Tony Hawk’s Son Riley Becomes Part of Skater’s Legacy as New Character in Remake of the Iconic Video Games (Exclusive)

NEED TO KNOW

• Riley Hawk is one of the many skaters available as characters in Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4

• The 32-year-old son of Tony Hawk tells PEOPLE about joining the game’s roster and his memories of playing the originals growing up

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is now available for PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (through Steam, Battle.net and Microsoft Store), and Nintendo Switch

Riley Hawk is enjoying a trip down memory lane with Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4.

Speaking with PEOPLE about the classic games, which have been remade from the ground up to bring all the beloved content of the early aughts games into 2025, Riley says it’s just as nostalgic for him to get into it as many of the game’s biggest fans.

“I feel like I have so many friends that grew up playing them that it takes you back to a certain time in your life. It’s very nostalgic, and so I think anything getting redone that brings back that feeling, people get super stoked on,” says the 32-year-old son of Tony Hawk

“I know myself, it just brings me back to being a kid playing those games, so it’s pretty cool to be able to relive that a little bit. I feel like it’s done in a way that feels right, where it still has that nostalgic feel, but with more modern stuff like new characters and different things in the game that weren’t there before, that maybe have changed in skateboarding over the last 20-something years.”

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The games offer a legendary pro skater roster that includes Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Steve Caballero, Kareem Campbell, Geoff Rowley, Andrew Reynolds, Elissa Steamer, Chad Muska, Eric Koston, Rodney Mullen, Jamie Thomas, Rune Glifberg and Bob Burnquist. There’s also the new crop of skaters, including Rayssa Leal, Chloe Covell, Jamie Foy, Zion Wright and Yuto Horigome.

“I think the new characters are cool, get a more modern take on it with people like, you know, Zion [Wright], Andy Anderson and Jamie Foy, all these people that kids look up to nowadays, so it kind of fits their generation more.”

Playing himself in the game is different, Riley says, adding, “I feel like growing up, I had secret characters in some of them, and so actually being a character in it was definitely bizarre.”

“I feel like I never would have expected to play myself in one of those games, but I don’t even choose myself if I were to play just because I don’t want to be myself. I want to be the people that I look up to, so it’s cool in that way. You just get to pick the person that you identify with the most.”

When he does get the chance to play, Riley’s favorites include Andrew Reynolds and Jeff Rowley, but it “kind of depended on what phase of my life I was in.”

“And where you wanted to skate, the boards they had that the character rides and the shoes and everything.”

It’s hard to pick a favorite among the many skateboarding games that make up Tony Hawk’s gaming universe, but Riley says the first one holds a special place for him and many other skaters.

“Because it was the first of its kind, that type of skateboarding game,” he explains. “I feel like those levels are just like burned into my brain, that I can always remember playing like the downhill level with all the rocks on the side, and the canyon type thing. It was so new and so fresh as a skateboarding video game. No one had really done anything like that.”

“Honestly, I just loved skating, and that’s kind of what the outcome of that love for skateboarding brought into my life. That’s just kind of where I ended up. I just kept following skateboarding and kept wanting to progress and get better and kind of go down that road. And that’s how I ended up here.”

“And whether I would have, without my dad or not, who knows? But that’s where I’m at, and I still love skating, so I’m super grateful that at least my body can still allow me to do it at this age.”

Hawk is now a father himself and says it’s “really cool” to understand his dad’s decisions now that he finds himself in the same position.

“I’m just super grateful that my dad gave me the freedom to do certain things that I wanted to, like skateboarding or whatever it may be. And that’s all I can hope to do for my son, is just give him the opportunity if something interests them or they fall in love with a certain sport or hobby. And I feel like, as a parent, all you can hope to do.”

As for the game’s soundtrack, a favorite feature of longtime fans, players can look forward to their favorite songs from the original games, including “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead, “Amoeba” by Adolescents, “Mass Appeal” by Gang Starr, “96 Quite Bitter Beings ” by CKY, “Not the Same” by Bodyjar and KRS-One’s “Outta Here,” alongside new tracks that capture the spirit of modern skate culture.

“I feel like the Motörhead is kind of the classic song I think of when I think of the original games, just the Ace of Spades song and seeing the footage of skating,” he says.

“They brought a really authentic feel of skateboarding to the masses with the soundtrack and the video footage of the skaters. And I feel like that soundtrack definitely, I mean, it’s kind of like an iconic meme at this point, the Tony Hawk soundtrack. But yeah, it’s definitely, people know it for sure.”

Riley is excited to see fans enjoy something old and something new blending together in a celebration of skating.

“I’m just stoked that people seem to be feeling the same way I did about it and enjoying the game. Hopefully, it brings you that nostalgia, but with a more modern, fun take on it, and hopefully people enjoy it.”

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is now available for PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (through Steam, Battle.net and Microsoft Store) and Nintendo Switch.

Read the original article on People