Skate 3 is one of the most satisfying skating experiences available in the video game medium. Not only does Skate 3 continue with its unique analog stick-based trick scheme, it also adds a ton of features not included in previous titles, including online multiplayer.

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With its inclusion in the most recent Xbox Game Pass update, new players are experiencing the world of the Skate series for the first time. However, it's a bit different than other skating games in a lot of ways. Thus, it's best for completely new players to spend some time getting used to the game's unique (but very intuitive) control scheme.

Updated November 28, 2021 by Erik Petrovich: Despite being an 11-year-old game, Skate 3 proves time and time again to be the best take on the skateboarding genre that video gaming has ever seen. Its control scheme feels realistic without taking away a player's ability to piece together intricate and impressive combos, and its expansive open world gives plenty of places to explore without feeling repetitive. Its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass makes it more available than ever before, though it's still a hard game to find if you prefer physical copies over digital ones. Skate 3 is a game every gamer should play at least once – it's the ultimate "easy to learn, hard to master" skating experience, which makes it much, much more satisfying than its contemporaries.

13 Where To Play Skate 3

ps3 and xbox 360 consoles

Skate 3 is a somewhat difficult game to play in the 2020's, as it was released more than a decade ago on no-longer-supported systems and was never ported or remastered for modern consoles (or for PC).

One way to play Skate 3 is to look for a physical copy of the game at your local game resale store, located in the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 sections. A copy of Skate 3 on the Xbox 360 can be played on either the Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S consoles with no issues, while a copy of the game for PlayStation 3 can only be played on PlayStation 4 consoles. The game was never ported to PC (though certain emulators can get it running, to a degree). The game is included in the Xbox Game Pass, or can be purchased from the Microsoft store for digital download.

12 The In-Game Trick Guide Is A Great Tutorial

Skate 3 Trick Guide Beginner Tips Tricks

The number one best thing a Skate 3 player can do to learn difficult manoeuvres is to use the Trick Guide. This option in the paused trick menu shows a looping full-motion video recap of the selected trick in a simple stage, and is intended to show off exactly how to pull off the trick with more than a simple text description.

The video Trick Guide is included in every Skate game and is a great way for new players to see where they are going wrong. Compare and contrast your thumbstick flicks and board movements to the full-motion video, make changes, and you'll master the most difficult tricks in no time. Plus, there's a Trick Guide for everything in the game, from Ollies to near-impossible flips and everything in between.

11 Get Used To Skate's Unique Control Scheme

The Skate series uses the right analog stick of the controller for just about every trick in the game aside from turning in the air. From performing a simple Ollie to pulling off the more complex Front Flip, it's essential to get used to using analog stick inputs for the majority of the game.

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Other famous skating games, like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, simply ask the player to point their movement stick in a direction and press a button associated with a style of trick; for example, using X for flips or Y for grabs. In Skate 3, though, all of this is done with careful and precise movement of the thumbstick.

10 Play Career Mode For Basic Tutorials

Skate 3 Player

The Career Mode of Skate 3 is arguably the least interesting part of the game, but it's essential for new players. It teaches the basics of how to get around the Skate 3 world, as well as offering more advanced tutorials that cover expert maneuvers.

Players can also access tutorials through their in-game menu screen. Selecting one will bring them to an area where they are taught the move and asked to replicate it, differing with different tutorials. There are even tutorials for mini-games and other activities, so it's well worth a look.

9 Spend Time Exploring The World...

skate 3 and no skate 4

The worst thing that someone new to Skate 3 can do is follow the story for too long. There's so much world to explore and so many different areas where one can spend hours setting up the perfect trick. It's just not worth it to speedrun the main campaign.

The world map also features a number of special activities that pop up, such as contests. These are worth tracking down for their rewards, too.

8 ...And Find Good Spots For Lines

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The most fun thing to do in Skate 3 is to spend time trying to pull off the perfect combo. These are lines of tricks strung together in a spot, with the perfect set of obstacles and features to improve the player's point total.

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Every player has their own favorite spots. Players can save these with Skate 3's spawn location saving system, making repeat attempts much easier to pull off. They can catalogue these spots, too, making eventual returns on booting the game up again easier too.

7 Remember To String Tricks Together With Manuals

Manuals in Skate 3 are essential to pulling off massive points with a gigantic combo. There's no way to string together a flip to the ground and into another flip off of a different ramp without including a manual in between both tricks.

Points aren't added to the combo multiplier if they aren't done consecutively. Be sure to include a manual in the rotation by very slightly pulling the right analog stick back, but not so much that it triggers an Ollie. Keep balancing until the player is ready to jump into the next trick.

6 Don't Try Big Tricks On Small Ramps

Thrasher Skate 3 Bail

It might seem like a good photo opportunity to attempt a huge trick off of a small ramp (or off of an object that doesn't give the player much airtime). In fact, it's almost always a disaster, unless the player knows exactly what they're doing in the air.

Spend time practicing complex grabs and flips on large ramps that give plenty of time for mistakes. When one has three seconds in the air as opposed to one, tricks are a lot easier and a lot more satisfying. With some practice, though, it can be fun to push the game to its limits.

5 Check The Board's Trucks & Wheels...

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The Skate 3 menu has a few options for specific customizations, such as the tightness of the board's trucks and the hardness of the wheels. Tighter trucks will make turning harder but landing easier, while harder wheels make for speedier and smoother straights.

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Having loose trucks makes it much easier to maneuver at the cost of landing; meanwhile, less hard wheels make things a little spongier. Play around with the settings to figure out what's most comfortable.

4 ...As Well As The Character's Stance and Posture

Skate 4 rumors E3 2018 Skate 3 servers online

A character's stance can either be Regular or Goofy, and their posture can be Loose or Aggressive. Ultimately, these settings do not affect a player's ability to pull off tricks; they just affect animations and how the player looks when pulling off tricks.

At its core, it's just a matter of personal preference. Still, it can be nice for players to see their in-game character skating the way they personally would in real life.

3 Make Use Of The Trick Analyzer

Skate 3 has a special tool that can help new players figure out more complex tricks in the game. The Trick Analyzer shows a visual representation of the precise movements that the player must make on the right thumbstick as they attempt to pull it off.

The Trick Analyzer can be enabled in the main menu. It's super useful for mastering complex lines and combos that might seem physically impossible to pull off. The game does feel less cluttered without it, but it's a handy tool for maximizing a player's skating potential.

2 Try Hardcore Mode For A More Realistic Experience

In addition to the Trick Analyzer, Skate 3 has a unique option that makes the game feel much more realistic. Enabling Hardcore Mode makes pushing off on the skateboard much slower, putting more emphasis on pumping the board to gain speed. It also makes moves more precise and appears to reduce the game's wacky physics slightly.

While it might seem like a downgrade, getting used to Hardcore Mode makes for bigger rewards with events and activities across the world map. Plus, it's about as close to skating in real life as one can get in a video game — even though it's still nowhere near as difficult (or as dangerous) as the real experience.

1 Ultimately, It's About Trial And Error

Thrasher Skate 3 Bail

Just like skating in real life, mastering skating in Skate 3 is a long process of trial and error. Most players starting out with Skate 3 as their first skateboarding game find the controls to be relatively intuitive, but precision and mastery come with getting comfortable with the game over time.

Don't fret if you can't land a flip off of a ramp (or land properly off a ramp at all) or if you have a hard time maintaining long combo lines. Bob Burnquist and Tony Hawk weren't masters of the sport when they stepped on a board for the first time – playing Skate 3 requires less physical exertion than real skating, to be certain, but it's not much easier to learn with a gamepad than with kneepads.

Skate 3 is available on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Xbox Series X

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