When you play remasters or faithful remakes of games you considered classic back in the day there’s always an element of worry. So many titles and their success are a product of their time but don’t necessarily hold up well on a modern console due to changes in sensibilities or tastes. Whatever concern I had for whether the original 2 Tony Hawk titles would still shine was quickly shattered though, and these new enhanced versions have allowed me to reconnect to a truly addictive loop of challenges and fun that so many developers since have been unable to even come close to touching. It isn’t just the tricks, it isn’t just the attitude, and it isn’t just some sort of flashiness that grabs you but fades as you settle in. The stage layout in these titles is absolutely superb, and each newly-unlocked locale will challenge you to explore, work out routes, and then sometimes painfully work to execute in order to grab every carefully-placed object in the stage. Nothing is by accident, everything is by painstaking design. Truly, if you were a fan back in the day you won’t be disappointed, and if you’ve never partaken of the experience before this is a terrific opportunity to become acquainted with two of the absolute best sports titles ever made.