The original Tony Hawk Pro Skater was a surprise hit for Activision when it was originally released for the Playstation because it was unlike any other skating game before it.  Other games with skateboarding like Sony's Xtreme series (2Xtreme, 3Xtreme, etc...) incorporated skateboarding, but the results were lackluster at best.  What made Tony Hawk go above and beyond your average extreme sports games was that there was an added realism incorporated with easy to pull moves and tricks that rounded out a real fun package.  This game was revolutionary at its time, and it spawned two sequels that topped the original, and a host of imitators that still can't match the original Tony Hawk.  The soundtrack is worth noting as well; Primus, Dead Kennedys, Suicidal Tendencies, and the Suicide Machines lend some tracks making the game even more enjoyable.  If you have never played the original Tony Hawk, but have played the sequels, chances are you won't like this, but no matter how you look at it, the original Tony Hawk Pro Skater is a piece of modern video game history.