The original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, released in 1999 by Neversoft and Activision, featured a curated roster of ten real-world professional skateboarders. This selection represented the elite of the late 90s skateboarding scene, carefully balanced between "Vert" (half-pipe and ramp specialists) and "Street" (technical and ledge-focused skaters) disciplines. In addition to the professional cast, the game included two secret fictional characters, bringing the total playable roster of the 1999 classic to twelve.

When the franchise was revived in 2020 with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, the developers at Vicarious Visions maintained the entire original 1999 cast. However, to reflect the modern state of the sport, they expanded the roster to include a "New School" generation of pros such as Nyjah Huston, Leticia Bufoni, and Riley Hawk.

The Original Professional Roster of 1999

The ten professional skaters included in the first installment were more than just digital skins; they possessed unique stat distributions and special trick sets that defined how a player approached a two-minute run.

Tony Hawk

As the title athlete, Tony Hawk was designed as the ultimate Vert skater. His stats favored air, hangtime, and speed, making him the most efficient character for high-score runs in pools and half-pipes. In the 1999 version, his signature move, The 900, was the most difficult trick to land and offered the highest point reward.

  • Special Tricks:
    • The 900: Right, Down, Circle/B
    • Kickflip McTwist: Right, Right, Circle/B
    • 540 Board Varial: Left, Left, Square/X
    • 360 Flip to Mute: Down, Right, Square/X

Bob Burnquist

Bob Burnquist represented the "Technical Vert" style. Known for his ability to skate switch and innovate new flip-to-grab combinations, his in-game character was versatile. He was one of the few skaters in the first game to have a balanced set of flip and air specials.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Burn Twist: Left, Up, Triangle/Y
    • Backflip: Up, Down, Circle/B
    • One Footed Smith: Right, Right, Triangle/Y

Kareem Campbell

Kareem Campbell was the quintessential Street skater in the roster. His moves focused on technical flip tricks and grinds. In the era before the "Manual" was introduced (which appeared in the sequel), Campbell was a favorite for players who preferred the School and Downtown levels.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Casper Slide: Up, Down, Triangle/Y
    • Kickflip Underflip: Left, Right, Square/X
    • Front Flip: Down, Up, Circle/B

Bucky Lasek

Lasek brought a heavy Vert presence to the game. His stats were heavily weighted toward air and speed, similar to Hawk, but his special tricks were more focused on complex air-walks and rotations.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Fingerflip Airwalk: Left, Right, Circle/B
    • Varial Heelflip Judo: Down, Up, Square/X
    • Kickflip McTwist: Right, Right, Circle/B

Chad Muska

Chad Muska was a pop-culture icon in the late 90s, and his character reflected that "larger than life" energy. Muska’s stats and tricks were heavily street-oriented, emphasizing high ollies and unique grind variations.

  • Special Tricks:
    • 360 Shove-it Rewind: Right, Right, Square/X
    • One Foot 5-0 Thumpin: Right, Down, Triangle/Y
    • Front Flip: Down, Up, Circle/B

Andrew Reynolds

Known as "The Boss," Andrew Reynolds provided a raw street skating style. His focus was on massive gaps and high-impact flip tricks. In the game, his Triple Kickflip became a go-to move for racking up multipliers quickly.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Triple Kickflip: Left, Left, Square/X
    • Heelflip to Bluntslide: Down, Down, Triangle/Y
    • Backflip: Up, Down, Circle/B

Geoff Rowley

Geoff Rowley was famous for his "gnarly" approach to street skating, hitting rails and stairs that others avoided. His character was built for grinding. He was the first to introduce the Darkslide to the series, a trick that would become a staple of high-level combo play in later years.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Darkslide: Left, Right, Triangle/Y
    • Double Hardflip: Right, Down, Square/X
    • Backflip: Up, Down, Circle/B

Elissa Steamer

Elissa Steamer made history as the first female professional skater included in the series. Her character was a pure street specialist, mirroring her real-world reputation for effortless style on ledges and gaps.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Primo Grind: Left, Left, Triangle/Y
    • Judo Madonna: Left, Down, Circle/B
    • Backflip: Up, Down, Circle/B

Rune Glifberg

Rune Glifberg was another Vert powerhouse, often used by players who wanted an alternative to Tony Hawk but with similar high-air capabilities. His "Christ Air" remains one of the most visually iconic moves from the 1999 release.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Christ Air: Left, Right, Circle/B
    • Kickflip McTwist: Right, Right, Circle/B
    • Front-Back Kickflip: Up, Down, Square/X

Jamie Thomas

Jamie Thomas, known for his "Leap of Faith," was represented as a high-stamina street skater capable of surviving massive drops. His special moves focused on a mix of difficult flips and specialized nosegrinds.

  • Special Tricks:
    • One Footed Nosegrind: Up, Up, Triangle/Y
    • 540 Flip: Left, Down, Square/X
    • Front Flip: Down, Up, Circle/B

Secret Unlockable Characters

The original 1999 version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater rewarded players for completing the Career Mode with different professionals. Two fictional characters could be unlocked, each with their own unique "novelty" tricks.

Officer Dick

Officer Dick is a stereotypical, bumbling police officer who is often seen chasing skaters in the game's levels. In the original game, he is unlocked by completing the Career Mode (obtaining all 30 tapes) with any of the professional skaters.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Assume the Position: Left, Left, Circle/B
    • Neckbreak Grind: Left, Right, Triangle/Y
    • Yeeee Haw Front Flip: Down, Up, Circle/B

Private Carrera

Private Carrera is a fictional female character inspired by the secret agent or "femme fatale" trope. She is unlocked after finding all the hidden tapes in the game and completing the career with every professional skater.

  • Special Tricks:
    • Ho-Ho Ho: Left, Up, Square+Circle (or X+B)
    • Somi Spin: Left, Down, Circle/B
    • The Well Hardflip: Right, Left, Square/X

Understanding Playstyles in the 1999 Version

In the modern 2020 remake, every skater can eventually reach maximum stats through progression. However, in the 1999 original, the distinction between Vert and Street skaters was much more rigid.

Vert Skaters (Hawk, Lasek, Glifberg, Burnquist)

Vert skaters thrive on ramps, pipes, and bowls. In the first Pro Skater, the most efficient way to score points was to find a "half-pipe loop." Because the game lacked the "Revert" mechanic (which allows players to continue a combo after landing a ramp trick), Vert skaters had to rely on high-point single tricks or simple two-trick sequences. A "900" or a "Christ Air" into a "360 rotation" was the peak of Vert gameplay.

Street Skaters (Campbell, Muska, Reynolds, Rowley, Steamer, Thomas)

Street skaters were designed for technical navigation of the environment. Since there were no "Manuals" in the first game, street combos were very short. A player might kickflip over a gap into a grind, and the combo would end the moment they touched flat ground. Street skaters relied on finding lines with multiple gaps and rails to stack multipliers.

The Evolution of the Roster in the 2020 Remake

When Vicarious Visions developed Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, they faced the challenge of making the 1999 roster relevant to 2020 gameplay mechanics. The remake introduced manuals, reverts, and wall plants to the original levels, which drastically changed how the original cast performed.

The New School Additions

To bridge the gap between generations, the remake added a new roster of modern pros. These characters are available in both the THPS1 and THPS2 portions of the remake:

  • Nyjah Huston: The modern face of street skating competition.
  • Leticia Bufoni: A powerhouse in women's street skating.
  • Leo Baker: Known for a technical, creative street style.
  • Aori Nishimura: The first Japanese skater to win X Games gold in street.
  • Lizzie Armanto: A protégé of Tony Hawk and a master of modern vert skating.
  • Shane O’Neill: Famous for his incredibly high technical precision.
  • Riley Hawk: Tony’s son, bringing a mix of street and bowl styles.
  • Tyshawn Jones: Representing the grit and power of East Coast skating.

Special Remake Secret Characters

The remake also swapped some original secrets for new ones. While Officer Dick returned (voiced by and modeled after Jack Black), the remake also included:

  • The Roswell Alien: A nod to the Roswell level in the first game.
  • The Ripper: The iconic skeleton mascot of Powell-Peralta (available in the Deluxe Edition).

How Character Stats Impact Gameplay

Each skater’s performance is dictated by a set of core attributes. Understanding these is essential for mastering the high-score challenges in the Career Mode.

  1. Ollie: Determines the height of the jump. Essential for Street skaters to reach high rails.
  2. Speed: How fast the skater moves on flat ground and ramps. Crucial for clearing long gaps.
  3. Air: The height reached off a vertical ramp. High Air stats are the signature of Tony Hawk and Bucky Lasek.
  4. Hangtime: How long the skater stays in the air. This provides the window needed to perform "The 900" or other complex specials.
  5. Balance: This affects the difficulty of staying on a rail during a grind. In the original 1999 game, there was no manual balance meter, only a grind balance meter.
  6. Switch: This determines how much the skater’s performance drops when skating in their "unnatural" stance. Bob Burnquist typically has the highest Switch stat.

Strategies for the Original 1999 Roster

In the absence of modern combo-extending mechanics, playing THPS1 requires a different mindset.

  • For High Scores on Vert: Use Tony Hawk or Rune Glifberg. Focus on the Chicago or Burnside levels. Fill your Special Meter as quickly as possible with basic grabs, then aim for a 540 or 720 rotation of a Special Trick (like the Kickflip McTwist) off the biggest ramp available.
  • For Tape Collection (Career Mode): Use a Street skater like Chad Muska or Geoff Rowley. Their higher Ollie stats make it easier to reach hidden VHS tapes located on high ledges or rooftops, such as the ones found in the School or Warehouse levels.
  • Maximizing Point Value: Since tricks lose value every time they are repeated (a mechanic called "trick staleing"), players must cycle through the entire special list. For Andrew Reynolds, this means alternating between the Triple Kickflip and the Heelflip to Bluntslide.

The Cultural Impact of the THPS1 Roster

The selection of these ten skaters was a turning point for the sport. Before 1999, skateboarding was largely a niche subculture. The massive success of the game turned names like Bucky Lasek, Chad Muska, and Elissa Steamer into household names globally.

The game also popularized the "Special Trick" concept. In 1999, Tony Hawk had just landed the first-ever 900 at the X Games. The Neversoft team worked late into the night to ensure the trick was added to the game before its release, cementing the game as a reflection of skateboarding history as it was happening.

Summary of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 Roster

The 1999 original featured a tight, 12-character list that focused on the legends of the time. The 2020 remake respected this foundation while inviting the next generation to the park.

  • Total Pros (1999): 10
  • Secret Characters (1999): 2 (Officer Dick, Private Carrera)
  • Total Playable Roster (2020 Remake): 21+ (including New School pros and secrets)
  • Primary Disciplines: Split between Vert (Ramps) and Street (Obstacles).

FAQ

Who is the best skater for high scores in THPS1? Historically, Tony Hawk is the strongest for scoring due to "The 900" and his high Air and Hangtime stats. However, for street-heavy levels, Chad Muska or Geoff Rowley are often preferred for their grind balance and ollie height.

How do you unlock Officer Dick in the original game? You must earn all 30 VHS tapes in Career Mode with any professional skater. Once completed, Officer Dick will be available in the character selection menu.

Can you use the "Manual" with the original skaters in THPS1? In the original 1999 PlayStation, N64, and Dreamcast versions, the Manual was not yet a game mechanic. It was first introduced in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2. However, if you are playing the 2020 remake, all original skaters can perform manuals, reverts, and wall plants.

Is Elissa Steamer the only female skater in the first game? In the 1999 original, Elissa Steamer was the only professional female skater. The secret character Private Carrera was also female. In the 2020 remake, the roster was expanded to include Leticia Bufoni, Lizzie Armanto, and Aori Nishimura.

What is the difference between a Vert and Street skater? Vert skaters have higher stats for Air and Hangtime, making them better for half-pipes. Street skaters have higher Ollie and Balance stats, making them better for rails, stairs, and technical gaps.

What was the hardest trick to land in the original game? The 900 by Tony Hawk was widely considered the hardest due to the required 2.5 rotations in the air. Without sufficient hangtime or speed, the character would almost always "bail" upon landing.

Why were some tricks different in the 2020 remake? The remake updated certain trick names and animations to better reflect modern skateboarding terminology and to fix errors in the original 1999 programming (where some tricks were mislabeled or used simplified animations).

Are there any other secret characters in the original THPS1? While Officer Dick and Private Carrera were the only "full" characters, certain versions of the game or subsequent ports had minor variations or easter eggs, but the core list remained these twelve.