Did you ever just, like, think about how some skaters went from shredding in empty pools to becoming full-on legends? Seriously, skateboarding wasn’t always this big. But these classic skaters? They made it happen. It’s like they had this wild mix of guts, creativity, and this sort of unstoppable drive. They’d probably drop into a volcano if they thought it’d be a decent spot to ollie—or maybe not, but you get the vibe.
So, Elissa Steamer. Ever heard of her? She was the first female skater you could play in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Epic stuff. She’s all like, “Being in the game? Total game-changer—pun intended, I guess. Can’t express how psyched I was—and still am—about it!”
Then there’s Rodney Mullen, the dude who pretty much invented the kickflip. Which—to be honest—sounds impossible to do anyway. When Tony approached him, he was like, "Sure, but I didn’t see what a big deal it’d turn into." Imagine turning up on tours and getting this rockstar treatment. People just literally bouncing the van, and you’re on the roof, doing the whole autograph thing. Bonkers, right?
Rodney also thought the game pulled in a whole new crew of skaters. It wasn’t just about learning tricks. Suddenly, it was like, you got parents nodding approvingly instead of hiding the skateboards. And skating? More than just jumping on a board—it’s a whole lifestyle, like with music and art that the game totally nailed. Made it cool for folks outside the scene to get it too.
Oh, and guess what? Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is making a comeback this July. All those original faces are back to grind down a railing near you. So, watch out, world.
Okay—so the who’s who of the skateboarding scene. Tony Hawk, because obviously.
