Strange and Mundane Spots in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

NO hawking your tony to this video. illegal.
___________________________________________________________________
Patreon: / pertzel
Twitter: / pertzel_
Discord: / discord
Second Channel: / @pretzelunsalted
www.pretzel.cc/
___________________________________________________________________
Music Used:
Intro - Bout the City (Jet Set Radio)
00:37 - Temple of the Eye (Old School Runescape)
04:11 - Divine Tree (The Legend of Dragoon)
07:48 - World Map 2 (The Legend of Dragoon)
11:36 - Al Kharid (Old School Runescape)
13:30 - Welcome to Station Square (Sonic Adventure)
___________________________________________________________________

[@devinpaul9026]

To "call", or "pay a call" was once a colloquialism for "visit". The sign basically means to come back another time.

[@ayylmaoowatnext6748]

Can confirm, the pizza place my mom worked at when I was a child had a sign that said that. I got to put it up after they closed.

[@safebox36]

Still a colloquialism in the UK, you "pay a call" to the doctor if you've a sore throat or "call in" with a neighbour for a cup of tea.

[@GuyApollo]

His gen z is showing

[@onikrux]

7:30 it's me, im the guy who's skated this 1000x and never tripped on the block of wood. actually shocked me to see a fairy fountain

[@goombah8771]

5:21 Its actually an advertisement for Neversoft's own Spider-Man game that released earlier that year.

[@QuarrelsomeLocalOaf]

One little detail I really liked is how in the secret tape outdoor area of Hangar, the music will fade quieter and you can hear a wolf howl in the distance if you stop to lip trick the quarter pipe out there.

[@thecianinator]

1:54 - That's called camo netting. It's draped over strategic materiel to make it harder to spot from aerial pictures. 6:47 - Probably not, I just did a little bit of research and that grotto could be inspired by the Palais Longchamp and/or Magdalene's grotto at La Sainte-Baume, but it doesn't look like an analog of any real place I could find.

[@Ironsnake345ify]

palais longchamp sounds like some kind of weird new-age twitch slang

[@billbob9692]

The helicopter at the start of bullring isn't a non sequitur it's the same one you launch in hanger. It ties the first level of your skating journey to the last one.

[@Yungbeck]

Also, Tony dropped in from one in real life at the bull ring

[@NameExplain]

I always love seeing normal real world places gamified, and the Tony Hawk's series exemplified at doing that.

[@XxguaxinimxX.]

Oh, you here!

[@Victini0510]

Do you mean excelled?

[@NameExplain]

@@Victini0510 I'm bad with words lol

[@insederec]

​@@NameExplain🤔

[@Doodlebub007]

I knew about the Marseille spot from other videos but as a kid I never found it! Also I believe that 'tattered fabric' in Hangar is supposed to be military camouflage netting, in-keeping with the rest of the stage's military aesthetic

[@coreykelley9441]

I NEVER knew that secret spot in Marseille existed. WOW

[@ZombieByte1]

Same here. I played this game for thousands of hours and never knew the spot existed.

[@VVVVV99611]

I have been thinking about it a tiny bit this week. I've always known it

[@rauru0815]

yep, didn't know about the plank in Marseille although I've played the sht out of the game... Didn't think of looking up all the secret spots

[@purposly]

I had no idea either! incredible that even exists

[@G.Freeman92]

I only learned that one in the remake.

[@Yungbeck]

also the resolution was so shitty, today we can at least see the stick, but not a shot on an old crt

[@ugoboom]

0:45 thats interesting, I always got the opposite impression. Hangar had cool, cold, clinical lighting, while Warehouse had warm sunrays, so it always felt way more homely.

[@OfficialAnekito]

2:20 It is a F4U Corsair, a World War II - Pacific era fighter aircraft that was used mainly from aircraft carriers, due to bending wings. Japans nicknamed it "Whistling Death" because it was both really fast and, again due to wings, it was letting out a whistling noise.

[@Sgt-Wolf]

3:40 "Well i must be goi GOOD LORD WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THERE!?"

[@SEB1991SEB]

"Tony! The skatepark's on fire!!"

[@slothsong080]

I never really thought about how flat Philly was. It kind of makes sense since Love Park isn't really a place to skate, but is still famous among skateboarders back in the day. Unfortunately doesn't translate well to a level outside of the campaign.

[@NewGabeOrder]

9:03 This is one of the many cases where the Xbox version changes up the textures. There are Taco Bell logos slapped onto this building. Not only that, some levels feature Jeep or Nokia advertisements on the walls. I know Skatestreet has the Jeep logos over the indoor skatepark exits, while Venice Beach has a Nokia ad near the 1P warp point.

[@theharvardyard2356]

This reminds me of streams from one of the THPS level designers, AndyTHPS, where he reviews the old level designs and talks about how much they learned for the later games. They got much better at creating realistic and true-to-life looking levels that also skated well at the same time, but it took several years and games.

[@PretzelYT]

I've definitely watched some of his VODs on youtube! Glad he's around to share insights from his perspective as a designer, love him.

[@bmeht]

I like your little timers during the chill dialogue gaps. Cool way to give a section closure.

[@gnbman]

Those purples and greens immediately made me think of Spyro as well! Town Square and Idol Springs, especially.

[@deathwish1284]

I love those stages with "no skateable spots" its literally the true skateboarding experience hahahahaha

[@SalusFuturistics]

I love that you hear the Wolves in the Hangar Stage, when you break through to the Helicopter Pad

[@NewGabeOrder]

5:17 It turns out Activision once had the Marvel Comics license to produce video games based on their IPs. Spider-Man was one of them, and Neversoft developed a Spider-Man video game the same time they were working on THPS2, which explains why there are Spider-Man and Marvel logos around the levels. Not only that, the Activision/Neversoft Spider-Man game came out on all platforms that received THPS2 barring Game Boy Advance and Xbox. If you 100% Career Mode, you'll be in for a surprise.

[@EmDub01]

In one of the levels in that Spider-Man game, you can swing by a a billboard for THPS2 and Spidey will say “hey, I skated with that guy!” They were definitely cross-promoting between the two games, and it was fun to experience as a kid

[@jameshunting730]

oh i love this videos so much, please never stop

[@PeckerComics]

I just found your channel and, I’m already a huge fan of your videos. One suggestion I’d like to make is to focus less on the logic of level design, and focusing more on the aesthetic and vibes. Glad I found your channel! ❤

[@TheNamesJER]

13:10 - something I always found weird about the bull poo is that you have to run over a few of them in career mode to get the cash out of them.

[@Gadgetman1989]

12:06 its the helicopter from the hangar coming back, that was a cool touch on the devs part

[@shrimp3683]

Wow I love the nostalgic vibe that your video brings... especially the music used in the intro

[@NewGabeOrder]

1:19 If you play the Xbox version, pipe-like rails are added to the sides, and a control room is opened behind the 1P & 2P start points. You can actually break into the windows and get warped back to The Hangar. The bail messages are the same as the ones found in Downhill Jam and Crane Drop.

[@XxguaxinimxX.]

15:13 - bus jumpscare, lol

[@86nodini21]

was looking for this😂

[@MittensOnly]

Absolutely my first time seeing the hidden hole to an undercity behind a fence, never heard anyone speak of it before

[@mpg272727]

The entire Chopper Drop level in THPS2 always feel weird to me. Why is there a halfpipe floating on a platform in the middle of the ocean in shark infested waters? Why am I being dropped onto it from a helecopter? Where even am I? Just what on Earth is going on?

[@theharvardyard2356]

Yeah he missed out on Skate Heaven too. Some major vibes in that level.

[@drmilkweed]

8:10 they may be adding a subway tunnel, they usually use a method called cut and cover to dig tunnels since it's typically cheaper and easier than boring.

[@nomenclature7662]

I played this game for years and actually played thru the entirety about half a year ago with my buddy. Never knew about the plank in Marseille 😮😮

[@PayterX]

I remember using the moon jump cheat to get to the building in the Philadelphia level. I had no idea you could just wall ride and grind up there either. There's also one more hidden spot that you didn't mention in Philadelphia though, on the outside of the city with the plain cement wall. One of the polygons/triangles that make the wall up sort of glitches out when you look at it, and it is a non solid wall. Inside is an alley and then another small spot made for skating with ramps and pipes, etc.

[@patchyluna]

VGWT has been a favorite series of mine recently, theres something so nostalgic about taking a deeper look at these stages and their mysteries. its like looking at them in kinda the same perspective as people looked at them playing for the first time all those years ago also i mean this in the best way possible when i say your tone and delivery in the narration kinda sounds like if otacon from metal gear solid gave up on military science and decided to do youtube instead

[@Nyperold018]

I don't see it much, but one meaning of "call" is "To pay a (social) visit (often used with 'on', 'round', or 'at'; used by salespeople with 'again' to invite customers to come again)." (Wiktionary)

[@mattkidroske]

Before starting this video, I said "i wonder if there will be any secret areas I didn't know about?" Never knew about the one in Marseille! Great video

[@JamieBainbridge]

This was really good. Even all these years later these areas are still familiar. You learn these spaces so well they never really leave you. You're also really good at the game. Those wallrides at the end were 👌

[@wheedler]

Can't wait to see what the final thumbnail looks like!

[@NewGabeOrder]

11:22 If you played the Dreamcast version of THPS2, you will have to look somewhere in the sky for a "flying" train. It's no Santa Claus and his sleigh full of reindeer, but there is a fixed route the express train travels, even if the player is far away from the tunnel and wall where the train comes out.

[@8thLife]

I feel like I have played quite a bit THPS2 & I have never come across that plank or the spot it reveals. Super cool thank you!

[@floramew]

My interpretation of the net/disintegrating fabric/whatever hanging in the hangar is that it looks like camouflage netting used by various military folks, or at least what I've seen in my life as an air force brat. Obvs this is not quite the same, but it would be hard to get the right shapes at this level of low poly imo.

[@jaimegarcia4436]

9:00 the la county superior court has some brick slopes out on front, i know remember seeing people years ago skating them and recording it for their clips. I'm sure a few big names got their clips there as well

[@DandyDNA]

JSR at the start!!! 😁In the Xbox version of Hangar, they added a control centre at the top of that slope to make it make more sense.

[@ayylmaoowatnext6748]

Watching these videos helped me improve the analysis and interpretation part my critical art analyses in my art history class. You are essentially an art critic.

[@NewGabeOrder]

13:10 If you play this level in Career Mode, some of the bull dumpings contain hidden cash icons to collect. This level can be difficult to get all of the cash icons in.

[@jneptuna412]

The OG Resident Evils (1 - 3) have some good spots to vibe. Listening to music while taking in the streets and alleys has been a fun past time for me in the day on 3.

[@Yungbeck]

In about a week or two I will skate on the actual tiles and ledges from the Philadelphia stage (Love Park) They have been bought and shipped to Sweden for a DIY skate spot 😅 So crazy. And you're right, Love Park wasn't designed for skating but became an iconic spot, as a real life skater I like those stages because we can emulate more realistic tricks or even recreate tricks that have gone down irl. Love your videos gg man

[@Icecreammac1]

Never knew about that hidden place behind the telephone pole! That was amazing. This whole vid was such a weird nostalgia trip, and I loved it.

[@onceuponatimeonearth]

okay I didn't expect helicopter x skateboard erotic fanfiction but I'll take it

[@NewGabeOrder]

9:44 NY City's bail messages are re-used for the Canada level in THPS3, particularly, the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 ports.

[@PanekPL]

Marseille is based on the real Skatepark Du Prado where the Red Bull Bowl contests take place. I visited in 2022 and of course the surroundings don't look anything like the game, the park is on a beautiful beach.

[@Adam-dc8lh]

I wish this type of video was more common. Game analyses are hard to find. I suppose GamingDetails on Reddit is the next best thing. Even though I never played Pro Skater 2 I can appreciate this. Hope to see Pro Skater 3 next.

[@ZenithLegend]

Great video man, loved the vibe

[@KingKaleb77]

Referring to the Brooklyn banks and FDR as just “areas” is WILD

[@lulunula]

I love that steam keeps track of how many hours I play my games, I wish I had a way of knowing how many hours I put into tony hawks pro skater 2 and 3. I played them all the time and found infinite replayability in just skating around. Also it was just a lot of fun to play with my brothers. We would play tag in the maps and just run into each other. Good times

[@joestack1921]

Yep I didn’t know about the secret area in the 2nd level you showed. I played this game for years as a kid, holy crap

[@nanardeurlambda]

I'm sad you didn't do the school. I think that's my favorite level

[@Smeggetz]

I played this game nonstop as a kid and had no idea about the plank and the lamppost

[@seb2721]

Would love to see the skate series next

[@priscillaquinn9505]

I never knew about that spot in france

[@NewGabeOrder]

8:23 You are playing a scaled-back version of THPS2. Though the PlayStation outsold the other platforms that got the game, next-gen game consoles like the Dreamcast, Xbox and even Windows PCs took advantage of the increased resolution, causing the overall game to look more crystal-clear and detailed. The Xbox version doesn't have all of the level details from the other versions (like the Wallows text from Skate Heaven), but in those cases, the Dreamcast and PC ports are the ones to go for.

[@mybestfriendlober]

I just found this channel. Binge watching has commenced.

[@tjames6427]

Yep I had no clue about the plank holding up that lamp post

[@Robeebert]

2:01 Those are just nets. A lot of places where I used to live had things up like that simply as decoration. Usually is goes in the way of lights to create cool shadow effects.

[@andyghkfilm2287]

11:36 ahh yess the classic Mexico Bullring, sponsored by Target

[@raph.404]

I've been playing this game since it came out, and I never knew about that spot until just now. Mind blown

[@shramo]

Tony's gonna shake he's Hawk off if he keeps wriggling like that.

[@badgmodmovies3775]

wow, can confirm i didnt know about the hidden area in Marseille! ill have to pay it a viset when i play it again someday

[@Guitar.Gemini]

Spider-Man game for PS1 was by the same company. That game has a trippy world. Would be worth diving in.

[@benwitte5580]

You should do a video on weird and obscure places in chibi robo. I feel like that game is built for it

[@rtyuik7]

7:27 - [slowly raises hand]

[@ventexovakon2178]

I'm surprised you didn't talk about the wolf howling in the hanger or the dude taking a wet shit in the School.

[@halley42]

I love these videos, keep them up please ....

[@nanardeurlambda]

I do like philadelphia's level. there is more combo opportunities than you're implying, and the "lived-in" aspect makes it feel like you are improvising your figures instead of going through the road the devellopers clearly set up for you.

[@deathwish1284]

Cant wait to see ur spots on american wasteland, i skate cause of th lol

[@NewGabeOrder]

6:12 You can't jump over the fence in the non-Xbox versions of the Marseille map. If you jump over the fence in the Xbox version, you'll be warped back to the skate park section of the level with the same bail messages as when you enter or exit the hole in the same level.

[@graduator14]

We definitely need a video for the rest of the levels! Then I'll definitely be Hawking my Tony!

[@andyghkfilm2287]

8:07 fuggedaboutit babyyy, it’s NEW YOAK!! EYY, I’M SKATIN’ HEAH!

[@novaprospekt]

I never knew about the secret spot with the lamppost

[@initiallytk]

Marseille is apparently based on a real skate park called Skatepark du Prado

[@IHJello]

Have you heard of Kyle Bossman? Your cadence and delivery reminds me of him and it's very pleasant to the ears.

[@Gunny426HemiPlymouth]

You called it. That planks wild.

[@enricmillan5424]

Could you do a Max Payne 1 or 2 video? Maybe it's a bit annoying having to clear the enemies, but the little spaces are great in these games.

[@FusionRey]

Great video! But I must point out... am I the only one noticing Tony Hawk's constant "thrusting" idle motion? lol

[@rukusrasputin4290]

I had no idea that spot in Marseille existed

[@ghostylovesu]

The one place is like a Zelda fairy fountain

[@priestofhiro]

curved brick ramps actually exist, look up the brooklyn banks.

[@pr6138]

16:38 You should have used the PC version. More render distance and less texture warping. But maybe it was an artistic decision to use the worse PS1 version (which I also played for years before I saw the better PC port^^)

[@2000mphgirl]

Oh my god these videos are so peak I've been thinking this stuff for so long

[@benjaminmealey1]

Never knew about the tree board spot!

[@spongebobfan78]

As seeing that YT thinks that this is THPS2x, it made me think, will there a comparison of the interesting spots here compared to the 2x version out of curiosity?

[@PretzelYT]

I picked THPS2X because there literally wasn't an entry for the original game for some reason. 😫 As for your suggestion, I like the idea of comparing games, but where I am right now, I'd kinda prefer to just move on throughout the mainline games. Maybe it'd be cool to have a video or two focusing on a handful of remade levels in the future though. There's no shortage of them in the series.

[@Marty_Deslions]

Hey Pretzel. Have you played any other classic GTAs? Or maybe one of the Driver games? How about battlefield 2 or timesplitters future perfect? I like these kind of video's, they are so chill to watch.

[@greenhowie]

These are always really nice and relaxing.

[@wachimol]

7:55 Tiberoa theme

[@naade]

love this so much!! also very choice tunes 🫡

[@personaslates]

Video interaction.

[@NONE.Dragon]

I think the big slope is for trucks

[@TheEpicKeyboardSmasher]

more "could you survive in _____" videos please

[@FUJIIDEW]

Idk about Tony... But I sure would be freezing my Hawk off in that place

[@StreetSurfersAlex]

I just learned about the fairy fountain