How Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 GBA Included Cheeky Nods to Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2

When it comes to the early 2000s era of isometric sports games on the Game Boy Advance, few titles stand out more than Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2.

Both games pushed the graphical and gameplay capabilities of Nintendo's handheld, cementing their developers—Vicarious Visions and Full Fat—as industry leaders in the portable gaming space.

However, while they competed for players' attention, a playful rivalry emerged behind the scenes, resulting in clever in-game references that have since become part of gaming folklore. Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2, developed by UK studio Full Fat and released for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance in 2001, was lauded for its technical achievements.

Yet, video game publications such as IGN were quick to point out striking similarities to Vicarious Visions' earlier Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 GBA port.

While Dave Mirra swapped skateboards for BMX bikes and featured different characters and levels, both games utilized a comparable isometric view for their 3D worlds—a creative choice that drew inevitable comparisons between the two franchises. Matt Conte, lead programmer for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and 3, recalled the development approach: “We had a model cube that served as a reference—we used it to lay out quarter pipes, taking screenshots to ensure alignment.

It became clear that both studios drew from parallel sources, and corporate mandates may have prompted Full Fat to leverage the Dave Mirra IP by building a game with a nearly identical structure, only with BMX bikes.

More than creating a genre, we helped adapt an experience for the Game Boy Advance platform.” Instead of engaging in public disputes, Vicarious Visions opted for a more discreet response.

The team embedded subtle jabs at Dave Mirra’s brand in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 exclusively for the Game Boy Advance.

Rob Gallerani, a key developer at Vicarious Visions, recently revisited this piece of development trivia, recalling, “In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, we hid a BMX bike in a dumpster behind the skate shop during the credits.

It was a unique asset, and we felt it was worth the extra effort.

We also placed a gravestone marked 'DM' in a shadowy neighborhood level—small details, but we took every chance to playfully poke fun at Dave Mirra without being overt.” Easter eggs like these became a hallmark of the era, reminiscent of nods from other iconic franchises such as Rare’s Donkey Kong Country 2, which playfully referenced Sonic the Hedgehog and Earthworm Jim.

While it’s unknown if Full Fat ever replied in later Dave Mirra titles, these hidden callbacks remain a testament to the friendly competition and creativity that defined Game Boy Advance development. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 for Game Boy Advance, published by Activision in 2001, and Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 by Acclaim, are both celebrated examples of successful franchise adaptations for Nintendo's portable platform.

Their enduring legacy is evident not just in gameplay, but in these behind-the-scenes stories that continue to delight gaming enthusiasts and historians alike.

Game Boy Game Boy Advance Tony Hawk Tony Hawk's Pro Skater GBA Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 Vicarious Visions Full Fat Nintendo Activision Acclaim IGN Rob Gallerani Matt Conte