After years of anticipation, Skate has returned with a new free-to-play entry that throws players straight into San Vansterdam, a living, breathing playground full of skaters, challenges, and opportunities to get creative. While the game retains the core “Flick-It” mechanics that longtime fans love, it also introduces new features that can be overwhelming at first.
Skate has always had a learning curve, where every failure sharpens your muscle memory and makes the next attempt smoother. Whether you’re brand new to the series or a returning veteran, this guide covers the best beginner tips to help you get started with Skate 4.
Before you start playing, spend some time tweaking your settings in Skate 4. The game gives you a lot of control options, and they can completely change how the game feels. While you can stick with the defaults, it’s worth experimenting with different Flick-It sensitivities and button layouts until you find what matches your reflexes.
If you’re new, a lower sensitivity can make tricks feel more forgiving. If you’ve been around since the older games, cranking it up can give you that sharp response you’re used to. You can test the settings for a couple of hours, then return to adjust them. This makes learning tricks far less frustrating in the long run.
San Vansterdam runs on two main currencies: Rip Chips and San Van Bucks (the premium, paid currency). Rip Chips are used to unlock boxes tied to different neighborhoods in San Vansterdam. You can check out each district by zooming out on the world map, where completing challenges earns you Rip Chips as rewards.
These boxes reward you with cosmetics and gear to customize your skater. Each new box requires more Rip Chips than the last, but higher tiers offer rarer cosmetics. Outside of buying San Van Bucks and direct shop purchases, this is the only way to get cosmetics in Skate 4. So, once you finish a challenge, don’t forget to check if you’ve earned enough Rip Chips to grab a box.
The Skatepedia is your built-in guide to everything in Skate. Inside, you’ll find a full trick list in Skate 4, visual explanations of techniques like Prewinding spins or Slappies, and even a glossary of skateboarding terminology used in challenges.
New players can use Skatepedia to learn the basics, while veterans can brush up on advanced mechanics they’re unfamiliar with. Having the Skatepedia open in the radial menu is a great way for players to learn the game without breaking their flow.
While you can play Skate solo, multiplayer makes progression smoother. It’s an online game, and other skaters can challenge you to Throwdowns, share Quick Drop objects, and help with co-op goals during challenges.
Don’t shy away from teaming up. It’s usually the fastest way to complete goals and unlock the next Tours. Plus, skating with friends adds that extra layer of fun the franchise has always thrived on.
If you’re wondering how to actually progress in Skate 4, it all comes down to Missions and Tours. Missions are scattered throughout the neighborhoods and reward you with Rip Chips, fast travel points, and new mechanics as you play. There will be at least one mission available for you at all times. Players can track active missions from the Missions tab in the main menu.
In addition to missions, there are also Tours, shown with purple flags. These are voiced by returning characters such as Shingo, Slappy, and Izzy. Tours play out like campaign-style missions, teaching you new systems and helping you explore the city. While most Tours unlock in sequence, some will require you to complete specific challenge goals before progressing further.
San Vansterdam is a big virtual city, and while cruising is fun, sometimes you just want to get straight to the action. Unlocking fast travel points across the city makes life easier and saves time.
Another equally useful feature is session markers. These are your personal respawn points. By setting a marker (hold up on the D-pad), you can instantly retry a trick, gap, or line without skating back. This is perfect for practicing consistency or experimenting with new combos until you nail them cleanly.
Quick Drop in Skate 4 is the perfect tool for reshaping the city to fit your skating style. Use ramps to reach rooftops, extend ledges with extra rails, or drop pads to connect tricky gaps that would otherwise cut your line short. Every object you place opens up new ways to move through San Vansterdam, helping you carve out unique paths and explore spots that might’ve seemed unskateable before. The more creative you get with Quick Drop, the more endless your lines and combos can become.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned Skate veteran or brand new to San Vansterdam, it’s worth taking time to learn the game’s new tricks. Slappies let you grind curbs automatically when you skate into them, making it easier to chain lines together. Ollies are now more versatile: quick flicks give you subtle lift, while boned ollies (holding down and pushing forward) give you maximum air for gaps and rails. Once you’re grinding, use the left stick to angle toward the next obstacle or drop out cleanly.
One of the biggest additions to this Skate installment is the parkour movement. You’re not just bound to your board; you can climb buildings, wall-run, swing from bars, and even dive dramatically with bail mechanics. These moves open up the vertical side of the city, letting you reach rooftops, new trick lines, and creative spots you couldn’t get to otherwise.
Techniques like the Caveman, Hippy Jump, and Coffin can also be chained with skateboarding tricks for extra style. You can also use parkour to reach hidden areas or set up better runs when the environment seems limiting. All in all, these movements will open up more creative lines and make San Vansterdam feel like your own playground.
These new tricks give you more creative freedom in sequences and help you complete challenges quickly. Make sure to spend time in free play practicing them until they feel like second nature.
Many challenges in Skate 4 require hitting high sequence scores, and the trick to them is mastering the multiplier system. Every unique move in a sequence (flips, grinds, grabs, manuals, etc.) increases your multiplier up to 4x, which massively boosts your score.
Just don’t repeat the same trick over and over again. Being creative, consistent, and bail-free is the fastest way to achieve those score-based goals.
Instead of focusing on one-off tricks, push yourself to link them into flowing combos. Mix manuals, grinds, and grabs to keep your momentum alive and show off Skater’s moves. Keep experimenting with new sequences to discover smoother lines and boost your overall score.
September 16, 2025
Teen / Crude Humor, Lyrics, Mild Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
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