A new secret skater has been found in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 Japanese Version, almost 20 Years after the game’s release.
It’s been over two decades since the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, but this classic skateboarding game still holds some secrets. Recently, this long-buried secret was unearthed, revealing an additional hidden skater exclusive to the Japanese versions of the game on PlayStation 2 and GameCube.
The iconic Skate game, which has been remastered and re-released on modern platforms such as PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, originally featured a roster of professional skateboarders, including Tony Hawk himself. However, fans were unaware that a secret character named Sukehachi was tucked away in the Japanese editions of the game.
The revelation of Sukehachi’s existence was brought to light by YouTuber VilifiedOne. According to their findings, Sukehachi is a character whose name is a clever combination of “Sukētobōdo,” the Japanese word for skateboard ((スケートボード); first 2 syllables and the number 8 (はち)). This character’s inclusion was because of Success Corporation, the developers who had previously ported Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 to the Game Boy Advance under the title SK8.
As revealed by the YouTuber, unlocking Sukehachi required a custom save file, which was distributed on a special compilation disc by Dengeki PlayStation, for years, it was believed that Sukehachi could only be played on the PlayStation 2 version of the game. However, VilifiedOne’s investigation revealed that the character is also present in the GameCube version, a fact that had remained unknown for 20 years.
In their video, VilifiedOne demonstrated how to access Sukehachi by using the rare save file collection disc. They also provided a custom save file for the Japanese GameCube version, allowing other enthusiasts to unlock and play as Sukehachi.
For those who don’t have access to a Japanese GameCube console, the YouTuber offered an alternative method using the Dolphin emulator on PC, complete with detailed instructions.
Well, this new finding has reignited fans’ interest in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, reminding us of the game’s enduring appeal and the joy of uncovering hidden gems within beloved classics.
As players worldwide dive back into the Japanese version of Pro Skater 3 to experience Sukehachi’s unique stunts and tricks, this revelation serves as a testament to the timeless allure of video game secrets waiting to be discovered, even decades after a game’s initial release.
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