Tony Hawk featuring a narrative story mode and player-created character. Major formula evolution with on-foot sections. Fun satirical narrative. Slightly below THPS3 in pure gameplay but enriching for the franchise.
Your verdict
Category
Sports1 player16+
Description
For the first time in the franchise, the player creates their own character who travels from New Jersey to Los Angeles and Moscow to break into the professional skateboarding world. Published by Activision, released in 2003 in the United States and Europe. Introduces the ability to walk on foot off the skateboard, a narrative story mode with cutscenes, customizable rider creation, improved online multiplayer, and new urban spots.
Tony Hawk's Underground review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
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
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾6,1 GB📅28/10/2003
Published by Activision
Tony Hawk's Underground (Xbox) price, value & rarity
A narrative turn from Neversoft, Tony Hawk's Underground puts a story and a custom avatar at the heart of the boarding, widening the formula beyond mere scoring. Become fairly rare on Xbox, its interest lies in this storytelling swerve of a flagship series rather than wide distribution. A piece valued by fans of arcade skating with progression.
Is Tony Hawk's Underground still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2003, Neversoft's entry transforms the series into a narrative adventure built around the skater's first person rise. Character creation, on foot moves, car driving, races on the road to going pro and a strong street tone install a new identity. The trick and combo system stays flawless and the hip hop and punk soundtrack remains exceptional. The narrative occasionally drifts in the side missions and the modelling has aged. Recommended today for arcade skate fans and for Neversoft nostalgics curious about the Underground pivot before the series eventually wore out its welcome.
