This game reminds me of childhood. Back in the early to mid 2000s I was a huge tony fan, and these games ignited that. Tony Hawks pro skater 2 was such a big part of my childhood.
this is definitely an instance where the sequel is better than the 1st game. the 1st game was great but this game took what was awesome about the 1st and made it better.
this game runs on the same physics engine, but with added manuals, and imo more interesting levels and also more content in general just amplifies its superiority.
some people don't like having to beat the game with every skater to unlock stuff but i love playing the game over again, it's really fun.
I'm not sure how this game would feel if you are just now playing it for the first time. maybe it would seem dated but I urge any one interested to give it a try.
this game was released on many different systems. I have played a few different versions, so I'll do my best to review each version
personally, I grew up on the n64 version. many people view this version as the most downgraded version on home consoles, and they are right. the n64 version has no fmv's and the music was butchered in this version. as a kid I didn't know any better, the cropped songs I thought was normal. I think the only good aspect to the n64 version is the graphics, they are smooth. also, I think this game fairs well with the n64 controller, maybe that's because I grew up playing this version, but I think it's good.
Now, not to long ago I played the ps1 version, this version was the og version. the game, as far as I know, was specifically developed for the ps1, and all other versions are ports of the ps1 version. it's great, the music is intact and the fmv's, BUT, the ps1 graphics kind of hinder it. that's the case with all ps1 games though so I don't know if you would consider it a hindrance. for me, I grew up with the n64 version so coming to this version I definitely notice the harsher graphics. other than aesthetics it plays great and is still better than the n64 version.
my favorite system to play this game on, and, imo is the best version, is the Dreamcast version. the music and fmv's are just like the ps1 version, but this version has a leg up because the graphics are nice and smooth, even better than n64. the detail is much better in this version imo. I also prefer the Dreamcast controller over ps1 and n64 if I had to choose.
regardless, all versions are fun, you're only missing out on music and fmv's in the n64 version, and i grew up on that version and it was and still is fun.
I've also played the gba version, this is a great, fun, and different rendition of the game for a portable experience. I urge you to check that game out as well especially if you're a fan of the original game.