📰 New article from Retro Handhelds
Radical Retrospective: Sega’s Lost Tony Hawk Precursor
https://retrohandhelds.gg/radical-retrospective-segas-lost-tony-hawk-precursor/
🛹 Sega’s ‘Top Skater’: The Arcade Game That Helped Shape Tony Hawk! 🛹
Before Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, there was Sega’s ‘Top Skater’! This article dives into how this 1997 arcade game laid the groundwork for modern skateboarding games. Here are the key takeaways:
Trick Focused: Unlike many early extreme sports games, ‘Top Skater’ prioritized tricks over racing – a huge influence on the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater* series! The Neversoft team (who made THPS) played it constantly for inspiration.
- Fun Over Realism: Sega wanted a “cool” vibe, blending realistic tricks with totally over-the-top moves born from imagination.
Innovative Hardware: ‘Top Skater’ featured a massive 50” screen, booming speakers, and* a unique skateboard-shaped controller with three-axis control!
- Skate Culture Immersion: The game nailed the aesthetic with real skate brands (Airwalk, Vans, etc.) and a killer soundtrack by Pennywise.
- Michael Jackson Approved! Seriously – MJ saw it in Japan and just said “Cool!” 🤩
Lasting Legacy: While never ported to consoles, ‘Top Skater’ spawned sequels (‘Air Trix’, ‘Ollie King’) and influenced other Sega hits like Crazy Taxi & Jet Grind Radio*.
If you ever see a ‘Top Skater’ cabinet in an arcade, definitely give it a spin! You’ll feel its DNA in every extreme sports game since. 🤘