Maple Media has launched Tony Hawk’s Skate Jam for Android and iOS.
Tony Hawk has had a storied history with gaming, starting with the 1999 release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater for the original PlayStation. The series had yearly installments until it began to decline, notably with peripheral-based games like 2009’s Tony Hawk: Ride. The series attempted a comeback with 2015’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, but the game was a technical disaster and a unfun mess.
The Tony Hawk franchise attempted to go mobile in 2014 with Tony Hawk’s Shred Session. That game was a sort of endless runner. Although it had a 2014 soft launch, the game never went beyond that stage.
Skate Jam is attempting to bring an experience to mobile that is closer to the original Pro Skater games.
“I think players of my older games will enjoy the nostalgic feel, while younger, mobile-first players will love the online competitive element,” Tony Hawk noted in a press release sent to GamesBeat. “The goal is to connect generations of skateboarding fans, casual players, and competitive gamers, and this game is the ideal platform for that.”
Skate Jam is free-to-play, but players can spend money to increase their rate of progress, including buying better gear and upgrading skills.