Welcome to this beginner’s guide to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2! Whether you’re new to the series or brushing up on your skills, this guide will walk you through the fundamentals. Written by a veteran of the Tony Hawk series, this tutorial will help you start landing tricks, grinding rails, and chaining combos like a pro.

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Getting Started

Note on Controls: This guide uses PlayStation 4 button labels. If you’re on Xbox, use the following equivalents:

• X (PS4) = A (Xbox)
• Square = X
• Triangle = Y
• Circle = B

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1. Movement and Ollies

Ollies (Jumps)

The ollie is the foundation of all skateboarding tricks.

• To ollie: Hold X, then release to jump.
• Tip: Always hold X while skating to build speed. Release it just before jumps for smoother tricks.

Practice Tip:
Use the warehouse rail to practice timing your ollies. Avoid charging for too long, or you may collide with obstacles instead of clearing them.

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2. Flip Tricks

Flip tricks spin the board in various directions while you’re airborne.

• To perform: Flick the left stick in a direction and press Square.
  • Example: Left stick left + Square = Kickflip.

Advanced Flip Tips

• Timing is lenient—you can press Square slightly before or after flicking.
• Combine with ollies for stylish transitions.

Thumb Technique Tip:
Rest your thumb joint on X and angle the tip toward Square, Triangle, or Circle to prepare for any trick type quickly.

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3. Grabs

Grabs add flair while you’re airborne.

• To grab: Flick the left stick and press Circle.
  • Example: Left stick left + Circle = Melon Grab.

Pro Tip:
After initiating a grab, release the stick to reduce rotation, but keep holding Circle for a longer grab. Let go before landing to avoid bailing.

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4. Grinds

Grinds let you slide along rails, ledges, and coping.

• To grind: Ollie onto a rail and press Triangle.
• The direction you press determines the grind variation.

Balance Tip:
Use the left stick to keep your balance meter centered during the grind. Losing balance results in a bail—unless you’re landing on a ramp, which may let you recover.

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5. Lip Tricks

Lip tricks are performed on the edge of quarterpipes or vert ramps.

• To lip trick: Skate up a ramp and press Triangle at the coping.
• Use directional inputs for different lip tricks.

Timing Note:
Too early or too late may result in a grind instead.

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6. Manuals

Manuals are used to link tricks and extend combos.

• To manual: Flick the left stick down then up for a standard manual, or up then down for a nose manual.

Balance Tip:
Maintain balance using up/down on the left stick. Overbalancing forward results in a bail.

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7. Combining Tricks for Combos

Combos are essential for high scores.

1. Start with a grind: Ollie and press Triangle on a rail.
2. Manual out: Flick down–up with the stick as you land.
3. Add flip/grab tricks: Press Square or Circle in the air to increase your combo score.

Tip:
Link grinds, manuals, and flip tricks fluidly for max points.

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Pro Tips for Beginners

• Explore the Trick List: Pause the game and go to the Tricks Menu to see every move you can do.
• Stay Balanced: Grinding and manuals require constant balance control. Don’t just spam tricks—control them.
• Practice Mode: Use Free Skate to master trick timing and combos without the pressure of objectives or timers.

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Final Thoughts

With these basics, you’ll be landing your first combos and boosting your scores in no time. Keep practicing, experiment with different tricks, and most importantly—have fun. Drop a comment if this helped or if you’d like a guide on more advanced mechanics. Until then, keep shredding!