Tony Hawk's Underground, the hip-hop and narrative-career turn. Custom skater, city exploration and wilder missions. Monster hip-hop soundtrack and very strong street vibe. A new face for the series, arguably the best of the Underground era.
Your verdict
Category
Sports1 player16+
Description
Skateboarders explore an open city and face challenges in this Neversoft GameCube Tony Hawk's Underground. Published by Activision, released in Europe in November 2003. Skateboard game with narrative story, open world with varied cities and customisable character.
Tony Hawk's Underground review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
More narrative, the entry leans on a raging selection of punk, hip-hop and rock to accompany the player's rise. Every track charges the flow of combos and matches the rebellious attitude of street skating. This raw energy, chosen with care, hits home from the first run to the last.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Being able to step off your board, walk, drive and customise your skater: the formula opens onto unprecedented freedom, carried by a more narrative thread. The heart of the game, those fluid combos woven endlessly, stays as exhilarating as before. A more story-driven turn that won't please everyone, but whose momentum and creativity remain genuinely enjoyable.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
For the first time, you step off the board, walk and climb to build the story of a skater starting from nothing: this unprecedented freedom reinvents the series. The blend of virtuoso combos and personal adventure brings fresh air, without losing any of the riding joy. Endlessly customisable, it's an ambitious, exhilarating arcade skater.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Building your own skater, following a rags-to-riches story and linking tricks into endless combos weaves personal progression with the score hunt. Each challenge unlocks the next, and stepping off the board to explore opens up new lines to attempt. The plot turns to gimmick at times, but the freedom of movement and the flow of the tricks stay terribly catchy.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾1,2 GB📅21/11/2003
Published by Activision
Tony Hawk's Underground (GameCube) price, value & rarity
Tony Hawk's Underground PAL is the European edition of Neversoft's game, the first of the THUG sub-series that reoriented the franchise toward storytelling and character creation.
Is Tony Hawk's Underground still worth playing in 2026?
A narrative turning point of the series, Tony Hawk's Underground introduces an ambitious story mode where an amateur skater attempts to reach professional glory. The option to step off the board to climb, drive and explore completely renews the formula. The levels gain in size and richness, the skater editor becomes particularly deep. For anyone wishing to understand the narrative evolution of the Tony Hawk saga, this entry remains an essential milestone worth discovering today on the GameCube even now still.
