Los Angeles

Los Angeles loading screen

Los Angeles is the seventh level in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. The level re-appears in Tony Hawk's Underground 2 as a classic mode level, and in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD as downloadable content. 

Origin

The level environment is mostly inspired by the financial district of Los Angeles. For example the skatepark area in the center of the level is mainly Pershing Square with the Biltmore Hotel next to it, at the beginning of the level there is Central Library. On the right there is City National Plaza, which appears to be moved to the Alley of Fame. ARCO Rails can be found right behind it. There is the Hollywood sign as well on the hill outside the level. The Havgas car wash is based on Downtown Car Wash.

There are plenty of Los Angeles skyscrapers in the level including The U.S Bank Tower, Citigroup Center, Gas Company Tower, AON Center and twin towers at City National Plaza.

Goals

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 - 6th Gen

• High Score - 100,000
• Pro Score - 190,000
• Sick Score - 400,000
• Collect S-K-A-T-E
• Start the Earthquake
• Get the Secret Tape
• One Foot Japan the Tower Poppin' Transfer (Vert Skaters)
• Varial Kickflip the Tower Rails Gap (Street Skaters)
• Free Ballin'
• Block the Car Chase

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 - 5th Gen

• High Score - 15,000
• Pro Score - 40,000
• Sick Score! - 100,000
• Collect S-K-A-T-E
• Transformers Shutdown
• Grind the Electric Rail
• Elevator Grind
• Kickflip Over Elevator Lobby
• Find the Secret Tape
• 100% Goals, Stats, and Decks

Tony Hawk's Underground 2

• High Score - 750,000
• Pro Score - 1,500,000
• Sick Score - 2,000,000
• High Combo - 550,000
• Collect S-K-A-T-E
• Collect C-O-M-B-O
• Blow up the 5 Ice Lattes
• BS Roll the Purple Gap
• Crush 5 Low Carb Dishes
• Get the Secret Tape

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD

• High Score - 100,000
• Pro Score - 190,000
• Sick Score - 400,000
• Start the Earthquake
• Find the Secret DVD
• Collect S-K-A-T-E
• Collect 5 Paparazzi Cameras
• Varial Kickflip the Tower Rails Gap
• Free Ballin'

Trivia

• Los Angeles is the second level in the PSX/N64 version of the game.
• The Player can start the earthquake by grinding the 4 rails. It will destroy the bridge.
  • In the PSX/N64 version, the earthquake has already been triggered and grinding the 4 rails won't do anything.
• It is possible to reach the bridge without starting the earthquake. The cars on the bridge will not stop when the player is in front of them, meaning that the player will get hit by a bunch of cars; though it is still possible to Car Plant on them, there is still a chance to bail.
• There are two guys that argue in single player mode. There is a bunch of phrases recorded including "THPS1. THPS2. THPS1! Tony Hawk 2!!!" or "Downhill levels. Open environments. Downhill levels! Open environments!!!".
• After triggering the earthquake on the 6th gen version of THPS3, the driver of the green car used in "Block the car chase" can be heard begging for help. When you grind on his car, he can be heard yelling in terror as he falls down and blocks the van.
  • When all the goals are completed, the van being chased by LAPD cruisers will be crushed as well by the hanging sign, as it finally swings off whatever was holding onto it.
• A Havgas carwash is present in the level.
• When the skater is approaching the Buster's Cherry movie theater, stereotypical 80s porn music is being played. The advertised movies are rather suggestive: "Rear Admiral" and "Come Hither".
• Buster's Cherry was likely censored in past-gen versions of the game since it was planned for N64 as well. The logo was changed to GGG. Suggestive titles were changed to to "Mighty Hawks" and "Song of Shaba". Movie posters were introduced, advertising following fictional movies: "Yassir ya Betcha", "Kill Bruce", "Grind Away", "BSOD".
• In the PSX/N64 version of the game, the City National Plaza has been replaced with a nondescript concrete building with a lobby in between that has a halfpipe above, and one of the towers has an elevator that goes up to a small plaza with railings and a rail down into the plaza
  • This is sometimes called Nokia Tower because the only identifying feature is a billboard for Nokia.
• City National Plaza fountain initially was planned to include the Double Ascension statue, but it was removed later.
• In one of the two theme setting in Pro Skater 4's Create-A-Park can have Los Angeles as a theme.
• A small portion of the Los Angles level can be seen in the THPS3 Skateshop (main menu).
• One of City National Plaza towers is called Findley tower in the game. Chad Findley is one of the game developers.
• A glitch can occur in the Tony Hawk Underground 2 version where you grab onto the lip rail on quarter-pipe at the purple Pershing Square structure and you move over the farthest left part of the quarter-pipe next to the wall and move the thumbstick back, you'll be walking around, but still have the action of holding onto the rail, this will last until you jump or fall from anywhere in the level.
• Another glitch has been found in the PlayStation 1 version. Skate to the elevator. Ride the wall to hit the button and get in. Towards the back of the elevator, you may sometimes spin in a circle until you pass through the floor of the elevator and stay suspended in mid air.
• In THUG2, if the player goes through the door (more specifically, comes in contact with it, as the storefront is merely a texture) of the convenience store located behind the car wash, they will respawn high above the movie theater sign. In THPS3 and HD, attempting this does nothing, as the door exhibits wall behavior.
• In THUG2 at least, it is possible to go out of bounds and skate outside the stage by setting a respawn point on the top of the overpass without triggering the earthquake (although this is more easily done after doing so, the player must leave the stage and return so the overpass will not be destroyed), then getting on top of a car that is heading towards the car wash. Upon reaching the end of the path, the car will turn around and go back, at which point the player will be out of bounds without the game triggering a flag event.
• There are no pedestrians in the THPSHD version of the stage.

Gallery

Pershing square in the game.

Private Carrera is dancing in the middle of the road

Havgas car wash

Los Angeles in N64 version of THPS3.

Los Angeles in THPSHD

Los Angeles sketch featuring destroyed bridge

Pershing Square as it is.

Central Library is a bit wider in real life, but the area in front of it shares the similiar shape.

U.S. Bank Tower

City National Plaza

Biltmore Hotel contains 3 sections whereas in THPS3 only 2 sections remain.

Downtown Car Wash

Citigroup skyscraper

LA map in THPSHD