Best Special Tricks in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Best Special Tricks in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater: The Complete 2026 Guide

The best special tricks in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater are the ones you can trigger reliably from a neutral position — typically Down-Down, Left-Right, or Up-Down inputs under a second long — and the highest-scoring ones chain into manuals and reverts at the end of a combo rather than opening it. If you are optimizing for score, prioritize tricks with high base point values that can be re-triggered in sequence (like the 900 or the Christ Air); if you are optimizing for consistency, stick to two-direction inputs that do not require a grind or lip to activate.

Quick Comparison: Best Special Tricks by Situation

Note: point values vary by game version and difficulty setting. Values above reflect the official in-game trick list in the 1+2 remake and the classic THPS 3–4 entries.

Easiest Special Tricks to Trigger Consistently

The easiest special tricks use a single repeated direction — like Down-Down or Left-Left — and do not require you to be airborne or on a rail. According to the in-game trick list in the 1+2 remake, the following inputs are the most forgiving:

• Down-Down + Flip — works from any flatground position, no airtime requirement
• Left-Left + Grab — triggers as a Body Varial variant, easy to buffer during a manual
• Right-Right + Grind — activates during a rail approach without needing a specific angle

The reason these are easier is buffering: the game accepts directional inputs up to about 0.5 seconds before the trick window opens, so repeated-direction inputs are far less likely to register a partial command than quarter-circle or half-circle motions. If you are new to special tricks, start with a Down-Down flip and use it as your default combo closer.

Highest-Scoring Special Tricks and Combo Routes

The highest-scoring special tricks are not necessarily the ones with the biggest base value — they are the ones that can be linked into a manual or revert and re-triggered. A 900 worth 9,000 points is wasted if you land it alone; a 3,000-point McTwist chained into a revert-manual-revert loop can net five times that.

Vert Route: 900 into Revert Manual Loop

1. Approach the vert ramp with full speed. Reason: the 900 requires maximum airtime, and speed determines your launch height.
2. Launch and input the 900 at the apex. Reason: triggering too early cuts the rotation and forces a bail.
3. Revert on landing, then manual immediately. Reason: the revert preserves the combo multiplier; the manual keeps it alive.
4. Re-trigger a lower-value special (e.g. McTwist) inside the manual. Reason: each special adds to the multiplier without requiring new airtime.

A worked example: 900 (9,000) + revert (+1,000) + manual (500) + McTwist (4,000) at a 4x multiplier = approximately 58,000 points from one route. That is the practical reason to favor loopable tricks over one-shot big scorers.

Rail Route: Darkslide into Grind Switch

For street and park levels, start with a Darkslide for the high base value, then switch to a grind special mid-rail. This works because the Darkslide counts as a separate trick instance — the combo counter does not reset between them as long as you do not touch the ground.

How to Choose Your Special Tricks: A Decision Matrix

Durability and Ownership: What Actually Wears First in Your Save

In the context of game-file ownership, the things that degrade first are not the tricks themselves but your custom skater’s stat allocation and your saved trick list. On the 1+2 remake, stat points cap at a fixed total, so over-investing in one category (e.g. all Spin) leaves your Ollie and Speed too low to reach the launch height the 900 requires. A common mistake is to remap special tricks to complex inputs for marginal point gains — the input complexity costs more in failed attempts than the base-value difference returns. If you are playing an older title, be aware that some special tricks (like the Darkslide) do not exist in the original THPS 1 or 2 and only appeared from THPS 4 onward, so route planning must match your game version.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the highest-scoring special trick in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater?

The 900 typically has the highest single-hit base value at around 9,000–10,000 points in the 1+2 remake. However, its practical score depends entirely on whether you can chain it into a revert and manual. A lower-value trick looped three times will usually beat a single 900 landed alone.

Are special tricks the same in every Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game?

No. The original THPS 1 and 2 have a smaller special trick list, and tricks like the Darkslide were introduced later. The 1+2 remake restores many classics but applies its own point values and input mappings, so a route that works in THPS 4 may not transfer directly.

How do I make special tricks easier to trigger?

Use inputs that repeat the same direction, like Down-Down or Left-Left, and input them slightly before you need them — the game buffers directional commands for roughly half a second. Avoid quarter-circle or half-circle motions unless the trick specifically requires them, since partial inputs cause failed attempts.

Can I use special tricks in a manual or revert?

Yes, and you should. Triggering a special during a manual or immediately after a revert keeps the combo multiplier alive without requiring new airtime. This is the core mechanic behind high-score routes on vert and street levels alike.

Do special tricks cost anything to unlock?

In most entries, special tricks are unlocked by purchasing them with in-game cash from the skater’s trick list or by completing specific goals. There is no real-money cost. The 1+2 remake unlocks them through progression and the in-game shop using earned currency only.

What is the most common mistake with special tricks?

The most common mistake is remapping specials to long or complex input strings for a small base-value gain. The extra input time and higher failure rate usually cost more points than the trick returns, especially on timed runs or score-attack modes.