
One could buy Skate 3 with the price of one Skate 4 bundle of accessories. However, both have some free clothes and accessories, Skate 4 is a free game and the best way for them to earn money is through in-game purchases. People do not need to purchase it if they don't want it. I think Skate 3 is better because it doesn’t entice players to purchase cosmetics.
Skate 3 has Pro Skater Cameos
The lack of Pro Skaters in Skate 4 makes many fans upset, because it was important in the older Skate games because they were part of the story and the road to fame as a skater in Skate 1 through 3. The Pro Skaters were also playable in the previous games, there were also special playable characters that many loved, like Dem Bones, Meat Man, and in Skate 3, Issac from the Dead Space games.
What me upset was that the tutorial did not have all lot of people's favorite character, Coach Frank. Played by Jason Lee, he taught the player how to play the game. Skate 4 instead has a robot, called Vee, that introduces the player to the game. Skate 4 having no Pro Skaters makes Skate 3 better in my opinion.
Skate 4 Lacks a Hall of Meat
In Skate 3, players would fling their character, the best they can, to try to break as much of the character’s bones as they can, and get the highest score possible. This feature is called the “Hall of Meat.” Arguably the best feature in Skate 3. The ability to continue the combo, and earn points, by curling into a ball and pushing the character was enjoyable. I think the feature was perfect, the falling is relatively realistic while being fun.
In Skate 4, it's called “stunts” and lacks bone breaking as part of falling, and the same scoring system as Skate 3. It also lacks the same movement as the Hall of Meat. Stunts do not live up to the Hall of Meat in Skate 3. While the ragdoll in Skate 4 looks beautiful, the lack of a hall of meat makes many fans disappointed.
Skate 3 Replay Editor has Keyframes that Feels Natural
The replay editor in Skate 3 has all anyone needs to make a clean video that looks like someone else in the game was there to film it. Skate 4 does have a replay editor, but it does not have advanced editing to keyframe the position of the camera, like in the previous game. For Skate 4 to have a video clip similar to one in Skate 3, a person would have to use a screen recorder and move the camera in real time while the clip is playing. This method is not only difficult, but also impractical.
It is disappointing to see the lack of feature in Skate 4’s replay editor, because the previous two games had almost the same replay editor. Also, it disappoints me so much because of how much time I spent using the replay editor in the past. I can understand that many people do not care for the replay editor, but it is important to recognize that skateboarders relied a lot on film. They needed to promote themselves and show their abilities to gain contracts with skate brands.
Both games have Game Enhancing Glitches
When people think of game glitches, people may think that it would be negative. However, it is surprising and relieving to see that both games have glitches that make the game way more fun. For example, both games have speed glitches that would allow the player to gain high speed within a short period of time.
The speed glitches in Skate 3, however, gain more speed than ones in Skate 4. The launch glitches are different, Skate 3 launch glitches were relatively easy, and gained little height. Skate 4, on the other hand, is super easy and gains so much height that you go to space. When it happens, you can see the curvature of the earth.
The glitches in Skate 4 truly make the game way more enjoyable. However, with the season one update, the developers patched my favorite launch glitch that everyone used to get to space. There are still a lot of fun glitches in the game, but it makes me disappointed.
Which Game Should You Choose?
For those that are die hard fans of the Skate series, Skate 3 will be favored. However, Skate 4 should still be played even if Skate 3 is the go-to choice. People that haven’t played the Skate series before, should also try playing the new game. Looking past all the criticism from die hard fans, the gameplay is fun. I believe that people with no experience with the earlier games would have more fun with Skate 4 than fans of the previous games.
People that enjoy games that are more social would enjoy Skate 4, with easier social interactions and crossplay. What makes me most upset about Skate 4 is the lack of pro skaters, the lacking replay editor, and no custom maps. However, Skate 4 is still in development, and anything could be added soon. If people want an offline play, and a path to experience, Skate 3 will be better, because of the offline gameplay and slight story to it. Skate 4 will be better for people that want to play with friends and mess around.
Works Cited
DIZE (2025, October 8). Skate. Season 1 New Graphics Comparison [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da21XJq3QrI
Patrick Cc: (2025, August 7). The Death of My Favorite Game Series (Skate 4) [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEbr83HMO4g
Skate. (2022, July 14). The Board Room | skate. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAMgtFyrQLk&t=26s
Great job making an in-depth analysis of the two games! It's a very different genre of games than I am used to, but you explained it in a way that helped me understand the excitement of the franchise. I especially liked the Hall of Meat and agree that the newer edition would've been better if it included that feature.
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